Music

When I was a professor, students used to line up outside my office to ask for my advice. I always told them to follow their hearts. One afternoon as I watched yet another relieved face disappear out my office door, I realized I wasn’t following my own heart.

What did I really want to do when I grew up? I wanted to sing in a rock-n-roll band! I’d only written a handful of songs, but I knew if I didn’t take the risk then, I never would.

My songs have been on the charts. But more importantly, they’ve inspired others to follow their hearts, too.

My music can help you move through challenging situations, heal old wounds, practice forgiveness, and celebrate life.

• Michelle was recognized for “incredible efforts for the homeless community” by the city of San Jose and Project Homeless Connect for her work with the homeless in Northern California. Her music video “No Place like Home” raised donations for homeless organizations from Atlanta to San Jose.







• Finalist for “Best International Artist” in Australia’s premier music awards for independent artists, The Musicoz Awards (2009).



• Chappel’s music video for “Do Some Livin”, the title track of her CD “Shine”, won The New Musical Express award in the UK (2009).







• Chappel’s songs “Down this Road Before,” “You Won’t See Me Cry,” “Flying Free,” and “Time for a Change” garnered 4 Honorable Mentions in Billboard Magazine’s International Songwriting Contest (2009).



• Chappel’s song “No Place Like Home” placed third in Billboard’s World Song Contest in the Americana/Folk category competing against over 20,000 entries (2008).



• Chappel’s song “You Won’t See Me Cry” from her CD “Shine” was a semi-finalist in the International Songwriting Competition in the Folk/Singer-Songwriter category competing against over 15,000 entries from over 100 countries (2008).



• Chappel contributed seven songs to the soundtrack of Frog & Wombat, Laurie Agard’s internationally distributed independent film, featured on HBO, Showtime, Encore and ABC (1999 – 2007).



• Chappel performed as Pat Benatar for Karaoke Revolution, selected as one of the top 10 best games of the year by The New York Times (2003).



• Chappel performed as “Mad Donna” on “The Wheels On The Bus” (Shifty Disco Records). The song charted at No. 17 on UK radio stations; the accompanying video aired on MTV Europe (2002).






• Chappel’s sophomore CD, Infinity + 1, Man held a No. 1 position and several Top 10 positions on US College Radio (2000).



• Infinity + 1, Man was the top-selling independent release for 14 weeks at Tower Records in San Jose, California (2000).



• Chappel was chosen in Top 100 bands/artists in Billboard Magazine’s International Songwriting Contests (1999).



• Chappel’s songs have garnered 12 Outstanding Achievement Awards in Billboard Magazine’s International Songwriting Contests (1994 – 1999).



• Eleven tracks on Michelle Chappel’s self-titled debut CD received radio airplay in South Africa. The CD was selected as “Feature of the Week” by four major South African Radio stations and the artist was chosen as “Woman of the Week” on the largest radio station in the country (1994).



• The track “Strange Kind of Love” was a Top 10 single on regional Adult Contemporary stations; the accompanying video aired on South African TV (1994).