Imagine the exciting moment when you meet someone you’ve heard a lot about, but only now find yourself face to face with them. The moment I met Michelle Lockey during the photoshoot, I was struck: her confidence, resilience, and natural allure seemed incredible, especially considering her challenging childhood, which she openly shares.

Michelle stood there, amidst the lights and backgrounds, she was like a flower blooming in the spotlight. Her gaze was forward, as if preparing for an exhilarating leap, and every movement of hers was precise, like notes in her music. Coming closer, one could perceive how she interacted with the team leading the photoshoot – professional stylists, makeup artists, and photographers. She was not only the focus of attention but also an active participant in this creative process. Under the warm rays of the cameras, she seemed incredibly calm, yet at the same time, she retained the freshness and immediacy of a teenager. After the photoshoot concluded, with the final frame captured and the atmosphere of pleasant work tension dissipated, Michelle invited us to sit on the cozy couch in the corner of the studio. At that moment, she seemed to transform, becoming more relaxed and approachable. Her energy was effortless, yet she exuded a sense of profound sincerity. Her gaze was simultaneously bold and tender, as if embodying an internal dialogue between strength and vulnerability. Thus began our interview – a conversation about her new single, the challenges she had faced in childhood, her upcoming album, and what the future held in store for her.

photo by Melody Yazdani

Hey Michelle, congratulations on the release of “Why Don’t They Choose Me”! It’s such a powerful track and feels like a pivotal moment in your career. I’m really curious about the inspiration behind it. The lyrics feel deeply personal, almost like we’re getting a glimpse into your own journey. Could you tell us a bit more about what drove you to write this song and how it connects to your own experiences and emotions?

This song is part of a bigger album where I am exploring many childhood events that led to low self-esteem throughout my life. For this particular song, I was really trying to capture & remember how awkward I felt as a child, pre-teen and teen & how I just didn’t feel like I fit in the more popular circles. I was tall, lanky, unsure of  myself, shy & was picked on a lot. Also there were girls that didn’t like me (and boys) , for whatever reason, would tease and make fun. One girl shouted real loud “your legs are like string beans!!” It was really embarrassing & made me hate being tall. Whether it be gym time, the hallways, bathroom, or seeing these kids in circles outside of school, I just felt (well knew), they didn’t like me. It is a sinking feeling of not being good enough, but not knowing why, & therefore developing this self hate & wrongness throughout your life. I never knew you were NOT supposed to feel that way about yourself.  I can’t imagine the struggles today’s youth have with being on  social media. We didn’t have that back then and it still felt so bad. I do bring in a glimmer of hope, because since all of this, I have worked through my struggles (mostly) and do not hate myself anymore.

“Why Don’t They Choose Me” explores themes of not fitting in, teenage struggles, and battling low self-esteem. How do you navigate the fine line between vulnerability and relatability in your songwriting? 

It is hard to write a song that doesn’t say “pity me”, but says “Hey- these are the thoughts I am having and maybe you feel this way too, and can relate”.  I try to get really deep into what I felt back then, but then write relatable words that help others process those feelings they may have themselves.  It is also hard to  process what you are feeling as a kid. So now, as an adult,  I can look back, and understand what words to use to describe just feeling bad:  “Nobody sees me”  (i.e  nobody cares, they ignore me) ; “Nobody wants to be like me” (i.e. I am not likeable, or what’s wrong with me)  “Nobody Chooses me for their team” (I think that one is pretty relatable)  I tried to get the “string bean” line in there, but my co-writer, Stephen Joseph Antonelli, thought it was too specific and people would not get the line. So we continued the “Nobody chooses me for their team — BECAUSE- I’m a loser….  ” So the line writing went

Nobody sees me

Nobody wants to be like me

Nobody chooses me for their team

They call my legs string beans To: They call me a stringy thing To: Cuz i’m a loser & a freak

So I wanted people to understand and feel and realize that they may have or do, or their kids may feel this way, and you can only do that by taking emotions, examining them and putting them into a relatable lyric

Michelle, your music has found its way into so many different media outlets, from TV shows to films. It’s impressive how your songs seem to effortlessly blend with visual storytelling. When you’re in the process of recording a song or composing a melody, do you ever envision how that song might sound in a specific scene from a film?

For this album I am trying not to think of where this could land in Film & TV.  It is hard to get that out of my head sometimes. Film & TV likes songs that are pretty universal and won’t interfere with the scene. I have about 300 songs in my catalog. Some are more for personal albums, most are with the idea of pitching to Film & TV. Because I know what works in Film & TV, I can still take my personal experiences, feelings etc and put them into a song that I do intend to pitch for Film & TV. Those songs use lots of metaphors for emotions and hardly any detail. As far as production, I do always want to try and sound current, regardless if this was for a TV show or not. I release many of my songs, perform them and do want fans to like my music whether it is in Film & TV or not. For this song, I wanted it to sound in the area of Noah Cyrus’s July, I really liked her style in that song. Now that the song is done and out there, I can see it being used in certain scenes. Music Supervisors have liked it, ( I can’t help but to pitch my music) but do say that it could be used for only certain scenes.  

photo by Melody Yazdani

As a mentor, you guide aspiring musicians and teach courses on building a business in music licensing. What key advice do you offer to those navigating the intricacies of the music industry, especially in the context of licensing and placements?

How much time do we have?? LOL  That is a BIG question. When I started I knew NOTHING. My biggest advice is to get educated on what Sync Licensing is and how to navigate it. Know the business, know how to properly craft your music, understand what music splits are, One Stop agreements, Easy clear, what a Performance Royalty Organization is and does. Network and meet people already in the business. They may agree to collaborate with you. My collaborators were a big help in me learning to write better, play better, sing and produce better. They helped to introduce me to Sync music publishers who mentored me & signed my music. Don’t be afraid to sign music to a Sync Agent or Music Sync Publisher, they are the go to trusted sources of Music Supervisors. You also have to be writing great music & have excellent production. It is really competitive now with major label artists, so Indies need to up the production game. You can learn all this via my Podcast: Sync Licensing Minute, and also  at music licensing conferences. Some such as Taxi Music Rally, Sync Summit, Durango Summit etc, and there are a ton of groups on social media now that share knowledge. 

“Why Don’t They Choose Me” has received acclaim, including nominations for the Hollywood Music In Media Award and Global Music Award Bronze Finalist. How do you handle both the successes and the challenges that come with recognition in the industry?

To Clarify- “Why Don’t They Choose Me” was nominated in the Washington Area Music Awards (Wammies) this year in the Folk category. One of my Christmas songs ” I Don’t Want It To Be A Bad Christmas” was nominated in the Hollywood Music in Media Awards, and other songs ” I Should’ve Done Better (Lyrics,Music) & Who Hears the Broken (Song) have received Bronze in the Global Music Awards. Who Hears the Broken has not been officially released, but is a very very personal song, even more so than Why Don’t They Choose Me. Who Hears the Broken also was a finalist in the International Acoustic Music Awards. 

I am waiting on results of other contests for Why Don’t They Choose Me.  Even so, my songs have been picking up traction & getting acclaim. It is a personal and public victory to see these accolades. But you still have to keep your head in the game. Just because you start to receive recognition does not mean you are rich, or famous, (if that is your goal) or can just glide through the music writing process. It can lead to more opportunity, & respect in the area, which means people can trust your advice on a topic. All of this leads to a successful career. You still have to keep your nose to the grindstone. We have a saying in my circles “Write, Submit, Forget, Repeat”.  Keep doing what you are doing and don’t focus on the “wins” or the “accolades”.. keep writing and making good music and know that people are appreciating it! 

Your commitment to community involvement is evident through hosting fundraisers for various causes. How do you choose the causes you support, and how has your philanthropic work influenced your artistic vision?

I chose Team Phenomenal Hope because my niece Callie developed pulmonary hypertension, a deadly disease,  when she was 3. It requires a continuous subcutaneous pump with heart medication to keep her heart functioning properly. I wrote my first song on Ukulele when she was born. She was in intensive care & the nurse said that babies like to be held tight like a little bird, so I wrote and released a song called Little Bird. I need to re-release it since I changed distributors. Since then, I have always donated a portion of my music proceeds to Team Phenomenal Hope. 

I also wrote a stories and songs album called Courageous Me, that includes a booklet of stories behind each song, with the hopes that these stories would help others. I held a live concert as well, and 50% of those proceeds from the concert, album, and T-shirt sales went to Team Phenomenal Hope. I want to keep raising awareness of Pulmonary Hypertension. It is still considered rare, but many people suffer from it.  I have also written songs to help raise funds for Disaster relief, & also awareness of worldly issues, and that we should be kind to each other as humans.    

I have been influenced by various causes to use my music to help others heal, and include things to think about.  In the past I created a course/group called Search for significance (based on the book) and held it at my church, with the goal of helping other women realize their significance. It was something I went through myself and completely changed my life and I wanted to help other women do the same. During the program I would use my music for inspiration.  I want to continue to do so. 

“Why Don’t They Choose Me” is described as a piece of your soul. How do you balance the intimate nature of your music with the public aspect of being a well-known artist, and what does sharing such personal stories mean to you?

I think to really connect with someone, you need to know some intimate details about them. Fans love to connect with the artists they listen to. If my music was superficial, I am not sure it would be as successful as it has been. Growing up we weren’t really “allowed” to talk about such intimate things or really what was bothering us. It was that whole “buck up and show up” mentality. Mental health was not recognized or addressed as well as it is today. I felt shut down most of my life, just dealing with it, hating who I was, not being able to talk about the things really bothering me. Music has allowed me to start to work through those feelings. All my music, whether it is for Film or TV or not, has allowed me to work through many things, and if it allows others to do the same- that is wonderful! In the last few years I have been more open about an incident with a sexual predator when I was a child. I just remember feeling so wrong when the police showed up. That feeling stuck with me for a very long time. Now that I realize that I am NOT wrong as a person, and that I have worth, I want others to feel the same. Just by speaking up about such things, others have told me how much it has helped them realize their own worth. That is my hope in expressing these intimate personal stories to others. 

Can you share any upcoming concert plans? Where and when can your fans catch you in action?

I am mostly performing live at local venues, wineries, and breweries. But I am active in the local songwriter scene and play at songwriter showcases and special events. My calendar can be found on BandsinTown, my website michellelockey.com  and also Facebook & Instagram under my handle @michellelockeymusic 

Can you give us any hints about your upcoming plans? Are there any albums or projects in the works that your fans can look forward to?

YES! I will be releasing my next single (Who Hears the Broken)  and music video in a month or so and a new EP (Dig Deeper) sometime in June. These songs are part of my personal journey. Fans can follow me on Bandcamp, for pre-release info. Also Spotify, Apple, and all the places you listen to music

Michelle, being a musician is such a unique experience, filled with highs, lows, and everything in between. I’m curious, amidst all the challenges and triumphs, what is it that truly lights you up about being a musician and sharing your art with the world? 

Once all the dust settles from the world and my brain and I can just sit down & focus to play, write, play-out, sing, – all that noise goes away, all the negativity, self doubt, world interrupting items, just goes away & I realize that I have this gift. It feels good to have it and to use it. It is a joy to see that it is helping others & entertaining others.  That is what lights me up. And when you are lit up, you want to light up those around you. 

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