Surrounded by music since she was a small child, singer, songwriter and composer Chrisette Michele has been blessed with an old soul and this Long Island bred vocalist has a deep appreciation for the harmonic foundations that includes gospel and jazz. “I did my first solo when I was four years old,” Chrisette remembers.
Currently putting the finishing touches on her soulful debut album, an artistic exploration that fuses Chrisette’s diverse musical interest into a wonderland, the young artist couldn’t be more pleased. “I realize that I’m new to the music world, but I’ve been preparing for this moment for long time.”
Even before signing on the dotted line of her Def Jam contract last year, the multitalented soul sister had toured with more established artists like Kem and India Arie. “India saw me singing at the Village Underground in New York City. She came backstage that first night and graciously offered me a gig as her opening act.”
Working hard in the studio writing songs and recording demos, Chrisette finished an album worth of material before even trying to get signed. “I’ve been creating songs since I was twelve, so I knew I needed the right musical blend in order to stand-out from the many other performers trying to get a deal.”
While not hung-up on genre labels, Chrisette Michele says, “I’m excited about finding my place amongst young composers like Alicia Keys and Jill Scott. My goal from the moment I was signed by Antonio “LA” Reid, Chairman and CEO, Island Def Jam Music Group, was to create a seamless album that mixes soul and pop in a way that will have people coming back to again and again.” Favorite contemporary artists that are in high rotation include, Beyonce, Kanye West and NAS.
Days after giving LA “goose bumps” during the audition, the young singer found herself in a California studio called Brandon’s Way having a creative conversation with Babyface.
Over the course of a few days, the duo recorded seven tracks, four of which will be heard on her upcoming release. “Babyface and I got into a conversation about the love he has for his children,” she says. “So, the first song I penned was called ‘My Joy.’ It’s a song about a child speaking to his or her father, and I think it’s quite special. Observing the artistry that Babyface possesses has hopefully made me a better performer as well.”
Having grown-up in the suburbs of Long Island, Chrisette didn’t spend much time planted in front of the television. “My parents had me in girl scouts, tap class and piano lessons,” Chrisette says. “It wasn’t like I was cut off from the world, but there just wasn’t a lot of media influence in my life during those early years.”
Chrisette Michele has always been true to herself. “I don’t feel as though I was the typical deacon’s kid, because I was taught early on to speak my mind and not be afraid to think,” she says. “To me, that is one of things that helped keep me focused as an artist who is trying to do something different in music.”
A self-described “girly girl” Chrisette says, “I have definite older child syndrome. I helped my mom raise my brothers like they were my own children, but I also had the pleasure of being daddy’s little princess.”
In addition to her own relatives, Chrisette was blessed with an extended family that included the many folks that her mother allowed to room in their house. “If my mother saw a homeless pregnant woman on the street, chances are they would soon be staying with us,” Chrisette laughs. “I learned so much about the world listening to these folk’s stories, and to this day their experiences can be heard in my material.”
Though already a fan of gospel and classical, it wasn’t until Chrisette Michele was seventeen that she also developed a passion for jazz. “When I was still in high school a teacher introduced me to jazz singer Astrud Gilberto, and afterwards my life was all about jazz,” she remembers.
Majoring in music at 5 Towns College in Long Island, Chrisette cites the nurturing sway of her teachers for where she is today. “Although I did have talent, often that is not enough,” she says. “My professors taught me how to be a professional and to be serious about my music. They taught me how to put the music that I dream about at night on paper in the morning.”
With the release of her debut album, Chrisette Michele will soon be sharing those musical dreams with the rest of the world.
Fragile
Chrisette Michele Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When I saw you then my heart its in full control
Can we go, oooh baby, somewhere we can get to know each other
I'm kind of anxious; see Im not the kind of girl that would do this, I'm so far outside my world
But if I don't, I don't tell you baby, it'll kill me to never know, oooh
[Chorus:]
I wanna live(I wanna live)
Can you see me (Can you see me)
Here on the edge (Here on the edge)
Boy don't tell me no, don't tell me no
While my heart is fragile, oooh
La la la la la la la la oh oh fragile (x4)
Lalalalalalalal eh
Boy don't tell me no, don't tell me no
While my heart is fragile
I ain't begging, that ain't ever been my style,
Something is different when I'm looking in your eyes
I lose, I lose my cool baby, the closer that you get to me ooohh
I can't take another second, ohh I'm jumping out my skin,
If loving is the game, then boy you got to let me win
Oooh baby, baby, baby, its like I can't barely breathe
No no no no no no!
[Chorus]
I ain't begging, I won't plead,
I'm just asking you to see
[You will see me. You see me boy] x2
I ain't like this normally; I'm not the kind of fool you see
But don't you think, that you and me can barely be....
[Chorus]
The lyrics of Chrisette Michele's song Fragile portray a depiction of a girl who is not used to begging, nevertheless she is willing to go outside of her comfort zone for the potential of a romantic connection. She admits that she is anxious and uneasy about the situation, as she is not the type of girl who would typically do something like this. Despite her nerves, she wants to explore the possibility of getting to know this individual more by asking him out on a date. She feels that she is on the edge of something great and does not want to miss out on the opportunity.
Through the chorus, Chrisette pleads for this individual to give her a chance, as she does not want to be left with a blank slate. She wants to know what could happen if they were to go out and see where things go. She admits that her heart is fragile and cannot handle rejection. The song portrays the vulnerability that can come with opening up to someone and taking a chance on love. Michele’s lyrics tell a story of bravery, fear, and uncertainty in a budding romance.
Line by Line Meaning
It's a long shot, but I'm feeling kinda of bold
I know it seems unlikely, but I'm feeling brave enough to take a risk
When I saw you then my heart its in full control
As soon as I saw you, my heart took over and now I can't resist
Can we go, oooh baby, somewhere we can get to know each other
Could we please go somewhere where we can talk and get to know each other better?
I'm kind of anxious; see Im not the kind of girl that would do this, I'm so far outside my world
I'm nervous because this isn't something I would normally do, it's really new to me
But if I don't, I don't tell you baby, it'll kill me to never know, oooh
If I don't tell you how I feel, I'll always wonder what could have been and it will be really hard for me to let it go
[Chorus:]
Don't leave me (Don't leave me)
I wanna live(I wanna live)
Can you see me (Can you see me)
Here on the edge (Here on the edge)
Boy don't tell me no, don't tell me no
While my heart is fragile, oooh
La la la la la la la la oh oh fragile (x4)
Lalalalalalalal eh
Boy don't tell me no, don't tell me no
While my heart is fragile
I'm scared you'll reject me and leave me feeling desperate and alone. Please take a chance on me and my fragile heart
I ain't begging, that ain't ever been my style,
I'm not trying to beg you, that's just not my way
Something is different when I'm looking in your eyes
There's something about you that makes me feel different than anyone else
I lose, I lose my cool baby, the closer that you get to me ooohh
The more I think about being close to you, the more I get nervous and start to lose composure
I can't take another second, ohh I'm jumping out my skin,
I'm so anxious that I feel like I'm going to jump out of my own skin, it's almost unbearable
If loving is the game, then boy you got to let me win
If this is a competition to win your love, then let me be the winner
Oooh baby, baby, baby, its like I can't barely breathe
You make me feel so short of breath that I can barely contain myself
No no no no no no!
I'm so scared that you're going to reject me that I can't handle it
[Chorus]
Repeat of the chorus
I ain't begging, I won't plead,
I'm not trying to beg or plead with you
I'm just asking you to see
I'm only asking you to give me a chance
[You will see me. You see me boy] x2
You will see that I'm worth giving a chance to. You see who I am and I hope you like that
I ain't like this normally; I'm not the kind of fool you see
This isn't something I would normally do, please don't think I'm foolish
But don't you think, that you and me can barely be....
But don't you think we could make this work between us?
[Chorus]
Repeat of the chorus
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHARLES HARMON, CLAUDE KELLY, CHRISETTE PAYNE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind