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.
Notebook
Chrisette Michele Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But still we can't be together
I got a feeling
You got these same feeling
Too bad we can't feel 'em together
I sit on my bed and wonder
How it'd be if you were mine
Here's what I do every night
Write in my notebook
X's and o's
Beside your name
Only my notebook knows how I feel
My heart is on every page
Oh oh oh oh (feel a little like)
Oh oh oh oh (love a little like)
Oh oh oh oh (feel a little like)
Hey hey
Oh oh oh oh (feel a little like)
Oh oh oh oh (love a little like)
Oh oh oh oh (feel a little like)
Hey hey
Do you have any idea
How hard it is to act like you don't mean a thing and
This chemistry between you & me
I wanna share with everyone (OH! )
All I can do is just write down every emotion I feel
Hopefully one day you'll find out
My love for you is real(So)
Write in my notebook
X's and o's
Beside your name
Only my notebook knows how I feel
My heart is on every page
Oh oh oh oh (feel a little like)
Oh oh oh oh (love a little like)
Oh oh oh oh (feel a little like)
Hey hey
Oh oh oh oh (feel a little like)
Oh oh oh oh (love a little like)
Oh oh oh oh (feel a little like)
Hey hey
So many times I must have loved & lost (I've patched up every one)
So many times I've let love walk by (I've let love go by)
This time's it's going to be different (it's gonna be different this time)
Take my notebook
Read everything in my mind
So I
Write in my notebook
X's and o's
Beside your name
Only my notebook knows how I feel
My heart is on every page
Oh oh oh oh (feel a little like)
Oh oh oh oh (love a little like)
Oh oh oh oh (feel a little like)
Hey hey
Oh oh oh oh (feel a little like)
Oh oh oh oh (love a little like)
Oh oh oh oh (feel a little like)
Hey hey
Oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh
Hey hey [Repeats]
The lyrics of Notebook by Chrisette Michele focus on unrequited love and the feelings that come with it. The singer expresses her admiration for the person she likes, but acknowledges that they cannot be together. She writes about her feelings in her notebook, where she keeps her heart on every page. The song's themes of longing, love, and the struggle and pain of hiding emotions are universal and relatable.
The song evokes emotions that many people experience when they find themselves in a similar situation. It is a testimony to the power of writing and the way it allows the singer to express her emotions more freely than she is able to do in person. The act of writing also gives her a sense of control, allowing her to cope with unrequited love.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm feeling you, you feeling me
We're mutually attracted
But still we can't be together
Some outside force keeps us apart
I got a feeling
My intuition tells me
You got these same feeling
You're experiencing similar emotions
Too bad we can't feel 'em together
Unfortunately, we can't share these feelings physically
I sit on my bed and wonder
I can't help but ruminate
How it'd be if you were mine
What it would feel like if we were in a relationship
I think of you like no other
My feelings for you are unique and unlike any other person
Here's what I do every night
My nightly routine involves
Write in my notebook
I express myself in writing
X's and o's
I use symbols to represent a game of tic-tac-toe
Beside your name
I associate you with these symbols
Only my notebook knows how I feel
My personal diary is the only place where I divulge my true emotions
My heart is on every page
I pour my heart into these written entries
Do you have any idea
I'm curious if you understand
How hard it is to act like you don't mean a thing and
I'm struggling to feign indifference towards you
This chemistry between you & me
We have a strong connection
I wanna share with everyone (OH! )
I want to open up and share these feelings with others
All I can do is just write down every emotion I feel
At the moment, writing is my only outlet for processing my emotions
Hopefully one day you'll find out
I'm holding out hope that someday you will become aware
My love for you is real(So)
I genuinely care about you
So many times I must have loved & lost (I've patched up every one)
I've experienced heartbreak multiple times and have worked to mend my emotional wounds
So many times I've let love walk by (I've let love go by)
I've missed out on potential relationships in the past
This time's it's going to be different (it's gonna be different this time)
I'm optimistic about our chances
Take my notebook
I offer my diary as a window into my thoughts and feelings
Read everything in my mind
I want you to understand my perspective by reading my personal writing
Oh oh oh oh (feel a little like)
Vocalization of emotions
Oh oh oh oh (love a little like)
Another example of vocalizing emotions
Hey hey
Vocalization for emphasis
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHARLES HARMON, CLAUDE KELLY, CHRISETTE PAYNE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind