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.
Your Joy
Chrisette Michele Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Starin' at your feet
Wishin' my steps were longer
So by your sides I could keep
Hold your hand much bigger
Never wanted mine to grow
So I could always feel perfect
No one loves me just like you do
No one knows me just like you do
No one can compare
To the way my eyes fit in yours
You'll always be my father
And I'll always be your joy
Laid me on your belly
Nights when mama wasn't home
Lightning had made me shiver
And you never let me feel alone
I tried to match your breathing
Beating my little heart against yours
Perfect were the nights, we were sleepin'
I never wanna end what we are
'Cause no one loves me just like you do
And no one knows me just like you do
No one can compare
To the way my eyes fit in yours
You'll always be my father
And I'll always be your joy
One day he'll come on bended knee
And ask my love away from thee
And when I give my love to him
He'll always have a place within
One day he'll come on bended knee
And ask my love away from thee
And when I give my love to him
He'll always have a place within
No one loves me just like you do
No one knows me just like you do
No one can compare
To the way my eyes fit in yours
You'll always be my father
And I'll always be your joy
In “Your Joy,” Chrisette Michele sings about the loving relationship she shares with her father. The song begins with her walking beside her father, staring at his feet and wishing she could take longer steps to keep up with him. She fondly recalls how she always wanted to hold his hand because his was bigger than hers, making her feel small and protected. She believes that no one else can compare to the love her father has for her, and nobody else knows her like he does.
The second verse is more personal, as Chrisette shares a memory of a stormy night when her mother wasn't home. Her father laid her on his belly, and they slept together while she tried to match his breathing. These intimate moments made her feel safe and loved, and she never wants them to end. In the chorus, she reaffirms that her father will always be her joy. She understands that one day, she may fall in love and start a family of her own, but her father will always have a special place in her heart.
The song captures the beauty of father-daughter relationships and how a father’s love for his daughter is different from any other kind of love.
Line by Line Meaning
Walked down the sidewalk
I was walking down the street
Starin' at your feet
Looking at your feet
Wishin' my steps were longer
I wished I could walk slower, so I could be with you longer
So by your sides I could keep
I wanted to be by your side
Hold your hand much bigger
Your hand was bigger than mine
Never wanted mine to grow
I didn't want my hands to grow because I wanted them to always feel small in yours
So I could always feel perfect
I felt perfect when holding your hand
Inside your palms just so
Your palms were just right for holding my hand
No one loves me just like you do
No one loves me the way you do
No one knows me just like you do
No one knows me the way you do
No one can compare
No one else can match
To the way my eyes fit in yours
The way our eyes fit together is special
You'll always be my father
You will always be my dad
And I'll always be your joy
And I will always be the source of your happiness
Laid me on your belly
You used to lay me on your stomach
Nights when mama wasn't home
Nights when mom was away
Lightning had made me shiver
The lightning outside made me afraid
And you never let me feel alone
And you made sure I never felt lonely
I tried to match your breathing
I tried to breathe at the same pace as you
Beating my little heart against yours
My heart was beating against yours
Perfect were the nights, we were sleepin'
The nights we slept together were perfect
I never wanna end what we are
I never want our relationship to change
One day he'll come on bended knee
Someday a man will propose to me
And ask my love away from thee
And he will ask for my love to be his instead of yours
And when I give my love to him
And when I give my love to him
He'll always have a place within
You will always have a place in my heart
No one loves me just like you do
No one loves me the way you do
And no one knows me just like you do
No one knows me the way you do
No one can compare
No one else can match
To the way my eyes fit in yours
The way our eyes fit together is special
You'll always be my father
You will always be my dad
And I'll always be your joy
And I will always be the source of your happiness
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: KENNY BABYFACE EDMONDS, ROB LEWIS, CHRISETTE MICHELE PAYNE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind