Ingrid Michaelson is one of those artists that I was late to discover. I would hear her music randomly and think “that’s someone I have to check out” but I wouldn’t be near a computer to look her up. I could never remember to research her until her song “Girls Chase Boys” hit a couple years ago and then she was everywhere. I fell in love with that song just as much as radio did and I went out and bought all of her albums. After securing a position as one of the divas I follow, I’ve been waiting for some new music. In my gay opinion, how could I not love It Doesn’t Have To Make Sense with a song called “Miss America” with lines like “I’ll never be Miss America / It’s not the way I was born to be / don’t need a crown to be a queen.” Amen sister, who needs a crown, when there’s sashes and tiaras to be had?
The thing I like most about Ingrid is that I never know where she’ll go with her music. She does quirky pop that gets her air play but it’s not your typical radio fare, just like her newest single “Hell No.” But who doesn’t love a good old fashioned been-dumped-and-will-never-take-your-ex-back song? A couple of her other songs are just as unique, “Still The One” (also about love but with a happier ending) and “Celebrate” (sung in the style of the old school music she enjoys), could get some chart time as well. Ingrid’s style is all her own.
However the majority of It Doesn’t Have To Make Sense is very melancholy. I heard this album is a reflection of the past few years of her life which must have been hard since her mom died. It’s drenched in sadness and loss. On “I Remember Her” it’s all about how memories fade and on “Light Me Up” she hopes some memories will remain. Even a few of her love songs, “Whole Lot Of Heart” and “Another Life”, are slow and morose. “Drink You Gone” takes it even further asking “How do broken hearts gets strong?” when one’s addictive traits aren’t enough to get over someone. I admire a diva who can take heart break and turn it into music people can feel.
This past December I was able to catch Ingrid at a local radio station’s holiday concert where she was on the bill with a few other artists. I went because she was going to be there as well as Echosmith. After her set, I put seeing her do a full show high on my must-see list. Unfortunately her current tour isn’t coming to Connecticut. I don’t like the venue she’s playing in Boston and her New York shows are midweek so I have to miss her this time around. Fingers crossed that next time she comes around I’ll be able to catch her. Til then I’ll just have to put It Doesn’t Have To Make Sense on repeat.
