Ironically, though I’ve known Michele for the better part of 15 years, I’m always surprised by the duality of her being. She’s a songstress with a style and presence that command attention – but she’s the sweetest, kindest person you’ll ever come across. She’s a soul singer with the sensibilities of an MC. Imagine Amel Lerrieux in an Adidas tracksuit. That’s Michele Thibeaux.

I always have a tough time “interviewing” people that I already know well. So when we sat down recently to talk about 1) Her being a southern transplant from the west coast; 2) What it’s like being a champion of the open mic circuit; and 3)What the near future holds, we spent an inordinate time discussing our affinity for Adidas sneakers and the pleasures of home-cooked food. That’s Michele Thibeaux.

In honor of her upcoming performance at the inaugural edition of “The Standard” on Oct. 2nd, we’re going to spend an entire week her. Today she gives us some insight on how she arrived here, the importance of experiencing the “open mic”, quick overview of her new project.