Michelle Branch grows up on her latest album
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When Michelle Branch burst on the scene with her 2001 debut album The Spirit Room and its smash single "Everywhere," she was all of 17 years old. Remarkably, many of the songs on the CD were written years earlier, when she was only 14. And it wasn't all kids' stuff
But as catchy and powerful as The Spirit Room is, Michelle's follow-up Hotel Paper is an even stronger effort. With a deeper groove and a warmer sound than its predecessor, Hotel Paper brings Michelle closer to her roots in the classic acoustic-guitar-based rock of the '70s, while still maintaining a modern edge. Just listen to Michelle, now 20, let 'em have it on the rocker "Empty Handed," and you'll find a singer who's only now nearing the top of her game.
Women.com tracked Michelle down as she was being swept up into the publicity whirlwind behind Hotel Paper, currently out on Maverick Records. We found a person who, despite her millions of units sold, remains unspoiled by fame and is really and truly in it for the music. That's a good thing, too, because she'll be on the road for a long time: "It's really funny when you have your life scheduled into the next year," Michelle says with a laugh. "I know what I'm doing in 2004, to the day!"