Local singer, Lay'na Michelle made history by being the first African American independent artist to perform at a Detroit Pistons game. Her performance was so good that she was honored with an exhibit at the Wright Museum.
Michelle was especially excited to be invited to the Wright Museum because she says it's something that she knew was going to happen for her. She says that she told her parents and husband that no matter what, she was going to get into the Charles H. Wright Museum. She is amazed that it was her gig with the Pistons that led her to the museum because she is such a fan of the NBA team.
Michelle has won multiple awards for her singing. Her awards come from the site Thick Nation.org, an organization that works with the plus sized community. The site routinely recognizes plus size men and women who help the plus sized community. Lay'na Michelle won the Fan Choice Award and credits her fellow Detroiters for the win. She also won the Phenomenal Album of the Year award and BBW (Big Beautiful Women) Woman of the Year award. The award ceremony was held in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Lay'na Michelle describes her music as very personal because she writes all her own music. She says that she has been writing her own music since the age of three. Her first song was about saving bunnies, something Michelle's mother won't let her forget.
Her current song "Battle Scars" is one of her personal favorites because it was inspired by her experience with domestic violence. The award wining singer says that she was previously in an abusive relationship, and that during that time the people surrounding her would give her their criticisms of the relationship, but did not help. Michelle wrote the song to teach those surrounding a domestic violence situation to reach out and help the victim.
You can catch Lay'na Michelle next at the Spring Sip and Shop event at the Knights of Columbus Hall, Saturday, April 20 in Berkley.
For tickets and more information about her upcoming events, visit her website.