For most of the entertainment industry, the Covid-19 Pandemic meant taking a forced pause to maximize safety and responsibility. In spite of this, ingenuity allowed for some to keep working. For singer and composer Michelle Sharman, it meant doing so internationally and in a manner she’d never experienced.
During this historic moment, Michelle was key in maintaining the motto, “The show must go on.” A music artist of great renown, Ms. Sharman’s talent has established her far and wide as someone who can dazzle audiences, write hit songs, and empower others to follow her footsteps in achieving their own musical dreams. Her body of work clearly illustrates that music is truly the international language and that people everywhere are attracted to those who have mastered it.
Universal Studios (US) is an entertainment destination the world over. Ms. Sharman has spent more than a decade travelling to locations like Australia, the UK, the United States, and others as a key played in the team which cultivated the talent featured at Universal Studios biggest performance centers. When the pandemic hit in 2020, US did not lose momentum, turning to online auditions to procure the talent they hoped would be a part of productions post-lockdown.
Michelle co-wrote songs with Todd Schroeder which were utilized in 6,000 online auditions for US. Sharman also sang these songs which ranged from the musical theater inspired “Get that Feeling” to the pop anthem “Higher.” These high-energy infused compositions were created to challenge vocalists as well as dancers aspiring to become part of the global US team.
Sharman stipulates, “These songs were very deliberately crafted for what we need to hear and see at the theme parks in Japan and China. Not only did we need to hear them hit the notes, we need to see them ‘sell it.’ If the performer did this well, we would throw them a ballad version for a call back which required a more sensitive, connected, lyrical approach. Same song, different approach.
One girl even said she broke down in tears trying to get through singing it, as she connected with the lyrics so deeply. That really is the ultimate thing to hear when you create a song with such purpose. I really enjoyed working with Todd Schroeder on this; he is a musical genius and together we make a great creative team.”
Fans of Michelle Sharman have long enjoyed her appearances in the long-running “Lyric The Show” which has been performed since 2019. This three-woman production was produced and created by Shawn Perucca and Justin Avery (of American Idol fame) with choreography and costuming by Emily Perucca. The immensely demanding material is what attracted Michelle to this show as she declares, “When I heard the material I was nothing short of blown away. I SAID SIGN ME UP! The show consists of 3-part killer harmonies in unique mash ups. It’s very clever.
We get to sing our faces off. We have the ability to make the show range from 15 to 90 minutes with mash ups from Motown, Rat-Pack era, country music, current top 40, and more. It’s a high energy show that requires physical stamina and good vocal chops. It’s a workout, but it’s exhilarating and so worth the work!”
Attesting to its acclaim, “Lyric The Show” was chosen to be on Michael Cerbelli’s “The Hot List” in addition to being the featured act at TSE (The Special Event) in San Diego and New York, as well as MPI in Canada. Audiences from “The Bravo Awards” at the Venetian Hotel/Palazzo Ballroom to Hollywood’s iconic Bourbon Room have marveled at the performances of Ms. Sharman and her co-stars in this production.
Michelle’s association over a number of years with music artist Vassy, with whom she penned the number one billboard dance chart hit “Lost” (with Afrojack) continues with their collaboration on the song “Don’t wanna be right” which recently ascend to number 4 on the billboard dance charts and dance radio in the United States. Sharman divulges that the song was in the works for some time. She informs, “We always felt that the chorus was strong and came back to it in 2021 for a revisit and collaborated with a couple of writers from the UK! The timing was right and the song took a few twists and turns before it was complete but we got there!”