Last month, local singer-songwriter Corry Michaels had a “viral moment” with Swedish singer-songwriter Zara Larsson when she performed at the Agora. He danced and sang along with her on-stage, and posts with Michaels across social media generated some two million views.
“It was crazy,” he says via phone. He performs at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 17 at the Grog Shop in Cleveland Heights as part of a national tour that even includes a West Coast stop in San Diego. “Zara, who is having a moment, selects one person from the audience to come up and dance with her.”
Michaels positioned himself in front of the stage, so he had a chance that Larsson would pick him.
“Out of the 3,000 people at the Agora, she picked me,” Michaels says. “It was serendipitous. I waited in line since 11 a.m. and dressed the part. I saw her last year with [singer-songwriter] Tate McRae at Rocket Arena and loved her performance. I performed at the Agora the year prior with a burlesque event. I went early and did what I needed to do and got picked. It’s been such a whirlwind since then. It’s connected me with people all over the world.”
Adopted when he was 8 years old, Michaels wound up with a family that pushed him to pursue his musical ambitions. He took piano lessons at 8 and started writing songs when he was only 10.
“I don’t want to say I was spoiled,” he says. “My mom wasn’t rich by any stretch of the imagination, but somehow she always found a way for me to do whatever my heart craved. I was in my bedroom writing songs on notebook paper and then writing tracklists and drawing album covers in pencil and putting them in a binder. My intention was to write songs.”
In 2013, Michaels started releasing music and posting music videos on YouTube.
“That allowed me the time to develop,” he says. “I became Corry Michaels in 2016, and COVID was a moment for me. I received so much love and could do a lot of things and connect with my audience with televised performances. If I didn’t do those things in COVID, my resume wouldn’t be what it was. In 2022, I did my best to perform in front of anyone and everyone. I really wanted to perform and started applying for Pride festivals and connected with Sofar sounds.”
Since 2022, he has gone on regional tours that took him to places such as New Hampshire, where he performed for a Pride festival and had the coveted closing slot.
He’s also taken to singing the National Anthem at sporting events and will sing at a Columbus Crew game this summer.
And he’s constantly writing. The upcoming Grog Shop show will give him the chance to debut new material.
“I’m going to play a lot of new stuff,” he says, adding that he’s currently working with a vocal coach and dance coach. “I’m really excited about that show. I’m excited to have that Cleveland moment and I want to make sure the Grog Shop show is a lit show. At this point, it’s a national effort. I always want to make sure that I gave my heart and attention to my hometown show. I love how Machine Gun Kelly does that and makes sure he does Cleveland right. I’m going to give my all at that show. I’m so inspired right now.”
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