Michelle Treacy: Old soul in a rising star
Three years later, the video is still surreal to Ottawa’s Michelle Treacy. Like it happened in a “nice dream.”
She watches her 17-year-old self, still in braces, sitting next to her musical idol Lady Gaga on stage at a Montreal concert. She looks so nervous she might pass out. The tears won’t stop. After a long preamble, Gaga then plays a piano version of Born This
Way and allows Treacy to sing a portion. And she floors the crowd. A star wasn’t so much born that night as re-affirmed. A year later she had a record deal, and two years later she’s watching adoring crowds sing her songs
Colours and Armageddon back to her while touring Ontario.
“It doesn’t feel real,” she says. “I have these moments with my friends where I’m like, ‘Do you realize what we’ve just done this week?’ This summer we’ve been to 10 cities and I’m not done yet.
“It’s been unreal, and crazy, and been everything I could have hoped for.”
As she heads back to Niagara to play a free show Wednesday evening at Montebello Park in St. Catharines with Amanda Marshall, Melanie Brulee and Iskwe — part of the Ministry of Tourism’s ONTour Concert Series — Treacy checks in from Ohio to discuss life as a rising pop star:
On loving the old stuff: “Yeah, the legends. That’s just what I grew up on and appreciate the most. It’s interesting to go back and listen to how much music has changed. I have a fair share of love for the new stuff too, but I’m an old soul.” On her worst concert experience: “Probably Rufus Wainwright. I got to see him when I was young and passed out third song in. When I was little, music used to go through me at concerts, and the bass was too heavy. His piano, the low end on it knocked me out. I had to be carried away on a stretcher during my favourite song. I was so salty about it. I just saw him last week to redeem myself.” On almost failing high school:
“My music teacher tried to fail me just because I was on the road. He’s like, ‘Your music assignment doesn’t open on the computer, so if you don’t get here in the next two days, you’re going to be failed.’ I was in Nashville writing.
I’m like, ‘What?’ I showed up, turned the computer on and it popped up. I had to cancel my trip and come all the way back. But it’s OK, it’s funny. I almost failed music, and that’s what I’m doing now.” On not rubbing it in the teacher’s face: “No, I’ll still be nice. Whatever, it’s a funny story. It was stressful but made me strong. Everything that happens to me makes me stronger.” On heartbreak helping her
music: “I just went through a breakup. That was interesting for me because I’ve never done that before. I was always writing about other people’s stories, then to be in it and really feel the heartbreak yourself is really different. Now I’ve got songs about that. It’s just really hard to date people when you have a really crazy life … but I’m OK with it. I’ve decided this is what I have to do right now.”
On staying genuine: “I can’t do anything else but do what I feel. If I didn’t feel it you would probably notice, because I’m really bad at lying. Everything I do is honest. I’m lucky to have a team around me who supports that and believes in everything I say and do. When I do something stupid, they’re the first people to tell me ‘Why the hell did you do that? That was so dumb.’” On when her first album will be ready: “Probably closer than everyone thinks. I’ve got one more song to finish, then I want to go back in and really listen to everything and make sure it’s right. I wanted to take my time with it and put something out that’s honest.” On her rowdy live show: “My shows feel like a basement jam session with all your friends. I have a great band — just beautiful people and beautiful musicians — and I love when they show off. I get so into it and I head-bang way too hard. The next day I’m like, ‘I can’t walk, my whole body hurts.’ Then I do it all over again.”