While a glance at most music-related media would show the usual youth-oriented artists, aimed at those ages 16 to 24, in truth the biggest explosion in music over the past decade has been among an older generation of musicians. With the new easy access to recording studios and Internet marketing, many who only dipped their toes in the music scene previously now have the ability to promote themselves around the world at their fingertips. The result is a wealth of new material which might have been lost in previous decades. Such is the case with 49-year-old singer-songwriter and pianist Hilary Michels, who performs at the Museum of Contemporary Art’s Sherwood Hall on Saturday, Nov. 14, 7:30 p.m. The concert is a CD release show in honor of Michels’ debut album, “Brave New World,” but she has been a musician since her teens, when she was a student at La Jolla High School, class of ’78. Michels became a session singer for hire in her 20s, but by the early 1990s she had given up the pursuit of music full time and entered the corporate world. Now more than 20 years after Michels last made music on a full-time basis, she is ready to take her sound public once again. “This album is something that’s been a dream of mine since I was in a musical at La Jolla High,” Michels remarked. Though she had talent and enthusiasm, things didn’t work out quite as she planned. “I’ve always wanted to make music and was with several bands in my 20s,” Michels recalled. “I worked freelance in music, but I still had to find other jobs to make ends meet. The dream never died, but reality eventually set in and I needed to make a decent living.” Michels soon moved on to the corporate life. However, while a steady job offered stability, there was no creative outlet It was when Michels left her office job in 2005 to care for her then 3-year-old daughter that thoughts of making music again first entered her mind. Within the year she was writing and had begun wood shedding with fellow singer-songwriter Peggy Lebo. It was Lebo who introduced her to producer Ron Florentine, who would go on to help Michels craft “Brave New World’s” 13 songs. “At the end of ’05, I asked myself, ‘What are you waiting for?’… and started writing,” she said. “I ended up embarking on a two-year journey of total self exploration and creativity.” Though Michels could have made an album in the past, she feels the time is finally right. “I have the life experience now to write songs, with insights that I didn’t have before,” she said. Michels is also thrilled at the leaps modern recording technology has made since her earlier musical forays. “Everything for a musician is so much more accessible now,” she said. “Going digital has made things more efficient and more economical.” Future plans include more recording and some possible touring, but for now Michels plans to concentrate on promoting “Brave New World.” She considers her return to music part of a larger renaissance of older artists. “Because of uncertain times and the fragility of the planet, things like that, I think a lot of people are taking stock about how they really want to be spending their time here on earth,” she said. The phenomenon of older musicians making an impact late in the game is a relatively new one, but Michels is proud to be part of this particular trend. “Lots of people seem to be getting ‘second acts’ or reinventing themselves these days,” she said. “Because I’m not in my early 20s, perhaps I can serve as an inspiration to other people out there, that it is never too late to realize your dreams.” Hilary Michels performs in the Museum of Contemporary Arts Sherwood Hall, 700 Prospect St., on Saturday, Nov. 14, 7:30 p.m. All ages are admitted. Tickets are $20 to $35. For more information, visit www.hilarymichels.com.
