While Michelle Mandico may have migrated from Colorado to the bright lights of Music City, her music still carries the footprints of her homeland – western folk captures the majesty of her mountainous upbringing and mixes it with the Americana and roots music in which she’s immersed herself in Nashville.
Such a big move is a decision never undertaken lightly and is a step into the unknown, a move away from the security and the conveniance of what we are familiar with. She spent the last two years writing and recording her debut album Ptarmigan, a tribute to her personal journey. Even in the UK the Ptarmigan are known for being resilient, changing their colour with the seasons to help them blend in. The name was well chosen, a metaphor for Michelle’s personal experience through a season of darkness and return to light.
Talking about the album track ‘1000 Feet’ she told us:
“‘1000 Feet’ is about putting one foot in front of the other, knowing that the path is steep and the distance is daunting. It uses the metaphor of climbing a mountain to express overcoming fear, taking risks into the unknown, and having perseverance to see a journey through, despite the difficult terrain.”
The footage used behind Michelle’s handwritten lyrics is a preview of what was captured during the filming of the Ptarmigan music video in Colorado (out Winter 2018).
http://www.michellemandico.com/