They were the group-chat experiment that accidentally conquered the New York indie scene. Then, they vanished—sort of. If you’ve been scouring Spotify for the latest from the Emma Lee Michelle band, you’ve likely realized two things: first, the band is actually just called MICHELLE, and second, they are currently on an "indefinite hiatus."
It’s a gut-punch for fans who spent the last few years vibing to their neon-soaked R&B.
Basically, the story of MICHELLE isn’t your typical "band forms in a garage" narrative. It’s way weirder. It started in 2018 as a one-off project between producers Julian Kaufman and Charlie Kilgore. They reached out to four singers they knew—Emma Lee, Sofia D’Angelo, Layla Ku, and Jamee Lockard—to record a tribute to New York City. They didn’t even all meet in person before the first album, HEATWAVE, was finished.
It was supposed to be a "one and done." But the internet had other plans.
What Really Happened with the MICHELLE Hiatus?
In late 2025, the collective dropped a bombshell. After three albums and a whirlwind of global tours opening for heavyweights like Mitski and Arlo Parks, they announced they were stepping away.
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Their final EP, Kiss/Kill, released in September 2025, felt like a long, beautiful exhale. Their final show at Webster Hall in October was, by all accounts, an emotional wreck in the best way possible.
Why stop now? Honestly, being in a six-person collective is a logistical nightmare. Imagine trying to coordinate six different creative visions, schedules, and lives for seven years. Emma Lee herself has spoken about how the group was more of a "chosen family" than a business, and families sometimes need space to breathe. They didn't break up because of some massive, dramatic fallout. They just reached the end of the chapter they were writing together.
Emma Lee: More Than Just a Vocalist
If you’re specifically looking into Emma Lee’s role, she’s often the secret weapon of the group’s visual identity. While everyone knows her for those silky, "blue" vocals on tracks like "Talking to Myself," she’s also a powerhouse choreographer.
Remember the "Pose" music video? The one shot in the NYC subway with the perfectly synchronized, slightly awkward but totally cool movements? That was all Emma.
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She’s always had this knack for blending the physical with the sonic. In interviews, she’s mentioned how writing "uncertain" songs is her sweet spot. There’s a specific kind of vulnerability she brought to the group that balanced out the more high-energy, funky production from Julian and Charlie.
The Evolution from Heatwave to Ojai
Most bands get more polished as they get famous. MICHELLE did the opposite—they got raw.
- HEATWAVE (2018): Pure DIY energy. It sounds like a sticky New York summer and eating mangoes on the Q train.
- AFTER DINNER WE TALK DREAMS (2022): This is where they became a "real" band. They signed to Transgressive Records and started touring the world.
- Songs About You Specifically (2024): This one is different. They left the city and rented a house in Ojai, California.
Living together in the desert changed the Emma Lee Michelle band dynamic completely. No more "sending files over the internet." They were waking up, drinking coffee, and journaling together. You can hear it in the music; it’s slower, more shoegaze-adjacent, and deeply personal. Emma noted that she became closer to these five people than friends she’d known her whole life.
The Confusion with "Emma-Lee"
Here’s a quick reality check because Google likes to trip people up: Emma Lee from the band MICHELLE is not the same person as Emma-Lee, the Canadian country-pop songwriter based in Nashville.
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It’s a common mix-up. If you’re looking for the soulful, queer-coded indie pop of the New York collective, you want the Emma Lee who choreographs subway dances. If you’re looking for someone who co-wrote hits for Mickey Guyton and Trisha Yearwood, that’s the other Emma-Lee.
Both are incredibly talented, but they occupy completely different musical universes.
Why Their Legacy Still Matters in 2026
Even on hiatus, the Emma Lee Michelle band left a massive footprint. They proved that a "collective" doesn't have to be a loose association of artists—it can be a singular, cohesive voice. They were predominantly POC and queer at a time when the indie-pop world was still very much a "white boys with guitars" club.
They didn't just make "vibey" music. They made music about the specific anxiety of being young and mixed-race in a city that’s constantly trying to price you out.
What should you do now?
- Listen to "Kiss/Kill": It’s their swan song. If you haven't heard the final EP, you're missing the closing bracket of their career.
- Watch the "Pose" Video: Pay attention to the choreography. It’s the best way to understand Emma Lee's specific contribution to the group's DNA.
- Follow Individual Projects: Keep an eye on their socials. While the band is on a break, all six members are deep into solo work. Emma Lee's future moves in dance and music are likely to be just as experimental as her time in MICHELLE.
- Dig into the Lyrics: Songs like "FYO" (short for "fuck your opinions") offer a deep look into the identity struggles they faced growing up in NYC. It’s more than just a catchy hook; it’s a manifesto.