53. When We Wake with Kelly McMichael

<p>You could say that <a href="https://kellymcmichael.bandcamp.com/album/after-the-sting-of-it" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer"><strong>Kelly McMichael</strong></a><strong> </strong>took the long way round to using her own name. Born in Peterborough, Ontario and now based in St. John’s, Newfoundland, she spent years making music under different monikers and inside other people’s bands, touring with artists like <strong>Sarah Harmer,</strong> <strong>Gentleman Reg</strong>, <strong>The Hidden Cameras </strong>and <strong>The Burning Hell</strong>.</p><p>Along the way she made her own music as <strong>Rouge</strong> and then <strong>Renders</strong>,<em> </em>before eventually stepping forward using her name with her <strong>Polaris Prize</strong> shortlisted debut album <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/music/events/polaris/shortlist-shortcut-to-kelly-mcmichael-s-waves-1.6526474" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer"><em><strong>Waves</strong></em></a>, and its <strong>Music NL</strong> award winning (and <strong>Polaris Prize</strong> longlisted) follow-up <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/musicnl-awards-2025-9.6980730" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer"><em><strong>After the Sting of It</strong></em>.</a></p><p>In today&#39;s episode, we chat about those different musical lives, the process of finding her own voice, the winding path that led her to the front of the stage, and about sharing vocals on one of my new <strong>Clever Hopes</strong> songs, <em>Long Way Round</em>...which she absolutely, positively, knocks out of the ballpark.</p><p><br></p><p><strong></strong><a href="https://kellymcmichael.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer"><strong>KellyMcMichael.com</strong></a><strong></strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>Wanna get in touch?</strong></p><p>Send an email to <a href="mailto:whenwewakeradio@gmail.com">⁠⁠<strong>whenwewakeradio@gmail.com⁠</strong>⁠</a></p><p>Or find me on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/theandrewshaver">⁠<strong>@theandrewshaver</strong>⁠</a></p><p><br></p><p><a href="https://linktr.ee/whenwewake">⁠<strong>When We Wake with Andrew Shaver</strong>⁠</a><strong> </strong>is written, hosted, edited, and produced by <strong>⁠</strong><a href="https://theandrewshaver.com/">⁠<strong>Andrew Shaver</strong>⁠</a><strong> </strong>of <a href="https://linktr.ee/Clever.Hopes">⁠<strong>Clever Hopes</strong>⁠</a><strong>⁠</strong>. The weekly radio broadcast is syndicated across Canada, from Newfoundland to British Columbia.</p><p><br></p><p>Theme song <strong>Got You</strong> by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/olreid/?hl=en">⁠<strong>Noah Reid</strong>⁠</a></p>