What is  your name? 
Demi Michelle

What is your genre of music?
I write both pop and country.

Give us a little bio about you.
I’m an award-winning songwriter, recording artist, and classical pianist from Pittsburgh. Along with my involvement in the music industry, I’m also a young adult thriller author represented by a literary agent and a freelance editor. The arts have always played a huge role in my life. I started playing classical piano when I was ten years old, and this led me to joining chorus in middle school, taking voice lessons in high school, and eventually double-majoring in music and creative writing in college. After that, I launched my independent music career while pursuing my MFA in Writing Popular Fiction. Now, I’m chasing dreams in both music and publishing.

What made you go into music?
 Since I grew up playing classical piano and have always loved storytelling, becoming a songwriter was natural for me. I started writing songs when I was in college. That was a stressful time in my life, so songwriting became my way of processing my emotions and experiences. For a while, I lacked confidence as a songwriter and didn’t share my music with others. Eventually, though, I gained the courage to show some friends my song, “Into Focus,” which I released as my debut single in 2019, and the rest is history.

Who are your influences?
Across pop and country, some of my main influences are Kelsea Ballerini, Taylor Swift, Julia Michaels, Sabrina Carpenter, and more recently, Tenille Arts.

Are you signed?
No, I’m independent. I love that because I have full creative control over my music.

You released a new EP  ‘Happy Ever After Doesn’t Last Forever’, tell us more about the EP and the meaning behind it. 
Happy Ever After Doesn’t Last Forever is a fairy-tale inspired, country-focused project with five songs. When people think of fairy tales, they often think of happily ever afters, but the truth is, not all love stories have happy endings. I wanted to share a project that authentically captured my own journey to hopefully finding love someday. Whether listeners see the princess in this fairy tale as me or a fictional character, she’s a protagonist who goes from embracing independence to longing for a relationship and ultimately ending up with a broken heart.

Describe each track in two words.

Ooh, I love this question. I’m super indecisive, so I’m going with the first words that pop into my head, or else I’ll overthink this for days.

You Can Call Me Cinderella Now – fierce and sassy
Invisible Tiara – honest and independent
If Your Heart Eclipses Mine – emotional and hopeful
Paradise – longing and summertime
Happy Never After – heartbreak and farewell

What was the writing and recording process like?
Interestingly, two of the songs, “Paradise” and “Happy Never After,” were written several years ago. For a while, I didn’t know what to do with them, but then, in 2024, I wrote “You Can Call Me Cinderella Now” and got inspired to write a fairy tale project. Soon after that, I wrote “Invisible Tiara” and “If Your Heart Eclipses Mine,” and I realized that “Paradise” and “Happy Never After” were the perfect closing chapters to the story.

Since I started recording “Paradise” and “Happy Never After” long before I started officially writing for the project, the EP was in the works for quite a while. Studio days are the best, so I had a blast bringing these songs to life. One of my favorite memories from the process was recording “If Your Heart Eclipses Mine,” since I played the piano accompaniment for the song.

Who did you work with on the EP?
I recorded the EP with my producer, Robert McCutcheon at the Vault Recording Studio in Pittsburgh, my guitarist, Luke B. Wood, and my drummer, Sophia Elliott.

Will we see a music video for any of the tracks and if so can you tell us about the creative process? 
I don’t think I’ll be filming a music video for any of the songs, but I do have a lyric video for “If Your Heart Eclipses Mine.”

Here’s the lyric video:

Will we see  any live shows or a tour coming up or in planning, if so what can you tell us about it?
I don’t have a tour planned, but I’ll be performing at my local farmers market during the summer, which I always enjoy.

Where will we be able to  buy tickets from?
The farmers market is free, so no tickets are required.

What else can we expect in 2026?
Later this year, I’m going to release “Fall from Grace,” the lead single off my new pop project, and “My Own Little Snow Globe,” my next original Christmas song.

Where do you see yourself now in 5 Years?
As a songwriter, I see myself still writing and sharing authentic music and hopefully unlocking new opportunities, like getting cuts with other artists or receiving sync placements. As an author, I hope to have a young adult thriller published with a traditional publisher.

What quote or saying do you always stick by?
Be authentic. That’s not necessarily a specific quote someone said, but it’s at the heart of everything I do.

When you are at a gig, what are 5 things you cannot forget? 
My guitar, capo, microphone, speaker, and water.

Do you have social media accounts so your fans can follow you?
Yes, I’m most active on Twitter and Instagram. My handle is @demimschwartz. You can also check out my website.