Top40 New Releases

Michele Bettencourt is a singer/songwriter who found her own voice in 2018. She grew up as an only child in a lower middle-class household in northern California. Michele’s love of music was fostered by her mother who kept their home filled with sounds of Janis Joplin, Neil Young, Crosby Stills and Nash, Carol King and others whose music echoed with resonant the defiance against the Vietnam War and racial atrocities that shook America in the 1960’s and early 1970’s. Earlier in her music journey Michele joined forces with Hendrik Helmer, an accomplished guitarist in New York City and her dreams of becoming a writer re-emerged. With the help of exceptional musicians that included Mike Visceglia and Tommy Mandel, they recorded New Normal, an album that, while never marketed or distributed, is as timely now as it was then. Her lyrics and their melodies speak honestly about the cruelty of politics and the shame of failure and even the grace of redemption. Her upcoming album, Vampire Time, features guest performances by Carmine Rojas, Conrad Korsch, Steve Ferrone, Shawn Pelton, Russ McKinnon, Andrew Synowiec and many notable others. Kerry Brown who runs the legendary Licorice Pizza is producer and executive in charge and is releasing the album through his Licorice Pizza record label. With the release of her debut single “Everybody Loves A Circus” (Licorice Pizza) we can honestly say that it’s Michele Bettencourt’s time to be heard and she has a lot to say. The music speaks for itself.