One Step at a Time by Michelle Lynne, unfolds like an impressionist work, not in blurred uncertainty, but in the careful placement of light, color, and emotional nuance. Each note is a brushstroke; each silence, a breath of space.
At the heart of this album stands Lynne the pianist. Her role at the piano is, to my ears, even stronger than her presence as a singer (and that is meant as high praise). She plays with tenderness and remarkable clarity. There is a softness in her interpretation that immediately evokes Impressionism. Even when performing repertoire that demands brilliance and precision, she chooses transparency over force.
A Painting on the Piano
From the opening line of “Hold On” to the quiet resolution of “Everglow,” Michelle’s hands glide across the keyboard with a tenderness that feels almost pastoral. Her playing is, in my eyes (or ears), less a mechanical execution of notes and more a series of soft, precise dots, each a brushstroke that contributes to a larger, evocative picture.
Among the seven instrumental tracks are two masterpieces by Maurice Ravel, Pavane pour une infante défunte and Jeux d’eau, as well as Au bord d’une source by Franz Liszt. These works are notoriously demanding, especially Ravel’s crystalline textures and Liszt’s shimmering virtuosity. Lynne does not attack them with bold, percussive brilliance; instead, she renders them luminous and refined. The notes are never pungent or exaggerated. They are precise, clean, and individually audible, something extremely difficult to achieve in Ravel’s layered sonorities (believe me, I’ve tried). Yet nothing feels mechanical. Each tone is placed deliberately, like a dot in an impressionist painting, forming a complete emotional landscape from a distance.
Importantly, softness here does not mean vagueness. There is control, discipline, and mastery. The Ravel pieces and Liszt’s work are performed with technical assurance, revealing a pianist fully at ease in the classical canon. Her training, including her Master’s degree from the University of Montreal, is unmistakable.
The Original Pieces
What makes One Step at a Time compelling, however, is not only her interpretation of classical repertoire, but the seamless dialogue between these works and her original tracks, Both vocal and instrumental: “Hold On,” “Empty Promises,” “Let Me Heal,” “I’m Here,” “In the In-Between,” and “Everglow.” The crossover element is not superficial; it feels organic. Lynne merges the classical song tradition with contemporary singer-songwriter storytelling.
As a composer Michelle Lynne leans toward a neo-classical aesthetic. The instrumental textures in her original works occasionally recall the meditative minimalism of Ludovico Einaudi, while her vocal presence, clear, soaring, emotionally open, may remind listeners of Adele. Yet there is also a deeper lineage at play. I hear echoes of the Romantic Lied tradition, reminiscent of Robert Schumann and Franz Schubert, even faint hints of Gustav Mahler, though without his existential darkness. In this sense, Lynne continues the piano-and-voice tradition into the modern era, using contemporary production elements, subtle drums and additional accompaniment, while keeping the piano as the body and the voice as its leaves.
Her lyrical themes, healing, transformation, nature, and water, are woven into the music as a narrative that invites listeners to sit with themselves in stillness. “These songs were birthed out of necessity,” she says,
“I wrote them to understand what I was going through. Music has always been healing for me, and I wanted this album to become that kind of space for others to sit with themselves and come to a place of stillness.”
That honesty translates into every lyric and every chord progression, lending the entire album a therapeutic aura.
A Crossover Statement
Michelle Lynne has long been a pioneer of what it means to be a classical musician in the 21st century. She has performed for over 250 000 people in the last three years and has taken her artistry beyond the concert hall into workshops, storytelling, and entrepreneurship. One Step at a Time is her boldest statement yet: a debut independent release that merges the precision of classical training with the rawness of contemporary songwriting. It is an invitation for listeners, whether they come from a background of Bach or Beyoncé, to experience the connective tissue that binds all music: the pursuit of healing and rebirth.
Final Thoughts
In a music landscape that often prizes specialization, Michelle Lynne proves that a true artist can be many things at once. Her debut album is not only a showcase of technical skill but also a testament to the power of cross‑genre collaboration. The release is independent, a decision that underscores her commitment to authenticity over commercial conformity. The result is an album that feels both intimate and expansive, a painting on a grand canvas that invites you to take your own step toward healing.
Cover Artwork: © 2025 Michelle Lynne
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