BIOGRAPHY
Music will never be the same when Michaelyn hits center stage. M.O. music please...
A native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, she was born to accomplished musicians Michael and Joyce Oby. Relocated to Memphis, Michaelyn began singing at an early age gaining the title as “the little girl with the big voice.”
With her father in-tow and manager, she sang at several private parties as well as music festivals, Memphis in May, The United Way Combined Charities, and The National Black Aviators Convention, all within her first few tender years of performing. She began acting shortly thereafter gaining leading and featured roles within Black Community Theatre innovating roles in original stage productions. She quickly began work with the Professional Residential Theatre of Memphis, Playhouse on the Square, as well as Reparatory Theatre, Hattiloo Theatre, adding to her resume several musical theatre credits.
She was signed and worked with independent music label Danceaholic Records (Livingston, NJ), where she recorded released title tracks "Come Talk to Me" and "For You," both on Spotify.
Also while in Memphis, Michaelyn graduated valedictorian of her class, studying Music and English at LeMoyne-Owen College, where she also served as campus queen. She was featured in Ebony as one of the Historically Black College Queens and competed as one of the Top Ten Finalist gaining talent honors during the Miss National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame Pageant, held in Atlanta, Georgia that same year.
Another proud accomplishment would be that of the distinguished honor to speak on behalf of the youth with the Embrace Hope. Vote Change Initiative aimed at mobilizing African Americans, during the historic campaign and election of President Obama; which was televised on CSPAN.
She graced the Memphis Jazz scene as house vocalist for The Sax on Sunday Jazz Jam, where she was featured on WUMR’s 91.7 Jazz Hot Spot. Immediately after, Michaelyn was singing every week on the historic Beale Street at The King’s Palace Café, the only jazz dinner club on the strip.
In those rare instances when she is not on stage performing, Michaelyn finds time for her second home, the studio, recording and composing her original songs.
In 2019, Michaelyn relocated to Chicago, IL, and is proud to call this great city her new home. For several years she performed while cruising up and down The Mississippi River and its tributaries on the American Queen Steamboat as one of its featured/Guest Entertainers. She is especially excited to add her extensive musical repertoire two solo shows “Feeling Good” and "Lady Sings Ms.Ross: A Tribute to Diana Ross" where she pays homage to those influential artists and genres she has grown to love.