Ingrid Michaelson, best known for her song “The Way I Am” and her contributions to the ABC program “Grey’s Anatomy,” is coming to Cal Poly Thursday to play for Music in the Market at 11 a.m.
Music in the Market is a concert series formed by Associated Students Inc. (ASI) that brings free music to the Via Carta Mall outside of Campus Market while the University Union is under construction. Musical entertainment student supervisor Dave Carlsen, who is in charge of booking acts for Music in the Market, chose Michaelson because of her growing popularity.
“(Michaelson) has a very likable sound; all of Cal Poly students can wrap their ears around it,” Carlsen said.
Students may like Michaelson, but non-students have also heard about her coming to Cal Poly to perform, and since the venue is so spacious, it is accessible to everyone.
“She’s an awesome singer that isn’t mainstream (with) that horrible breathy pop music; she has folk style,” Meredith Wolf, an employee at Barnes and Noble, said. “I’m taking my niece. It’s good for her to see strong female performers.”
Since the venue is outside, ASI Program Coordinator Missi Bullock said that she expects Michaelson’s name to bring more people than previous concerts, which have brought in as many as 700 people in the past.
“The concert is primarily for students, but there is no way to limit it,” Bullock said. “The area is completely open.”
A stage, provided by Ernie Ball, will make the performance seen and heard by everyone, especially since Michaelson will only be bringing her guitarist and her piano for an acoustic concert.
“The concert will be very stripped down, showing the music at its roots,” Carlsen said.
Michaelson’s career in music started at a young age. According to her Web site, she started playing the piano when she was 4 years old and later transitioned to singing and song-writing. She is considered an indie-pop singer and songwriter, but her soft voice accompanied with a guitar or piano comes across more indie than pop.
“I wouldn’t call her pop, she sounds more indie; pop is more upbeat than what she sings,” liberal studies junior Jennifer Miller said. “She has calming music.”
Other Michaelson hits include “Be OK” from her sophomore album with the same name, as well as “Maybe” from her first album, “Everybody.”
“Her name might not be as well-known, but her songs are,” Bullock said.
Her songs have been used in Old Navy commercials and episodes of “One Tree Hill,” but Michaelson’s fame really began when her song “Keep Breathing” played in the season finale of “Grey’s Anatomy.”
Stemming from “Grey’s Anatomy” popularity, she has performed on “Good Morning America” and most recently on “The Ellen Degeneres Show.” Carlsen said that Cal Poly was lucky that her schedule worked out so well with the dates for Music in the Market. Michaelson happened to have time in her trip from a performance in Los Angeles to a performance in San Francisco; now Carlsen is just concerned about the weather.
“The weather has been bad lately, but Thursday has been said to be the sunniest day in the week,” he said.
In case the weather is bad, Carlsen said, there is a back up plan, but he is staying optimistic.
Other upcoming acts for Music in the Market include The Stone Foxes February 11, and Timmy Curran February 18.