Renicea Michelle started playing the violin at a young age, but an accident caused her to devote herself entirely to music.
Memphis, Tennessee – Renicea Michelle learned a violin at the age of 8.
“Being able to use this as an outlet to play anything, not just classical music, but everything is beautiful to me,” says Michele.
From the moment she started playing, she knew it was something she wanted to do forever.
“It’s like my second language. It’s how I communicate, it’s how I feel, like music is love,” Michele said.
After years of playing on and off, she says she developed a passion for music and decided to teach music to students at Westside Elementary School. However, after being hit head-on by another car speeding past her apartment complex in April, she was forced to sit back and reevaluate what really mattered in her life.
“I do want to give back to my community, so I say why not teach in my own community and in the same school system that I graduated from,” Michelle said. “When I went to the doctor they said I had a fractured tibial plateau, which meant my leg was broken and hanging from the inside.”
In many ways, Michelle says her accident was a secret blessing. While recovering, she decided to follow her dream of becoming a full-time musician.
“I was thinking about how I teach my kids at Westside, I tell them every day to follow and chase their dreams, but it wasn’t until that accident that I realized I wasn’t following my dreams,” Michele Er said.
Although she couldn’t walk for months, her hands never stopped playing. Now she’s busy attending many different concerts, events, weddings, and even divorce parties.
Her music has taken her to nearly every corner of Memphis, and now her website is streaming across the country and around the world.
“Don’t let anyone make you think your dreams are crazy. If anything, go out and make them feel like they’re crazy for not trying,” Michele said.
Michelle can be found on all social media platforms @ReniceaMichelle or by email at reniceabell@yahoo.com.
