A great voice will tell you exactly who’s behind it.

When Michael Minelli sings, you’ll know it’s him. With show-stopping delivery, dynamic range, and timeless panache, the Connecticut-born and Los Angeles-based singer and songwriter immediately sets himself apart. It’s no surprise he’s earned the praise of everyone from Ryan Seacrest to BuzzFeed.

For Minelli, it’s all a matter of soul…

“Soul is the core of everything,” he affirms. “It’s that thing you can’t put your finger on. Anytime somebody hears my music, I want them to immediately say, ‘That’s a Michael Minelli record’.”

“I spent a lot of time figuring out and understanding who I am as an artist,” he says. “Everything has a groove to it, and it’s all based on rhythms. There’s a pop feel, but there’s also a hip-hop element. It’s always soulful though.”

With that voice, Minelli stands primed to make a big impact on listeners everywhere. “I want to be a positive role model and give people a form of therapy,” he leaves off. “That’s what music has done for me since I first stepped on stage in fourth grade. I want kids to understand you can come from anywhere and make it as long as you work hard and believe in yourself.” Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.