Branch, teen music's breath of fresh air

Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Many people, especially the famous, will try to rattle off some sophisticated answers to questions like, "Who's your favorite singer?" or "What was a life-changing event for you?".

Singer/songwriter Michelle Branch, 18, who performed her last week, does not fit that mold.

Her taste is pretty eclectic for her generation. The native Arizonan digs the likes of The Beatles, Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix.

But, without hesitation, Branch said that the turning point in her life was when she won tickets to a New Kids On The Block concert several years ago.

"I know most of you are wondering why this was so 'life- changing' but bear with me, and try not to barf. When I saw them live and witnessed how the music touched people, I was in awe," she said on the Internet.

"I knew at that moment that I no longer wanted to be singing show tunes. I wanted to be a pop star."

And so she is, now, more or less.

Her career is hot enough these days: Her debut album with major label, 2001's The Spirit Room, went platinum in the United States.

First single Everywhere gained more airplay after it was featured in the popular series Gilmore Girls. The next single, All You Wanted, recently hit number one on MTV's Total Request Live (TRL) for three weeks in the row.

She is also constantly approached by girls who want to follow her example and pick up the guitar themselves.

"I've signed so many blue Taylor acoustic guitars from 14 year-old girls," she said in Rolling Stone.

"Guitar teachers will stop me and say, 'Girls are bringing in your record and dying to learn your songs.' My e-mail, every other one, is 'I'm learning guitar now'. It's so cool that it motivates them, because that's what great records did for me."

Branch is special because she shares little with pop's more polished and packaged young stars these days.

She wrote or co-wrote all of her songs, plays some impressive guitar and does not seem to have spent too much time looking in the mirror getting ready, unlike some of her peers.

Her songs have also moved beyond bubble-gum pop and she pens lyrics that tell more than the troubles of puppy love. She lets out a deep breath of fresh honesty, and therefore is worthy of note.

Raised in Sedona, Arizona, Branch actually has more connection with us here because of her maternal Indonesian-Dutch descent.

She was doing her own home recording by the age of three. She got her first guitar at 14 and started writing songs, gradually becoming something of a local music figure in her hometown.

Her big break came in 1999 when she got a call from a family friend to go to a nearby resort with a demo tape and a picture.

"She told me that she was giving a time-share tour to a guy named Jeff Rabhan in the music business from Los Angeles. My parents weren't home so I hopped into my neighbor's golf cart and high tailed it down to the resort," Branch recalled.

Rabhan was interested and offered the tape to Madonna's record company Maverick, which signed Branch.

Despite her achievements, Branch does not think of herself as anything special among teen music stars.

"I kind of get lumped into that scene because of my age," she said.

"But at the same time, if people really look, they'll find younger people making so much great music, people like (Atlantan singer-songwriter) John Mayer. There are more people out there doing what I'm doing; it's just a matter of finding them."

But right now, it is her that has been found and has made it.

Another factor that counts is her attitude, as she is charming and well-spoken.

During her showcase at the Hard Rock Cafe last week, the young woman engaged in friendly chatter with the audience, mostly teenagers, in between songs.

Wearing a black tank top, gray pants, Converse sneakers and brown beret, Branch looked calm and relaxed.

"Oh, no! I got a bad hair day," she laughed when the audience asked her to take off the beret.

She also boasted about a few Indonesian words that she knows, mostly having to do with food.

"Nasi goreng (fried rice), kerupuk (crackers), sambal (chilly sauce)... yeah, my mom often cooks them at home."

Branch performed five songs, all by herself and accompanied by her acoustic guitar. Slipping one or two grips, the performance was quite impressive, even though it was too short.

She also played a brand new song, a sappy number called Standing on the edge, saying it's "the first time I'm playing it live, here in Jakarta".

Branch offered some sweet parting words in closing the show.

"Thanks. It's a memorable time for me. I'm gonna tell my family about how nice you are. I bet they're sorry they moved away."

Well, nice thought, but better not bet on that.