“There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age”…. Sophia Loren.
Defying the music and entertainment industry’s twilight axiom is House Music recording artist Irene Michaels who is signed to both the iconic Chicago TRAX Record label and the New York based boutique indie label Tribeca Records. With her newest release “My Heart” (including the hip-hop version featuring rapper Twizm Whyte Piece), she easily has the Billie Eilish vibe of the octogenarians….and one thing more….she’s radiant.
Irene Michaels is not only beautiful but possesses a vivacious and energetic effervescence that bubbles and sparkles with a vibrant enthusiasm for life itself. You never know where Irene might wind up….and then suddenly you see her at The Grammys, or at the Clive Davis Grammy party or at Cannes having a conversation with Cher or in Nashville standing beside Dolly. Although married to 9x Tony winner and promoter Arny Granat, she is wildly independent. On her off time, you will find her skiing in Aspen or riding her horse as she is a champion equestrian.
When we think about stars that dazzle timelessly we consider icons like Cher who just performed at her induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at age 78, or Blondie (Debbie Harry) who at 78 played both Glastonbury and Coachella, starred in a fashion campaign for Marc Jacobs and just finished a major film, or Dolly Parton, age 79 who just celebrated 40 years of Dollywood with a performance at the Celebrity Theater Stage in Hollywood. We also acknowledge actresses like Dame Judi Dench who at 90 has been quoted as saying “It’s the rudest word in my dictionary, ‘retire’ – and ‘old’ is another one.” Judy Parfitt at 89 and stars in the BBC series “Call the Midwife”, joining the ranks of Hollywood superstars, Meryl Streep age 75, Lily Tomlin age 85, Jane Fonda age 87, and Julie Andrews who is 89 years old. We applaud all, however, the difference between them and Irene Michaels is that they have all had successful, long-time careers while Irene just began a new career….and in House Music…which is an off-shoot of Electronic Dance Music (EDM) at 80 years old!
While Irene has had some success in the world of entertainment as a dancer on Broadway (A Chorus Line), a model, in films (Mahogany, Home Alone 2, Killer Klowns From Outer Space), on television (General Hospital), as an author “I On Beauty: Living Beautifully & Luxuriously Beyond 50”, and as a lifestyle influencer on her blog “Ionthescene”, but now she’s doing almost the impossible. She has already made a splash within the LGBTQ community and has performed for NY Pride and at the Get Out Awards, of which she was honored with one in 2023 for her song “I Like Rain”. That same song earned her “Best Song of the Year” at the Josie Music Awards in 2023. She won Indie Artist of the Year for “My Heart” for BroadwayWorld and another for Special Event of the Year for her performance in Times Square for the 40th Anniversary of International Peace Day.
“Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter”…Mark Twain
The official website for Irene Michaels may be found at https://www.irenemichaels.com