Born in 1974 and based in Salt Lake City, Utah, Michele McLaughlin began piano at five and started composing by ear at eight, inspired by a George Winston performance. Entirely self-taught, she released her first homemade album, Beginnings, in 2000, then left her corporate career in 2007 to pursue music full-time. With 23 albums and over 2 billion streams, she is a fourteen-time Billboard-charting artist known for deeply emotional, story-driven solo piano work.

Mood and energy: Emotional, story-driven, accessible. Recommended uses: Reflection.

Sacred Ground Confidence Score: 4 out of 5 stars   Final recommendation: Approved.

Why this artist belongs in Sacred Sounds: One of the most commercially successful independent artists in contemporary instrumental piano, with an enormous and consistent catalog.