Aryn Michelle Biography
Aryn Michelle is a multi-faceted Christian artist who wears many hats: songwriter, recording artist, music professor, worship leader, and mother of four. Since starting her music career in 2006, she has released six studio albums. Many describe her style as alternative pop/rock with a flavor of country and a pinch of jazz.
Aryn Michelle Calhoun (née Campbell; born September 9, 1983), but known simply as Aryn Michelle, earned a BA in classical music from Southwestern University and embarked on a career writing positive, secular music. During this period, she honed her craft at the prestigious Berklee College of Music, where she received the Scott Benson Award for songwriting. Soon after, she released her first two albums, Lockless Heart (2009), and Last One Standing (2011).
A return to Dallas in 2009 brought songwriting recognition, including being named TexasCSA's 2010 Songwriter of the Year, winning KLTY's 2010 Chick-fil-A Celebrate Freedom Jingle Competition, and being a national top ten finalist in the 2011 Folgers' Jingle Writing Contest. In 2014, a strong calling led Aryn to shift her focus to creating insightful, challenging, and thoughtful faith-based music for the church community. Later that year, she was named Female Artist and Writer of the Year at Gospel Music Association's Immerse Competition.
Since then, she has poured her heart into this new direction. Albums like Depth (2015) and The Realest Thing (2017) tackle theological questions and arguments for Christianity. In 2019, Aryn released an EP of prayer and praise songs entitled "Nothing Can Take Me Away." PARIAH (2022) delves into the stories of biblical outcasts, while Pilot Light (2022) explores her personal experiences as a woman, mother, and artist navigating a complex world. The single "America" from Pilot Light was named the Grand Award Winner for the 2022 SongDoor International Songwriting Competition.
Aryn's passion extends beyond her musical performances. She currently heads the Songwriting Division at Visible Music College, mentors aspiring songwriters as an affiliate with Songfinch, and serves as a lay worship leader at Irving Bible Church.
Aryn is currently releasing a concept album made up of songs from three EPs: Wild (Spring 2024), Beautiful (Spring 2023), and Dangerous (Summer 2023). Wild consists of Old Testament "Father God" songs, Beautiful features Jesus-inspired songs about the Gospel, and Dangerous includes Holy Spirit-inspired songs post-resurrection. These releases continue her artistic vision to engage the mind as well as the heart, ensuring that Truth—and not just a catchy melody—impacts the listener. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.