With a voice that's somewhere between Joni Mitchell and Nico, Ingrid Michaelson carries the tradition of the female singer/songwriter into the 21st century. Befitting a musician of the digital age, Michaelson first gained wide exposure through spots on TV soundtracks. Born and raised on New York's Staten Island to an artist mother and classical composer father, Michaelson began exploring music through piano lessons at the age of four. After college, she toured with a national theater troupe and spent her free time writing songs, later compiling them for her debut album, Girls and Boys, which was released on Michaelson's label, Cabin 24 Records, in January 2007. Three months later, she won a national songwriting contest sponsored by Mountain Stage, a radio program produced by West Virginia Public Broadcasting and distributed worldwide. Four songs from her debut were also featured prominently in the prime time television drama Grey's Anatomy and commercials for clothing company Old Navy. ~ Katherine Fulton, All Music Guide