Spotlights On: SkyeLea

Traverse City artist wraps first tour, prepares album for release in late 2026

Stevie Wonder, Ms. Lauryn Hill, and Amy Winehouse, wrapped up with a popstar bow— how else could you describe the upbeat tunes and smooth, soulful songwriting of Traverse City’s SkyeLea? 

SkyeLea at Plaid Dog Studio in Boston, MA. Taken by Yorg Kerasiotis.

Just ahead of the fourth anniversary of her LOVESICK EP, she recently wrapped up her first tour: the Moving Forward Series. Her three-show run kicked off with a return to Aretha’s Jazz Cafe in Detroit and continued to the Lower East Side for her New York City debut at the Delancey. She took a detour to Boston, MA, to record three songs for her upcoming album before closing with a hometown finale at The Music House, where she performed alongside band members of Trillium Groove.

The tour takes its name from her most recent single, ”Moving Forward,” released August 21, 2025, several years after she first wrote it during a pivotal moment in her life— both personally, and as an artist.

A Tune Born amidst Transitions 

“I wrote Moving Forward on this campus, right there in East Hall. It was when there were a lot of things going on in my life— with my family, and even internally as a creative, I was like, ‘I need to expand and grow and move forward with the next chapter of my life. 

Ahead of her was the decision to leave Northwestern Michigan College after three years, moving off campus and putting a pause on her education. While it felt daunting at times, it ultimately opened new doors. 

“When I wrote this song—I can’t stress enough— I had no idea what I was doing, but I felt so called to make space for the next best thing,” she explains. “I got this apartment, and then the Alluvion job fell into my lap. I’m working there, and meeting all these great musicians, and started gigging a lot more and establishing myself as a solo artist.”

From Starting Solo to Studio

Shortly after these changes, SkyeLea got an ad for an organization seeking artists aspiring to record albums, but lacking the funds. After a mutual vetting process, they helped her launch a crowdfunding campaign that added to the funds she’d been privately raising, ultimately raising over $10,000.

These funds enabled her to travel to Plaid Dog Studio in Boston, where she collaborated with producer Carter Sanders to record tracks for the album she’s preparing to release this year.

The album cover SkyeLea created, reflecting much of the inspiration and moments featured within the music.

“He brought 'Moving Forward' to life. There’s this whole acapella intro that I never would have thought of, and it almost feels like the opening of Mac Miller’s ‘Small World.’”

But she wasn’t starting from scratch. Her background in the NMC Audio Tech program and her work with trio Trillium Groove had already shaped her as a musician and a songwriter. Even more special, “Moving Forward” was one of the first songs she wrote, knowing she’d have the support of two other vocalists for live performances.

The song itself came together quickly, an artist’s dream-come-true situation of inspiration striking. “I still have the voice memo. It’s less than 20 minutes long, and the entire song was done. I wrote exactly how I was feeling: I’m just moving forward a little bit and life is going to keep going with or without me, so I’m going to move forward with it.” 

Embracing the Journey (even in Uncertainty)

While in Boston, SkyeLea completed additional tracks for the upcoming album, and is planning ahead to record with new and past collaborators from Traverse City and around the state. Still, even as momentum continues to build, she’s grappling with familiar questions about what comes next. 

“It’s funny, because when I wrote ‘Moving Forward,’ I was having a lot of feelings that I’m feeling now, of following this creative path. I’m just doing what feels right for me,” she reflects. “I don’t know what’s coming next, and even one of the lyrics in the song goes, ‘I can’t say where I’m headed to, or when I’ll return.’”

That uncertainty hasn’t slowed her down. 

“It feels like a new chapter. New songs, new stages, new momentum,” she says. “ I really want to take some time to get super clear on what it is I want to do, how I want to tour, where I want to be based out of.”

SkyeLea’s artistic identity extends beyond music— she also teaches Hip Hop dance at Interlochen Center for the Arts, and is committed to developing that side of her career. I want to make sure that I'm continuing to expand that side of my resume so students aren't coming in and wondering, 'Why are we learning from her?'"

Finding Community in Northern Michigan

Despite Traverse City’s modest size in comparison to big music cities, SkyeLea credits the area for being an ideal environment for launching her career . Working alongside professors at NMC who were active musicians themselves, combined with her position at the Alluvion, gave her invaluable connections and experience. 

“Traverse City values its musicians so much,” she says. “I was lucky with the gigs I’ve gotten, and I’ve worked really hard to get those gigs, but it’s a totally different game when you go to bigger places and you’re just a small fish in a big pond.”

The local scene’s tightknit and collaborative spirit has also been instrumental. “A lot of the musicians are really tight, there's not too much competition and people are quick to recommend someone else or they'll reach out if they're sick.”

For SkyeLea, music has always been more than a career— it’s shaped how she approaches life itself. 

SkyeLea performing at Aretha’s Jazz Cafe, Detroit. Taken by Yorg Kerasiotis

Growing up making music with a studio-musician mother and a father with a New York B-boy history, music and dance came as a second nature for her, with her earliest recordings from the ages of three and four, and her first attempts at songwriting dating back to middle school. Still, vulnerability doesn’t come easy— even as a dancer since childhood, used to the stage, sharing her deepest feelings with folks who might just be meeting her for the first time, can cause a mental toll. 

“I think just being inspired by other artists is really what helped me get over it [being seen and being vulnerable]  being like, okay well if they can do it and if their music speaks to me this way, if I can do that for just one person then I should try,” she shares. “I try to just honor whatever is happening creatively when I’m writing, and not take myself too seriously, because that's when the fun stuff happens.”

”I think music has really taught me that you can still have kind eyes and just critique yourself and grow and learn and practice and be consistent and strive to be better,” she reflects. “That's just translated in so many different areas of my life outside of music.” 

As she prepares for her album to release in coming months, SkyeLea continues to bring authenticity to each performance, blending pop patterns with soul, classic R&B, and jazz influences— a style that carved out her own space in the local scene, and will no doubt carry her farther as she moves around Northern Michigan and beyond. 

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Stay tuned for updates on SkyeLea’s debut album, expected mid-to-late 2026. Follow her journey on social media and see upcoming show dates at linktr.ee/skyeleamusic. Upcoming performances include NanBop Farm on March 21 in Cadillac, MI, and Salt of the Earth in Fenville, MI, on March 22.