Michel Neray

solo, duo, trio & full band

Electronic Press Kit

Audiences love how the very different characters on stage come together into one cohesive voice, with angelic harmonies, strong acoustic rhythm, and gritty slide guitar! The songs and stories blend the lyrical sensibilities of Leonard Cohen, the musical styling of Jason Isbell, and the vocal versatility of Billy Joel.”

Growing up in Montreal, and born to immigrant parents who came from opposite sides of the globe, Michel found music to be the one truly unifying theme of his life. Listening to Michel's playlist of influences is like island hopping across the world through the ages, without ever getting stuck in a single place or time.  

From T-Bone Walker to the Beatles to Dylan to Joni Mitchell to Van Morrison to Bruce Springsteen; Jethro Tull to Echo and the Bunnymen; Johnny Hartman to Cesaria Evora; Joan Armatrading and Jesse Colin Young to Joe Jackson; Talking Heads to XTC; Stray Cats to Grace Jones; Michel Jonasz to Angelique Kidjo to Thomas Mapfumo; Leonard Cohen to Jason Isbell; Lhasa de Sela to Jimmy Eat World…

Even Spotify gets dizzy!

Take all those influences and stir in the years of wisdom from a life that just won't slow down.  Then add a little red earth and some sparkle from the night sky, with a grin and twinkle of a mannish boy's eye.

Michel's songs are musical journeys that dig into the human experience, with catchy melodies that stick in your head, evocative lyrics that make you think, feel, and smile, and a beat that makes you move!

As a professional motivational speaker, Michel is a natural storyteller. He livens up his performances with stories and conversation that keep the audience engaged beyond the music.

Notable Performances

After a successful solo tour of various venues in British Columbia in the summer of 2022, the full 6-piece band performed to a full house in July 2023 at the Kiss the Rock album release concert. Since then, he/they have performed either solo, duo or trio at several venues in the GTA, and are currently being considered for festivals in 2024. 

As a professional speaker, Michel shows a wide variety of audiences how to harness the power of storytelling for more impactful communications, relationships and leadership. He has spoken in more than nine countries worldwide and routinely performs his music as part of his keynotes and workshops.

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