Commanding transformation: Cannons' Michelle Joy at home performing on stage, brings 'Heartbeat Highway' on the road
Feb. 21—It's been a journey for Michelle Joy to find her power on stage.
When she first began as the lead singer of Cannons, she admits that the confidence she has today wasn't there.
"It's been such a transformation," she says. "When we first started, Cannons is my first band. When I started making music with the guys, I was in the mindset that we would make music and put it out on Soundcloud. I never imagined that we would be playing festivals and arenas. The first festival we played was Lollapalooza. I was a shy person and speech classes were the enemy."
A little over 10 years later, Joy not only has found her place on stage — she commands it.
Cannons is currently on tour in support of its most recent album, "Heartbeat Highway."
Joy, along with guitarist Ryan Clapham and bassist and keyboardist Paul Davis, will make a stop at Revel ABQ on Friday, Feb. 23. Finish Ticket is in the opening slot.
Cannons is ramping up its tour again after having some time off for a break.
The band will perform a string of shows in the United States before heading off to Europe for a few months.
Joy is looking forward to taking the new music overseas as the band is proud of the new album.
"Our setlists are done the same way we make music," she says. "We feel out which songs sound good. Every song has to keep up the energy, so we pay attention to the keys and tempos of them. Sequencing is important on both albums and on tour."
It took Cannons just under a year to finish "Heartbeat Highway," which was started right after "Fever Dream" was completed.
Over the course of Cannons' journey in music, the band has grown and each member has found more confidence.
Joy says the experience on stage today is much different than when the band began in 2013.
"Now I can go on stage and experience things in a much different way," she says. "When we started, I was nervous and wanted to put on a good show. I always tried to get over some stage performance fears. Now I'm at home on stage and performing. What makes it more comfortable is the connection we have with the fans. I can see the people in front of my face and they know my heart through the lyrics. I feel that I know them and each night becomes this crazy experience."
Cannons continues to grow its catalog each time new music is released.
While there are no favorite songs in Joy's eyes, there are a few that stand out and continue to be fun to perform live.
"I always have a blast playing 'Hurricane' at our shows and I get excited that it's a staple in our set," she says. " 'Fire for You' was a song that changed our lives. That brought a lot of fans and listeners our way. When the whole crowd sings with me, those are the moments that make the entire band realize that we are in the right place making music."
