Michelle Bell

Michelle Bell is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. With Sean Combs she wrote and produced tracks for Jennifer Lopez. Following the release of Lopez's album, she worked with artists, including Britney Spears, Girls Aloud, Mary J. Blige and Paulina Rubio.

Biography Michelle Lynn Bell was born in Canton, Ohio. While in college she worked on a local paper while she was in college, and used to write to publicists at record labels.

She worked with Sean Combs, who was dating pop singer Jennifer Lopez at the time. After Bell's song was presented to Lopez, the latter recorded the track. Bell then went to work with several artists such as Mary J. Blige and Paulina Rubio over the years.

In 2002, she started to work with Britney Spears on her fourth studio album In the Zone. Together they wrote and recorded several tracks, including "Chaotic", "Like I'm Falling", "Look Who's Talking Now", and "Money, Love, & Happiness". "(I've Just Begun) Having My Fun", another track recorded by Spears and later released on Greatest Hits: My Prerogative (2004), was featured on the soundtrack of the 2011 film Bridesmaids. Bell later worked with producer Peter Wade Keusch. Together, they formed a music production duo, and worked for artists such as 88-Keys and Lindsay Lohan. They worked together on an album called The Mystery LLP. It was slated for a release on the second quarter of 2008; the album, however, is yet to be released. Bell currently lives in New York City.

Reception Bell's songs were mostly well received by contemporary critics. One of her tracks she wrote with Britney Spears, "I've Just Begun (Having My Fun)", was considered by Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic as better "[than] most of the songs that were featured on [In the Zone]," while Mike McGuirk of Rhapsody said the song "is on a level with her best work, namely 'I'm a Slave 4 U'." Bell's tracks included on Jennifer Lopez's album Brave (2007) received mixed to positive reviews, with "I Need Love" being considered as a "nice enough uptempo groove. Still, it's not something you'll be rushing to hear a second time — a sentiment that summarizes most of 'Brave'." "Morning After Dark", a track co-wrote with Timbaland, was considered as "catchy" by reviewers, with its hook receiving positive appreciation. However, Jennifer Lopez's "Come Over" did not impress critics, with Tom Sinclair of Entertainment Weekly saying, "'Come to my room for a little game.… I'll do very erotic things', she breathes on 'Come Over', [...] the most embarrassing satin sheet anthem since, oh, Sylvia's 'Pillow Talk'." The song received comparisons to earlier works of Janet Jackson.

Songwriting discography