Rory Michelle Sullivan (she/her) is a powerful, inspiring, and sought-after Philadelphia-based singer-songwriter, musician, songleader, composer, prayer & ritual leader, theater-maker, and Jewish educator. She is beloved for uplifting others with her vibrant energy, enthusiasm, presence, unbridled joy, and captivating voice.
Rory Michelle aims to make the wisdom inherent in Jewish tradition fun and accessible. She creates playful and moving songs, theater, curricula, and gatherings that inspire self-actualization, healing, and growth.
She has performed internationally and released four albums of original music, including a concept album for her musical, Rising in Love, about an interracial Jewish couple and growing up in our modern world. Rising in Love is developed in part thanks to ish, driving Cincinnati’s Jewish and Israeli Arts and Culture. Rory Michelle’s third album, “The God Album”, is a cheekily named collection of fun folk, funk, rock, and swing songs infused, inspired, and informed by Jewish text that Rory Michelle studied while at Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem. While its music and messages of spiritual connection and the balance between tradition and change are enjoyable for all ages, families raising Jewish children often report that they play this album on repeat.
Rory Michelle performed in the Emerging Artist Showcase at URJ Biennial, and is honored to be a part of Mitsui Collective’s 2nd Kollel, building resilient community through embodied Jewish practice and somatic antiracism. She was featured in the Jewish Exponent as someone You Should Know. She is a classically trained vocalist, studied psychology at Harvard University, and holds a Master’s Degree in Arts in Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Rory Michelle most lights up when leading groups in the intimate magic of singing together. She is a master at engaging all ages in a variety of settings. From tiny babies to elders, from lively camp and synagogue Shabbat programs to contemplative healing services, Rory Michelle has touched thousands of individuals with her enchanting voice and spirit. Find her at www.rorymichelle.com.