Actor | Singer | Dancer | Advocate | Educator | Producer | Songwriter
Cherisse Bradley is a Flint, Michigan native whose artistic foundation began at the age of ten through music and musical theater. Her early exposure to the stage fostered a natural gift for dance, which she cultivated through formal training in tap, jazz, hip hop, and ballet at Creative Expressions Dance Studio in Flint. She continued her focused study in tap under the direction of her father, Bruce Bradley, and trained in ballet and jazz with the legendary late Tony B. White. Her dedication to the craft earned her multiple awards for showmanship, teaching, and choreography at Joe Tremaine National Dance Competitions in jazz, hip hop, and tap.
Cherisse later relocated to New York City, where she pursued vocal jazz studies at Long Island University–Brooklyn Campus under the direction of Dr. Gloria Cooper and jazz saxophonist Sam Newsome. During her time in New York, she performed at notable venues including Billie’s Black in Harlem and the internationally acclaimed Metropolitan Room in Manhattan. She also appeared at Long Island University Theater, sharing the stage with Melba Moore and other artists in a program hosted by actor Michael K. Williams, and was featured as a closing act in the New Orleans Meets Luxembourg Jazz Festival.
In 2013, Cherisse founded I Found My Voice (IFMV), a creative arts wellness movement supporting survivors of domestic violence and sexual abuse. With grant support from the Greater Flint Arts Council, IFMV has since provided annual outreach and programming for women throughout Genesee County, partnering with organizations such as the YWCA, the University of Michigan–Flint Women’s Educational Center, Odyssey House, New Path, and others. As part of this work, Cherisse produces an annual concert fundraiser honoring iconic female artists including Phyllis Hyman, Billie Holiday, Tina Turner, and Natalie Cole. The concert series features Cherisse alongside local and national artists from Detroit, New York, Chicago, London, and beyond, and has grown into one of the community’s most anticipated annual events.
Recognized for her leadership and impact, Cherisse was appointed Director and Head Choreographer of Mott, Motown & More, a celebrity lip-syncing fundraiser that has raised thousands of dollars for Mott Community College students through consistently sold-out performances. She also serves as Program Coordinator for Women in Education at MCC, a mentorship initiative for female college students. Through her theme, “Voice Is Life,” Cherisse uses creativity, wellness, and professional development to empower students with tools that support long-term personal and academic growth.
Cherisse currently resides in Flint, Michigan, where she maintains a monthly vocal residency at Elements Modern Bar & Grill. Her future endeavors include expanding the I Found My Voice movement, continued national and international travel, and the development of a solo musical project blending house, jazz, and soul with multimedia storytelling inspired by her life journey.