Michael Bearden is one of the most respected and accomplished music directors in modern music history - a true maestro whose versatile skills as an arranger, composer, conductor, and keyboardist have made him indispensable across genres, stages, and screens. Rising from the South Side of Chicago, he began playing piano as a child and built a career that spans over 500 artist collaborations, from Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, Madonna, Ray Charles, and Jennifer Lopez, to Lady Gaga - for whom he has been Music Director since 2013. He also served as the final Music Director for Michael Jackson during the iconic This Is It tour and supervised the musical direction for the 97th Oscars (March 2025). Bearden has been nominated three times by the Television Academy for Outstanding Music Direction, including for Lady Gaga's 2017 Super Bowl LI Halftime Show - the most-watched Halftime Show in history - and for One Last Time: An Evening With Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga. Beyond live performance, his credits span film, television specials, world tours, award shows, and philanthropic projects. Bearden has also founded TOMiC Recordings to support artistic freedom, scored documentaries and feature films, and continues to shape the sound and soul of popular music globally.