Melyssa Lee is a brand new artist on the scene, with Sunflower (Acoustic Version) being her very first single release! It’s all very impressive for a newcomer to the scene, so I wanted to find out more about Melyssa’s musical process. You can read more about her here!
By Jane Howkins
You released a single titled Sunflower (Acoustic Version). What can you tell us about the track?
Sunflower was a song that was written after my good friend’s son, Anderson, tragically passed away unexpectedly. The tragedy left a massive hole in the hearts of his parents, his family and anyone who knew him. In supporting my friend through her grief, there were many reflections and feelings to sort through – the pain, the grief, the fear of something similar happening to your own loved ones. This song is a culmination of those feelings, but also a reminder of Anderson’s memory, to help keep his love and memory alive, and to hug our loved ones in doing so. His favorite flowers were Sunflowers, so there is that reminder in this song.
The song was originally to be produced with full band on a future album, but I made a decision to record some more vulnerable songs about life acoustically. Sunflower was the first one to be recorded in this close, vulnerable, acoustic and simple style.
How has the reception to Sunflower (Acoustic Version) been so far, and where can the song be purchased?
The reception has been more than I ever imagined! The support for this song has been great. At first, I ran a playlist campaign and the song made a few big playlists of sad songs, and the rest after that just took off and I see people from all around the world simply adding the song to their everyday playlists. That is just great to see, especially because this song means so much to me and to my friend, who is the mother of Anderson.
The song has recently also been played at local (ad now international) radio stations as well as can be streamed on all streaming platforms.
This is your debut single, making it all the more impressive! How was the process?
Aw, thank you!! Yes, it is my very first single so I am still very much navigating the new waters of being an indie artist while still making a living. The process was very organic and uplifting as I wanted it to be authentic and barebones. It was recorded with a close and special mic to pick up any breaths and other sounds, hoping that would communicate the vulnerability of the song. I had so much fun in the studio though, and it made me realise how I want to keep doing this!
Do you plan to release any more singles in the near future?
Yes! I have another single from the same EP called Last Words – out on March 10th. I may release one more single before releasing the remainder of the EP and then I have an album in the works as well! The EP is called Simply and it’s named after the title track and also refers to the simple acoustic nature of the EP and the subject matter, which is birth, life and death.
The album will be a collection of more produced works called Treasures and it will be based off of the title track, which was written about the story of my mother’s childhood, in Indonesia. I wrote it to understand a bit more about why sometimes people may carry some baggage with them. Often, it is from the trauma of what they may have witnessed or endured throughout their life.
Your music has a folk-pop sound. What/who influences you most as an artist? What have you been listening to recently?
To be honest, I have SO many musical influences, I don’t know where to begin. Lately, I have definitely been listening more to Americana and folk but I have a strong foundation growing up from the big Lilith Fair female artists like Sarah McLachlan, Jann Arden, Cheryl Crowe, Chantel Kreviazuk, Jewel, Fiona Apple, Shawn Colvin, etc.
Lately I have been listening a lot to Brandi Carlile, Taylor Swift and Mumford and Sons! Phoebe Bridgers is another big one. My most favourite band is a Canadian duo called Whitehorse, I love everything they write and play and they have a definite strong influence on my identity as an artist. So as you can see, I have a lot of influences and I could probably go on about this with more thought.
I do try to listen a lot to local artists from near where I live because the talent even within my city is unreal. I do feel it is important to support these people who are equally as talented who may not be well known yet, but who knows what will happen.
What do you think is the biggest challenge in the music business at the moment?
The biggest challenge I think, for most indie musicians, is making enough revenue to support one’s self. It costs a lot of money to get into a good studio, have a good producer and to properly market your music in the right places. This all takes time and money and it is not usually compensated at the beginning. It takes years of touring for most artists to be able to make a living from music and to be able to be heard at the same level as the major labels. Some artists need to take out loans, find investors, apply for grants or save for many years before even having the chance to release, perform and market their music.
Where are you based? How is the local music scene faring at the moment?
I am based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The music scene, especially since Covid has settled and allowed us to open up in some places, has really taken off. By this I mean, there are many local possibilities to perform, go to open mics and there are many concerts happening every week. This is reassuring and has been very cup-filling because everyone loves music!
Do you have any tour dates lined up for the UK?
I do not at the moment, but I would love to one day. Currently, touring locally is where I am at but we will see where things go in the next couple of years. I would love to perform my music in another country!
Any last words for the fans?
I just want to thank everyone who took the time to read this, listen to my music, check out my website and socials. All those little things count and are what keeps artists going. Thank you, and thank you Jane for taking the time to ask me these questions.