With READY, Melissa’s debut album, she explores a sound that manifests her past while blending funky pop with classic jazz sensibilities. Her Canadian upbringing has exposed her to the music of the world, while the local Toronto music scene has immersed her into a diverse collective of artistic minds. Melissa and her five piece band have become quite the staple in the local soul scene, but her music has been enjoyed by fans across the continent. She has toured the west coast of the United States supporting Duncan Sheik, as well as showcasing in New York City and Philadelphia. “I get a great response from fans internationally. I’ve sold cd’s online from Hawaii to Germany to Hong Kong. My music crosses markets and borders because people relate to the sound as well as the message. There will always be a demand for great music, regardless of the genre or where it comes from.” Melissa’s sound has been described as a blend of funk and pop with a bit of attitude. “Imagine Curtis Mayfield and Erykah Badu chilling out in a café. My music could be the soundtrack to that scenario.” Melissa shares a love for all things music, as she is also a fan of hip hop, jazz, electronic and reggae. The album takes the shape of all these genres. While recording the album, she was determined to seamlessly blend these sounds while keeping a fluid consistency of her distinctive style. Since she co-wrote the album with producer Adam Messinger, Melissa had the control over the creative process that a new artist on a major label wouldn’t have the luxury of. “The album took shape quite organically,” Melissa says. “There was never a master plan or concept. It happened directly from pen to paper to guitar to the studio.” The end result is a reflection on love and the transition into adulthood with a sassy lyrical spin that is supported by her jazz melodies and groovy rhythms. In the song “Serious”, Melissa calls out to flakey men; “Remember how I called your phone and some chick picked up/She said you couldn’t come and talk, you were *cough* caught up/So If ya wanna keep your picture by my bed/I hope you been listenin’ to what I said.” In “You Are…” she responds to human behaviour through humour; “You think I’m crazy, but that’s alright with me/You’re like a monkey swinging around from tree to tree.” Recorded mostly at Toronto’s Messinger Sounds Studios, Juno nominated producer Messinger helped Melissa hone her craft in the creation of READY. “His handling of sonics is incredible. He knows how to bring out the right tones and delivery in my vocal recordings. I owe him great credit to the creation of the album.” As a youth, Melissa began performing at the ripe age of seven in singing contests and musical theatre productions. She quickly adapted to the showbiz lifestyle, often missing months of school while filming television shows, recording voice-overs for cartoons and working in professional theatre. As her focus turned to high school, Melissa’s time turned towards writing songs and playing the guitar. She developed alliances with established songwriters and began developing her craft by co-writing projects for other artists. After a few brief stints with labels, Melissa decided to develop the project with or without their support. In the years to follow, she won the prestigious 2002 John Lennon Songwriting contest in the R&B category for her song “You Are…” The next year she performed the same song to an audience of over 5,000 at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park, NYC, sharing the stage with Michelle Branch and Queen Latifah. Her performance was aired as a one hour special on Much Music USA and got Melissa’s foot in the door in the US, along with exposing her to many new fans. After touring the states, playing such legendary venues as San Francisco’s Fillmore West, the House of Blues on Sunset Strip in Los Angeles and New York’s The Bitter End, she returned home to continue work on her record. “I gathered a group of young Humber College music graduates and formed a new band. Shortly after we were invited to Philadelphia to record a song with Grammy nominated producer and engineer David Ivory (The Roots, Erykah Badu, Patti Labelle). In Philly, the song “2 Good 2 U” materialized and became an instant favorite. Melissa has spent the past three years refining her live performance. She has had the fortune to share the stage with The Black Eyed Peas, Slum Village, M2M, James Bryan of the Philosopher Kings amongst many more. Melissa is thrilled to continue to tour and begin work on her next record. “The process is ever changing, as I am. My goal is for my music to reflect this change in a way that my fans can grow with me.” It is in fact all in the journey, and Melissa is ready for what her bright future has in store for her. Melissa just released her debut album “ready” which is available for purchase online at www.melissabathory.com. | |
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