Melissa B. releases a full Mixtape Album called “Feels Good” which combines sexy Electric R&B and Hip Hop creating a sound of sultry grooves. A great collection of unique harmonies and a reminiscent of how an R&B Singer should be giving that musical feel.
Melissa B. just won two Global music awards for best Pop & Emerging Artist. She also won the Hollywood Music Media awards for Best Pop song for “Maria”. Her Mixtape will make you wanna hear it from front to back and on repeat.
Jesse Atkinson: Give us some background info as to who you are.
Melissa B: My name is Melissa B. and I’m a recording artist and songwriter. My music is energetic, and international, blending the best of the Gritty Glam Pop,Club, and even that classic live band feeling. My background consists of me starting to sing at the tender age of five years old. I was classically trained in opera. Growing up my parents put me in pageants and that is how I really got the taste of the stage, being in front of people, and being able to perform. My father and my mother both pushed me to live out my dream and to never give up on my goal. As a little girl all I wanted to do was sing! I didn’t know how I was gonna get to where I am now but I just kept going and believe in myself. I’m also an activist with my own non-profit organization “Girl Geek Dinners NYC” where I help young women get inspired about computer science and technology.
JA: What is the significance of your stage name?
MB: Melissa B is my real name. B is the initial of my last name which is Bailey.
JA: Who is your target market?
MB: My Target audience is from age 15 – 25 , 25-40, 40-50 A worldly audience
JA: What is your USP? (Unique Selling Proposition) and what sets you apart from other artists?
MB: What’s unique about me is that I Combine my voice and technology in my world today. It is not just singing, it is the combination of social media, wearable technology and augmented reality. In my world, I am, by day, a network engineer who loves designing computer infrastructure and learning how to improve communications with technology and people.
I would love to see us take it further with recording across the internet, with a studio and sound. There are many variables in order for us to record with other artist around the world. That is the next step that we need to focus on and that could change the industry. Technology also enables the creation of new music instruments. Unlike traditional instruments, which produce a particular range of sounds and are designed to be played a particular way, technology allows us to be flexible with new music instruments and formless, taking shape only when its players decide how they are going to use them. That in itself is amazing and innovative.
JA: What single or project are you currently pushing?
MB: I am currently just let out a free Mixtape album on Frostwire which has already gotten 40,000 downloads in less than three weeks of it release on their platform.
http://www.frostclick.com/wp/index.php/2016/01/04/melissa-b-feels-good/
I am also in talks with current members of the Grammy’s to work with me on a global song for world hope. I feel we need to have a song for the world to come together again with the spirit of love and light.
JA: What is the philosophy by which you live by?
MB: My philosophy is “Total Freedom of expression.” The advantages of being an indie artist are that you set the rules to who you are! You create what you want when you want and don’t have people telling you when it has to get done. We’re not seeing dollar signs. We are just being creative to heal the world with love and light.
JA: Which artists have inspired you?
MB: My greatest influences for me have been the greats: Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson, Marvin Gaye, Michael Jackson, Debarge, James Brown, Héctor Lavoe, Celia Cruz, and many more. See my parents always played R&B and salsa music all the time and my mother had me singing to her all the time.
JA: Who does your production?
MB: When I first started with my music it was this upcoming producer and his name was Michael K. Sounds but he passed away. I learned a lot from him and took it to the next level. My sound evolved after I started working with B. Howard and I have worked really hard on alot of my songs alongside of him. I have a few other producers like the GeekSquad, Fequancy Beatz crew and K-Beatz. My sound is constantly changing with my ideas and the sounds I want to sound electronic.
JA: What is your opinion of the current state of the music industry?
MB: The greatest challenges for me is learning the business period. I have learned there is so much more to the music industry than the music and that’s been rewarding for me to learn. Actually putting a whole EP or Record together is very challenging and the amount of hours that I have put in my project was hard. There were times I did not sleep and went right to work out of the studio but it was worth all the emotions.
JA: If you can change one thing about the music industry what would it be and why?
MB: The one thing I wish I could change is it being more of a together thing instead of always feeling like your alone trying to make things happen. Like sharing information and helping each other out is more important to me than anything.
JA: What is your favorite movie and favorite book?
MB: My favorite movies are all the Star Wars Movies. My favorite book is Autobiography of a Yogi: P. Yogananda
JA: What is your favorite part of your live show? How has it evolved?
MB: My favorite part of my live show is when I get the crowd to join in with me on a song they know of mine. Playing with my live band is more fun to me than anything. Giving that live band feel is so amazing cause everyone is feeling the vibration and loving the moment. It has evolved based on the way I am connecting with the audience and their connection with me as well.
JA: What is your EP or Album going to be like?
MB: My next EP is going to be a more live feel with more of that mixing the old with the new. The sounds of R&B /Pop have evolved and I am taking my fans on that journey
JA: What is your website?
MB: My website is www.melissab.com
JA: Any final words for the people.
MB: No one determines your experience but you, and if you want to be happy, be happy. No person, place or thing will determine your happiness. It already exists within you, all you have to do is stop resisting the love that is trying to make its way into your life. Shine like the light your supposed to be and magical things will happen if you just believe in yourself.
