Monday, 1 February 2016
Swept Away
“I am currently working on a new song ‘Swept Away’. It will have acoustic guitars, a simple melody and catchy hooks.” Melissa James
We caught up with our Melbourne singer/songwriter, Melissa James on her upcoming song, “Swept Away.”
Having written many fun and breezy songs, Melissa and long term band member, Shane Ryall, are scheduled to lay down the tracks of a slightly different song. While it’s a pop number, the song has a very serious theme. It was inspired by the world refugee crisis in 2015 where millions of Syrians fled their homes because of the conflict within their home country, half of them being children. It was when a three-year-old Syrian boy’s body was washed up on a beach in Turkey in a desperate attempt to flee to Canada, the world was forced to see how deadly the Syrian civil war has become.
“Inspired by the shock and tragic news of this little boy washed up at sea, Shane was so touched that he went away and named the song ‘Swept Away’ after this tragedy,” says Melissa. “Asylum seekers’ lives are precious and the children need saving, we need to provide them with a good life.”
While one may expect minor chords of melancholy and an undercurrent of mourning and sadness in the new song, Melissa has superbly turned the suffering into something of pride and strength with a mixture of happiness and love weaved into catchy hooks. The lyrics mostly revolve around love so that they are easier to relate to.
The sweet simple groovy melody with happy acoustic guitar has a pleasant way of surprising us about how the human brain processes sadness and a breezy beat all at the same time. The song soothes the emotions and good for our mental health.
“‘Swept Away’ is not a sad song, I have made it a happy love song,” continues Melissa. “It’s about love, whether it’s for a precious child, family or partner and how beautiful it is when it arrives.”
The new song is scheduled to record in February 2016 so watch this space.
We caught up with our Melbourne singer/songwriter, Melissa James on her upcoming song, “Swept Away.”
Having written many fun and breezy songs, Melissa and long term band member, Shane Ryall, are scheduled to lay down the tracks of a slightly different song. While it’s a pop number, the song has a very serious theme. It was inspired by the world refugee crisis in 2015 where millions of Syrians fled their homes because of the conflict within their home country, half of them being children. It was when a three-year-old Syrian boy’s body was washed up on a beach in Turkey in a desperate attempt to flee to Canada, the world was forced to see how deadly the Syrian civil war has become.
“Inspired by the shock and tragic news of this little boy washed up at sea, Shane was so touched that he went away and named the song ‘Swept Away’ after this tragedy,” says Melissa. “Asylum seekers’ lives are precious and the children need saving, we need to provide them with a good life.”
While one may expect minor chords of melancholy and an undercurrent of mourning and sadness in the new song, Melissa has superbly turned the suffering into something of pride and strength with a mixture of happiness and love weaved into catchy hooks. The lyrics mostly revolve around love so that they are easier to relate to.
Chorus
“Swept Away, without an emotion,
‘Swept Away, like a boat in the ocean,
‘Swept Away, your love’s like a potion,
‘Swept Away for love”
The sweet simple groovy melody with happy acoustic guitar has a pleasant way of surprising us about how the human brain processes sadness and a breezy beat all at the same time. The song soothes the emotions and good for our mental health.
“‘Swept Away’ is not a sad song, I have made it a happy love song,” continues Melissa. “It’s about love, whether it’s for a precious child, family or partner and how beautiful it is when it arrives.”
The new song is scheduled to record in February 2016 so watch this space.
Sunday, 29 November 2015
Fun with RooArt
“RooArt flew me to Sydney for the launch of the “Black and White” Music Album magazine. I was honoured to be asked to be a part of such a major event.” Melissa James
It’s not every day that an artist gets an opportunity to get some insight on how record companies do business with artists. Most artists are not as lucky as Melissa where record labels like RooArt “gets you” and wants to manage your career.
Today Melissa shares with us her experience with RooArt. “I was signed to ‘La Digue’ the sub label of RooArt,” says Melissa with excitement. “It was a great time in my career; this helped me a lot personally because I have had some insight on what record companies can really do for artists.”
While the internet has given artists an alternative route to make contact with and sell directly to fans, nothing really compares to what a great record label can do for you. Even with independent artists having access to some of the best online promotion and social media experts, it’s still slower and a lot harder getting your music out to more people without a record label. One can never pull the same strings that record companies can when you want to get on TV and more gigs. Record labels have local and worldwide industry influences that independent artists could never build on their own.
“RooArt were a great record company. They provided the best service to their artists,” Melissa continues. “I was updated on a daily basis as to how and where the song (Baby Come Back) was going. They arranged promo tours on the east coast of Australia and flew me in all parts of the east coast and arranged my daily schedule. All I had to do was get ready and go. I met local people, industry people; they took me out to dinners and lunches.”
Apart from Melissa being part of RooArt’s roster of several well-known Australian bands and artists such as Crow, Ratcat, Screaming Jets, You Am I, Wendy Matthews, The Hummingbirds, The Trilobites and Amanda Brown – she was also part of the launch of the infamous “Black & White” Music Album magazine.
“I had to be photographed with little clothing but present an art form. So we decided I would be photographed as a leopard,” Melissa laughed. “It was a big deal! It took 9 hours to paint me up as a leopard.”
Melissa’s grateful for the opportunity RooArt gave her. She will never forget the fun NYE gig she did with Kate Ceberano, Noiseworks and Rockmelons at Coffs Harbour. Nor will she forget the bloopers on the way.
“A funny thing happened during the night of ‘Black & White’ launch. We all appeared on stage to say a few words. They asked me, ‘Melissa tells us how the night is going for you’ … Being the honest person that I am, I said … ‘Well for a starters my Dad doesn’t know I’m here, he thinks I’m in bed. Apart from that it’s a great night and happy to be here!’ All of a sudden the crowd was laughing!”
It’s not every day that an artist gets an opportunity to get some insight on how record companies do business with artists. Most artists are not as lucky as Melissa where record labels like RooArt “gets you” and wants to manage your career.
Today Melissa shares with us her experience with RooArt. “I was signed to ‘La Digue’ the sub label of RooArt,” says Melissa with excitement. “It was a great time in my career; this helped me a lot personally because I have had some insight on what record companies can really do for artists.”
While the internet has given artists an alternative route to make contact with and sell directly to fans, nothing really compares to what a great record label can do for you. Even with independent artists having access to some of the best online promotion and social media experts, it’s still slower and a lot harder getting your music out to more people without a record label. One can never pull the same strings that record companies can when you want to get on TV and more gigs. Record labels have local and worldwide industry influences that independent artists could never build on their own.
“RooArt were a great record company. They provided the best service to their artists,” Melissa continues. “I was updated on a daily basis as to how and where the song (Baby Come Back) was going. They arranged promo tours on the east coast of Australia and flew me in all parts of the east coast and arranged my daily schedule. All I had to do was get ready and go. I met local people, industry people; they took me out to dinners and lunches.”
Apart from Melissa being part of RooArt’s roster of several well-known Australian bands and artists such as Crow, Ratcat, Screaming Jets, You Am I, Wendy Matthews, The Hummingbirds, The Trilobites and Amanda Brown – she was also part of the launch of the infamous “Black & White” Music Album magazine.
“I had to be photographed with little clothing but present an art form. So we decided I would be photographed as a leopard,” Melissa laughed. “It was a big deal! It took 9 hours to paint me up as a leopard.”
Melissa’s grateful for the opportunity RooArt gave her. She will never forget the fun NYE gig she did with Kate Ceberano, Noiseworks and Rockmelons at Coffs Harbour. Nor will she forget the bloopers on the way.
“A funny thing happened during the night of ‘Black & White’ launch. We all appeared on stage to say a few words. They asked me, ‘Melissa tells us how the night is going for you’ … Being the honest person that I am, I said … ‘Well for a starters my Dad doesn’t know I’m here, he thinks I’m in bed. Apart from that it’s a great night and happy to be here!’ All of a sudden the crowd was laughing!”
Wednesday, 11 November 2015
Before A Gig
“I used to get shy and was afraid to speak to the audience. I didn’t even have the courage to say which song I was about to sing.” Melissa James
Melissa James has cool music and a cool band, but she’s also human and while she gets better at handling pre-gig jitters, it never completely goes away. Why? Because a successful gig is not just about playing music that people like, it’s all about singing and performing your songs ‘consistently well’ at every venue and in different scenarios.
“I used to be afraid to even speak to the audience,” says Melissa. “It sounds weird I know considering I am a singer. I was always sure of my voice but talking to the crowd made me feel like I had a big spotlight on me and I couldn’t escape it.”
However, Melissa wasn’t going to be one of those singers that simply don’t perform well on stage due to anxiety. In the end, it's all about the music and whether Melissa sings for thousands of people every night or at a backyard barbeque, she had to overcome her mental anxieties to share her music with the world. The world deserves a good performance and so does Melissa, and boy can Melissa perform. When she performs, you're overwhelmed by her energy and you get the chills with her five octave range. She is exceptional!
“Before a gig I have always been anxious, uptight. I struggled with what to wear, how to do my makeup, my hair. It was an effort to get this all right but now I am a little more relaxed these days and wear what feels comfortable but sexy,” Melissa continues. “Now I feel empowered when I’m scheduled to do a gig and get excited because it’s an opportunity to play new songs live and allow the ‘introvert’ to transform into the ‘extrovert’.”
After years of being on stage, Melissa spends less time worrying about her performance anxiety and more time focussing on having fun rehearsing with her band a few days beforehand. While most of the rehearsal is spent focusing on getting the songs rhythmically tight and matching dynamic levels in various parts of the songs, it’s not just about “learning to play and sing the songs perfectly” together as a band. The band knows the drill; each member knows their place and what they need to do so rehearsal is more about getting in the zone and having fun before a gig.
This is crucial for Melissa and her band because they know that when they play live; their music is only 50% of what most people in their audience care about. The other 50% is what they see. So if they are not in the right headspace, their live shows will suffer from poor stage presence.
“I feel lucky to have good band members,” says Melissa. “We all want to perform live and feel pumped; we want to rehearse and want to get up there on stage and play strong. There is nothing more rewarding than doing a gig with people listening and dancing to your songs, and we love it.
To see Melissa and her band perform, click on the music video, ‘LIKE THIS LIKE THAT’
Melissa James has cool music and a cool band, but she’s also human and while she gets better at handling pre-gig jitters, it never completely goes away. Why? Because a successful gig is not just about playing music that people like, it’s all about singing and performing your songs ‘consistently well’ at every venue and in different scenarios.
“I used to be afraid to even speak to the audience,” says Melissa. “It sounds weird I know considering I am a singer. I was always sure of my voice but talking to the crowd made me feel like I had a big spotlight on me and I couldn’t escape it.”
However, Melissa wasn’t going to be one of those singers that simply don’t perform well on stage due to anxiety. In the end, it's all about the music and whether Melissa sings for thousands of people every night or at a backyard barbeque, she had to overcome her mental anxieties to share her music with the world. The world deserves a good performance and so does Melissa, and boy can Melissa perform. When she performs, you're overwhelmed by her energy and you get the chills with her five octave range. She is exceptional!
“Before a gig I have always been anxious, uptight. I struggled with what to wear, how to do my makeup, my hair. It was an effort to get this all right but now I am a little more relaxed these days and wear what feels comfortable but sexy,” Melissa continues. “Now I feel empowered when I’m scheduled to do a gig and get excited because it’s an opportunity to play new songs live and allow the ‘introvert’ to transform into the ‘extrovert’.”
After years of being on stage, Melissa spends less time worrying about her performance anxiety and more time focussing on having fun rehearsing with her band a few days beforehand. While most of the rehearsal is spent focusing on getting the songs rhythmically tight and matching dynamic levels in various parts of the songs, it’s not just about “learning to play and sing the songs perfectly” together as a band. The band knows the drill; each member knows their place and what they need to do so rehearsal is more about getting in the zone and having fun before a gig.
This is crucial for Melissa and her band because they know that when they play live; their music is only 50% of what most people in their audience care about. The other 50% is what they see. So if they are not in the right headspace, their live shows will suffer from poor stage presence.
“I feel lucky to have good band members,” says Melissa. “We all want to perform live and feel pumped; we want to rehearse and want to get up there on stage and play strong. There is nothing more rewarding than doing a gig with people listening and dancing to your songs, and we love it.
To see Melissa and her band perform, click on the music video, ‘LIKE THIS LIKE THAT’
Wednesday, 4 November 2015
Beautiful Day
“This song is close to home. It’s about my home life and my relationship with my father.” Melissa James
As the warm beat implies, ‘Beautiful Day’ draws listeners into a calm, breezy world filled with feel good energy and sunshine smiles. It’s only natural that you want to just keep listening on. But what’s really behind the song that was released by BMG and featured in FOX FM homegrown within the first week of release?
Removing the success factor of Melissa James and Ashley Cadell’s collaboration on ‘Beautiful Day’, let’s strip it down to its essence. Apart from it being a song about the life and times of Melissa’s home life, this is a song written about a daughter’s devotion towards her father.
“My father (whom I miss dearly, he passed 2 years ago) was a stern, hardworking but sociable man. He created the culture at home,” says Melissa. “When he was happy the whole family was happy.”
“His mates would be over regularly, singing and carrying on playing the piano accordion. I would be in my room listening,” Melissa continues. “So one day I got up and started singing Beautiful Day in my head.”
While Melissa’s goal was to impress upon her listeners in a light-hearted catchy tune that her father dictated the mood within the household, she does not hold back in singing that her father would always be there through the good and bad times.
To listen to ‘Beautiful Day”
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/beautiful-day-ep/id276383259
As the warm beat implies, ‘Beautiful Day’ draws listeners into a calm, breezy world filled with feel good energy and sunshine smiles. It’s only natural that you want to just keep listening on. But what’s really behind the song that was released by BMG and featured in FOX FM homegrown within the first week of release?
Removing the success factor of Melissa James and Ashley Cadell’s collaboration on ‘Beautiful Day’, let’s strip it down to its essence. Apart from it being a song about the life and times of Melissa’s home life, this is a song written about a daughter’s devotion towards her father.
“My father (whom I miss dearly, he passed 2 years ago) was a stern, hardworking but sociable man. He created the culture at home,” says Melissa. “When he was happy the whole family was happy.”
I surrender myself to make a brighter day
All I ask from yourself is for a little praise
Love conquers all that’s what they say
I’ll give you everything
When you’re blue skies are grey
“His mates would be over regularly, singing and carrying on playing the piano accordion. I would be in my room listening,” Melissa continues. “So one day I got up and started singing Beautiful Day in my head.”
While Melissa’s goal was to impress upon her listeners in a light-hearted catchy tune that her father dictated the mood within the household, she does not hold back in singing that her father would always be there through the good and bad times.
No more rainy days ‘cos I’ll be there for you
To bring the joy back to your face
Sunshine is coming through
A thousand tears may fall
Until the rain has gone
But that will be over now
‘Cos im coming home
To listen to ‘Beautiful Day”
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/beautiful-day-ep/id276383259
