M.E. Bio

 

          If the pure soulful voice of performer Melissa Ellen could tell her story as she sings, perhaps it would start with simple beginnings.  How, as a child, all she knew was that she loved music and singing more than anything – how she was blessed with teachers along the way that discovered, nurtured and encouraged her talent, and how her family exposed her to all types of music, forming an appreciation for, and a knowledge of, all genres.

          Throughout her life, Melissa has been on a musical journey with each step taking her closer to herself and the artist she is today.  Growing up in a small town outside Philadelphia, she participated in anything and everything that would allow her to sing, from chorus to talent shows to musicals, all while taking voice lessons.

          At the age of 18, Melissa moved to Atlanta to attend college and searched out any opportunity to sing.  She entered talent contests, auditioned for bands and answered every ad she saw for lead or background singers.  In doing so, she made it to the regional finals on Star Search and to the final nine contestants of a nationwide BMI talent search.  She also took five years of voice lessons from famed vocal coach, Jan Smith , who has worked with artists such as Usher, India Arie, Rob Thomas and Sugarland.  During this time, Melissa became a true singer and first saw the path to a career in teaching. She went on to teach at Jan Smith Studios www.jansmith.com for 12 years.

          Under the name Mel’N, Melissa released her debut CD in November of 2000 entitled If I Had a Voice, for which she won several songwriting awards.  It featured one of her most popular original songs, the highly danceable “Angel in My Pocket.”   It was also the song that Melissa chose to perform in Beijing, China in June 2004.  She was one of only six delegates chosen to be part of the very first music conference in China, joining Jan Smith and Ron Roeker of the Recording Academy www.grammy.com as a representative of the Academy and Jan Smith Studios.

          Melissa’s second CD, Forward Into the Past, began as a gift to her mother, but quickly developed into an adventure in self-discovery.  She teamed up on the project, a collection of cover songs from her childhood, with gifted musician, Joseph Patrick Moore  and producer,  Buzz Amato.  Together, they brought to life the sounds and spirit of the music as Melissa had envisioned it, which led her to discover her true artistic self.  To this day, she still finds it ironically amazing that she tapped into her originality by recording cover songs.

          In addition to Buzz Amato, Melissa has also worked with producers Jeep Hook and Huston Singletary and shared billing with Peabo Bryson, Toni Braxton, Ray Stevens, Caron Wheeler and Geoff McBride.  She also had the pleasure of participating in a studio recording project called “Together We Can” to benefit victims of the Columbine High School tragedy which was made up of 60 national and independent artists and recorded and produced by Phil Tan at Tree Sound Studios.

Melissa is a member of ASCAP,  and NAPM/ SHOF and an associate member of The Recording Academy (NARAS).