Melina KB is a musical theater-pop artist initially from the Boston space and primarily based in Nashville, Tennessee. Impressed by productions like Depraved and RENT in addition to artists like No Doubt, Paramore, and Taylor Swift, Melina has carved out a novel lane mixing pop hooks with the drama of musical theater and creating an immersive world round her music.
On this artist highlight, Melina discusses how she stayed true to her identification and continued to develop as an artist after her breakthrough track, “I’ve Had Sufficient,” went viral on TikTok.
Experimenting with Emulation
Rising up, Melina honed her efficiency expertise by theater and acapella. There she not solely discovered a musical group however a future producer, her acapella trainer, Tim Bongiovanni.
Melina’s first track, “Let Me Explode,” got here after a number of periods during which Bongiovanni experimented with completely different preparations and mixes, iterating on the sounds of then rising pop stars comparable to Billie Eilish and Ariana Grande.
“We have been going by simply making an attempt to make me sound like pop artists on the radio,” Melina mentioned. “And each single time I believed, this sounds unbelievable, Tim is so proficient; nevertheless it didn’t essentially sound like me. And that was the place that seek for my very own artistry got here to be as a result of I used to be like, okay, this doesn’t really feel pure.”
Discovering Her Personal Voice
Regularly, there have been moments in her early songwriting when Melina wished sure parts to sound extra dramatic — by preparations and vocal styling, songs began sounding extra theatrical.
“As soon as I leaned into large, cinematic sounds and theatrical storytelling, that’s when folks began saying, ‘this belongs in a Disney film and that was when it clicked,” Melina mentioned. “I don’t really feel like I’m the primary to do it, there are unbelievable artists like Queen, Panic on the Disco, Fallout Boy—there are artists that mix that line. However it got here actually naturally to lean into these issues and use musical theater as a reference.”
All through Melina’s development as an artist, she’s balanced comedy with critical subjects—one thing she appeared to theater for steerage on. “I’m so impressed and empowered by the artwork of so many musical theater composers. I really feel like they make sure parts of a track actually compelling otherwise,” she mentioned.
Going Viral
In 2021, Melina KB’s track, “I’ve had sufficient” — a feminist anthem empowering survivors of sexual assault — went viral on TikTok, spurring on 120,000 movies and receiving over 45 million streams.
“I wished to place that out to be courageous and supply one thing folks might relate to on a subject that not lots of people have been talking up about musically. I used to be interested by tips on how to signify that spiral of anger, rage, and frustration with the injustices of a system that doesn’t help, hear out, or imagine survivors.
Processing this second was intense for Melina who discovered an viewers of thousands and thousands figuring out with an expertise that had left her feeling remoted and misunderstood for thus lengthy.
“Whereas it was devastating to see so many individuals associated, it was additionally actually empowering as a result of we have been taking our voices again,” Melina mentioned. “We have been unifying. Social media has allowed us to attach with folks exterior our direct circle, particularly once we don’t really feel absolutely understood.
Navigating Virality as an Impartial Artist
“[Virality] is basically arduous for anybody who’s a younger grownup, and nonetheless determining who they’re, and what they need to stand for, and what they need to say, and the way comfy they’re with sharing issues,” Melina mentioned.
Lengthy earlier than giving a music profession any strategic thought, Melina was met with thousands and thousands of followers listening to a susceptible and heavy track. She was 18, simply beginning faculty, and was instantly within the highlight.
However as a substitute of letting ambitions for stardom distract her, Melina stayed dedicated to experiencing faculty and the beginning of maturity. “I’m glad that I afforded myself the time to make errors going by traditional faculty experiences—and thru that, I skilled issues I might write about. A few of my favourite songs I’ve put out and launched, I don’t suppose would have ever come to be if I had simply utterly given up on the portion of dwelling my life and being a human,” she mentioned.
Being In line with Branding
All through her profession, Melina has balanced authenticity with a definite and constant branding.
“I attempt to be actually intentional about world-building and creating one thing I can present the world that so clearly tells them who I’m by simply that fast clip,” Melina mentioned.
That course of has concerned a number of self-reflection and taking the time to unplug. “Leaning into branding has actually been a technique of interested by what I like. When nobody is round, what am I drawn to? We’re all so simply influenced by all the pieces, however I actually attempt to take time on my own—as an illustration I’m on an airplane—wifi off—what am I interested by? And I’ll write it down.”
Melina’s a acutely aware client of media too—paying attention to what resonates along with her in different artists’ photoshoots, movies, and branding. These notes assist Melina talk her imaginative and prescient to inventive collaborators by drawing on references, examples, and ideas she is aware of will translate and click on along with her model.
“I watch music movies and at all times suppose I like this or that. So then I am going to the videographer, and I’m like hey, what do you concentrate on this? After which we provide you with our personal factor out, our personal imaginative and prescient, utilizing parts of issues that I’ve clearly gone by and chosen,” Melina mentioned.
Conclusion: Staying True Whereas Constructing a Profession
Melina KB’s journey reveals the ability of leaning into authenticity, even within the face of viral success. From experimenting with completely different sounds to finally embracing her theatrical-pop identification, she’s confirmed that discovering your voice is simply as a lot about what doesn’t really feel proper as what does. Her viral second with “I’ve Had Sufficient” not solely amplified her platform but in addition linked her to a group by vulnerability and braveness.
For artists, Melina’s story underscores a number of necessary classes:
- Experimentation results in readability — making an attempt on completely different influences helped Melina uncover her genuine sound.
- Virality is only the start — staying grounded and intentional is essential to turning a viral second into long-term artistry.
- Branding is private — the simplest inventive course comes from self-reflection and realizing what resonates with you. It’s additionally troublesome to isolate ourselves from exterior influences, so mindfully noting what resonates may help you make clear your personal imaginative and prescient.
On the coronary heart of Melina’s profession is her potential to steadiness artistry with honesty, constructing not simply songs however worlds that invite listeners in. Her path is a reminder that true progress as an artist comes from staying curious, intentional, and unapologetically your self.