Melissa Bel’s voice is rich, smoky, impassioned and powerful, a rarity in the present-day pop world. When the 20-year-old sings of young love and heartbreak, you feel it. The girl gives it all she got.
Produced by Tom Treumuth (Big Sugar, Honeymoon Suite), her full length debut, Brave, ranges from the feisty call out “Better Things To Do” to the funky/jazzy plea “I Wish You Would Kiss Me,” beautiful ballad “I Hate To Say It” and bluesy pain of “Distance,” all held together by that voice. ...
Melissa Bel’s voice is rich, smoky, impassioned and powerful, a rarity in the present-day pop world. When the 20-year-old sings of young love and heartbreak, you feel it. The girl gives it all she got.
Produced by Tom Treumuth (Big Sugar, Honeymoon Suite), her full length debut, Brave, ranges from the feisty call out “Better Things To Do” to the funky/jazzy plea “I Wish You Would Kiss Me,” beautiful ballad “I Hate To Say It” and bluesy pain of “Distance,” all held together by that voice. An EP is currently available at live shows and via E1 Music (www.melissa-bel.com), and her 10-song European release “Brave” is now available worldwide on iTunes.
After receiving rave reviews and radio-play in Germany, Melissa will be embarking on a 14-date tour of Germany in May (dates available on her website), and is currently in the process of recording her 2nd album. In March, 2010, Melissa had the opportunity to perform at South by Southwest in Austin, TX as part of a showcase hosted by Universal Motown and Platform One Entertainment.
Growing up in Burlington, ON, Melissa was drawn to music from a very early age. “I remember singing in daycare and making people listen to me sing Disney songs,” she laughs. While The Beatles was — and is — her all-time favourite band, she was also drawn to Motown/R&B music, which might account for her own soulful style.
On Brave, one can hear the struggle of a young woman learning about love, about boys, and wondering if it ever gets any easier. Many were written when she was just 16. The title track is about being willing to try again. “Get Away With Murder” is about that guy who thinks he can treat you badly with no consequences. “Distance” is about your boyfriend pulling away and you don’t know how to repair the wall. “I Wish You Would Kiss Me” is all about that tension when you are first attracted to someone. And “I Hate To Say It” is about that unimaginable heartbreak that one never wants to go through again.
It’s not like we’re hoping Melissa experiences many more years of heartbreak, but if the songs on Brave are what comes out of it, well, we can’t help but hope she at least writes a song when they’re fighting.
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