Singer, songwriter and musician Sara Melson can’t remember a time in her life before she was singing. She’s always been at her happiest when performing—grabbing the microphone at family functions and the like.
“I used to perform ‘Tomorrow’ from the musical Annie for my parents’ dinner guests—really for anyone who would be my audience,” Melson said.
Melson describes her sound as an evolving story.
“It’s changing and finessing,” she said. “I’m finding my authentic voice. I started out like everybody does, trying to mimic my idols. That was some kind of a blend of Carole King mixed with doses of Stevie Nicks, Patsy Cline, Emmylou Harris, and Mazzy Star. [My new] record vocally is spare, unaffected, understated, intimate, and tender. You’ll be able to discern every word, which runs counter to the current trend of highly stylized vocal delivery that you hear all over the place right now. I wanted to do something arrestingly pure and pristine; something different from the norm.”
While Melson was with Nettwerk Records for her first album, she’s very much a DIY artist.
“I quickly learned that being your own advocate as an artist and having the self-discipline to produce work on a daily basis and to rely on yourself to follow through is the key to long-term opportunities,” she said
Looking ahead into 2024, Melson is hopeful that some of her new songs find their way onto soundtracks.
“I just played a couple of shows this month, and will be playing out this spring in support of the record, which comes out in May, with singles leading up to the release,” she said. “I also have some videos in the works to accompany the songs.”
For more information, visit saramelson.com.
Photo by Nicho Mageras
