Melissa Bel
Singer/songwriter Melissa Bel recently released her latest EP Alone Time and it is probably the best project I’ve heard lately. I immediately fell in love with her soulful vocals. The opening track “Better In The Morning” made me want to keep listening to this EP. Every song is brilliant. I am absolutely amazed by those captivating melodies and the quality of each song. But if I had to pick one song, it would be “People That I Love”. What a song.
Melissa Bel delivered one hell of a record. Alone Time is a MUST listen.
Introduce yourself - what's your story?
Hiii I’m a singer/songwriter originally from just outside Toronto, Canada but have lived in England for the last 6.5 years. I moved here 4 months after meeting and having a love-at-first-sight moment with an English guy one night in Las Vegas while on my friend’s bachelorette party, and that guy is now my husband. I’ve been releasing music for about 12 years, my first stuff was very blues and pop/rock inspired, which is totally different from the poppy-singer/songwriter stylings of Alone Time. I love The Beatles, yoga, rosé and sushi.
You've just released your new EP Alone Time - how's it like to release such a personal project?
Scary, exciting, satisfying, stressful.
When did you start working on this project? Could you describe the songwriting/ production process for this EP? Who helped you create it?
I didn’t know it at the time, but the wheels for the project started turning when I met Kaity Rae (the producer) on a Zoom writing camp in February 2021. I asked Kaity if she’d be interested in working with me on my artist project, and she was (yay!). So we had another Zoom session and wrote Better In the Morning in a few hours, then we wrote People That I Love a few weeks later. I had already written Daydream and most of Something Gained when Kaity and I wrote Carousel, so by then we had the makings of a pretty solid EP on our hands! Kaity produced the whole album, and I recorded most of my vocals from my mini-home studio. We recorded most of the album over Zoom, with maybe 3 in-person sessions the whole time.
What different topics are you talking about on this EP?
A lot of these songs were a product of having a lot - maybe too much?? - time to think. The EP covers themes of anxiety, solitude and dreaming...all tied together by a glowing string of hope.
What did you feel when writing "Better in The Morning"?
We were trying to capture a very specific feeling - that contrast between the darker moments of anxiety and loneliness and the very real hope that things won’t seem so bad after a good night’s sleep and a new perspective. So I was very determined to get that right.
What was the biggest challenge when making this EP?
Probably financing it to be honest. Writing and making the music feels like the easy part.
Any favourite memories from the making of this EP?
Kaity and I had only a few in-person sessions while making the record, but when we did we had a great time. There were margaritas involved.
What can you tell us about the artwork?
It was shot by the wonderful Nat Michele (nat-michele.com) on a chilly April day in a town called Arundel. Our original idea for the cover art had been for me to be in the middle of the lake in a rowboat with Nat shooting from the shore, which we did try much to the amusement of bystanders. But this image felt like it captured the essence of the EP and was a perfect fit for the title.
What message do you want to deliver through this EP?
I’d love for this music to inspire people to take a moment now and then for self- reflection, and to tell themselves something nice like “actually, you’re awesome” or “things are going to be ok”, or “I’m so grateful for my friends/family/cat”. Now we’re all back to the crazy pace of our pre-pandemic lives, I think there were some important lessons we should try to hold on to about the value of slowing down, spending time in nature, and appreciating every moment we have with our loved ones.
As an artist, what is the hardest part? And what is the best part?
The hardest part is the instability that comes with choosing to pursue a career as an artist. It takes a lot of resources (money, time, energy) and a big emotional toll to make and put out music, and when you don’t see financial return or feel like you’re making tangible progress it can be really disheartening. Sounds appealing, right?! But the best part is when someone messages you to say how much a lyric resonated with them or that a song really helped them get through something. And playing for a good crowd is a rush that you can’t get anywhere else.
What are your thoughts on today's music industry? If you could change one thing, what would it be?
The industry today is a double-edged sword. On one hand, with the right TikTok video your career could go from 0 to 100 overnight, but on the other hand there are so many artists out there creating and releasing content it’s really hard to break through the noise. One thing that needs to change is the perception in the industry that a woman’s chance of having a career as an artist expires when she hits 30 (or even approaches it). I’ve definitely felt this sentiment over the years, and I know plenty of other women who have too. I’m 33 and I’m not expecting teenagers to be fans of my music (but if they are, amazing), I’m making music that people in my stage of life or those that have gone through it can hopefully relate to.
In your opinion, what would make the world a better place?
Oh jeez, loaded question! How about banning single-use plastics? Fairer distribution of wealth? Closing the gender pay gap?
What biggest life lessons have you learnt so far?
The only person responsible for your success is you, and no one will work harder at it than you will. I got signed to a label in Toronto shortly after I released my first album and made the mistake of thinking I could take my foot off the gas while the label and my manager made me a star. Oops! Learn everything you can about your industry and your craft, be as self-sufficient as possible, but don’t be afraid to ask for help. And listen to that gut feeling, in my experience it’s always been right.
What advice would you give to anyone struggling with anxiety?
Know that you’re not alone in feeling this way, you’re not crazy, and again, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Starting therapy during lockdown was one of the best things I’ve ever done for myself. Reaching out to a trusted friend or family member can also be really helpful and make you feel less alone. There’s an organisation called Help Musicians UK that provides free mental health support services to anyone working in music.
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