Artist Spotlight: Melee Fairy

IG: @Meleefairyband

Tiktok: @Meleefairyband

Threads: @Meleefairyband

Spotify: MeleeFairy on Spotify

Latest Release: Restless

---

Let’s start at the beginning — what’s the origin story behind your music?

I've been writing and singing for as long as I can remember. But I didn't start really doing it seriously or consistently until the pandemic. Fox, the guitarist, on the other hand, was always writing songs and doing different band things. He actually recruited me and that's how we started Melee Fairy. During the pandemic, I had so much time to just think about/feel bad about the fact that I wasn't writing music and that I really wanted to. On paper it seems like a straightforward decision to just start doing it, but it was super gut wrenching at the time. There was so much guilt and shame about not having the courage to do something I really wanted to. And actually the song we just released, "Restless" was the first song I wrote during that period.

How would you describe your sound to someone hearing you for the first time?

Generally, I use the term "alt-rock". But the vibe is kinda juxtaposition and catharsis. I literally say to people everyday "it's like alt-rock". Because it's got the ethos of alternative, emo, pop-punk but still does this very pop-adjacent thing, too. Thankfully, when people hear it they get it. So, that's sick.

Who are your biggest creative influences—musically or otherwise?

I think my voice for lyrics and singing styles was shaped by growing up black in the suburbs. I feel like my world was dichotomous being an angsty suburban kid and loving rock and but also like being raised with gospel music at my church and being apart of that. So, I feel like that was the ground floor for my creative output.

I think for Fox growing up around different types of music it all influenced him. His family exposed him to Spanish music, classic rock, new wave and pop so he there's such a breadth of music that he genuinely appreciates and I think you can really hear those things when he writes. It's a fun foundation to write to, too.

What’s a lyric or song you’ve written that means the most to you, and why?

There's a lyric in "Teal" and it goes, "I think we've found that shade of teal, oh fuck, it's real". That's line that feels vulnerable to say because I was so scared to start "trying" at music and taking that risk literally took everything thing I had. Maybe it was extreme anxiety, but it felt deeper. So, anyway, fast-forward a few years and we've released songs and are playing shows and growing, it just feels like me telling myself, "wow, this thing that I felt this crazy pull to do and wanted so badly really can happen". It feels like those therapy moments where you see your younger self and can really sympathize with them for their struggles but you're on the other side. when i perform it, I don't think people know what it means, but i think they can tell there's something to be felt.

Your latest release—what was the creative process like behind it?

Funnily enough, "Restless" started off as this kinda soulful, somber ballad. I played it on piano and everything about it was so different. It stayed that way until we went into the studio to record it. It changed because I decided I didn't want to sing a song that was that vulnerable-- so we rewrote the music in the studio. But, the jokes on me because it was just as vulnerable to record and I still feel the same feelings from when I wrote it when performing. But recording it came together so fun because of the bridge which has this Cumbia kinda vibe. It was cool on piano, but it's way more sick now.

On a larger scale, the EP is really just the beginning of our story, I guess it's kind of about our lives and kinda why we are making music. It had some pretty good fuel-- friend fallouts, falling in love, hitting rock bottom, just alll the good stuff.

Being an indie artist isn’t easy—what’s been your biggest challenge so far, and what’s kept you going?

I'd like to say the biggest challenge is time because I cannot even begin to tell you how frequently I'm trying to rework my schedule or figure out how to function on even less sleep to accomplish everything. But, the longer I do this, I'm realizing I need to really listening to my instincts and trust myself more.

What’s a moment in your career that made you feel like “I’m really doing this”?

It's all the the little things, really. Like, people saying that they had the song stuck in their head or using Melee Fairy songs in TikToks or when they know the lyrics. Those kinds of things really make me feel apart of other peoples lives, like we're connected.

Visuals seem to play a big part in your work—how do you approach your aesthetic or branding?

For me, I've always just kinda wanted to be myself. I can really appreciate how some artists "create" a world of their vision. I've always just kind of wanted to show the world the way I experience it. So, it's very I guess true to life. We live in LA and have always loved it, so our visuals often reflect that and places we enjoy and just things we find really cool. Like we made a music video in one of our friend's thrift stores, and another at an apartment we lived at. A lot of times those choices on where to shoot and stuff can be made based on budget, but for Melee Fairy it's really about showing the world through our eyes. As far as fashion and stuff, it's always been a huge part of self-expression for me and luckily it's another thing me and Fox just enjoy, just like making music. So, it's all just exploration and self-expression of the weirdos we are and everything just falls into place.

What’s your dream collaboration—living or not?

I would have loved to have work with Kurt Cobain. Fox would probably say Finneas.

Where can new fans find you next—any upcoming shows, drops, or projects?

Depending on the posting of this, we're either about to releasee or have just released our new single "Restless". It completes our first EP, "Project 79 in the Basement". It's our first project and we're really excited to have like a body of work released. Doing projects is kind of dying now, it's all about singles. But, it means a lot to me, as a storyteller, to have a complete thing, you know? I feel like we grew so much in the process of making these songs and they encapsulate the beginning of our story really well.