Meladie

R&B pop singer Meladie might not be a household name yet, but she's got the sound and the look that would make any major label lucky to have her. With her latest single 'Only One,' Meladie showcases to the world her unique talent and voice. With more new music on the horizon, this is only just the beginning of what she has to offer. Music-News got the opportunity to sit down with Meladie and talk about her career.

You grew up in the Bronx. How did that shape you as an artist, and how old were you when you started singing?

Growing up in the Bronx was very eye opening in terms of how creative and talented the people are. We have legends who grew up here, such as Swizz Beats, Fat Joe, JLO, Big Pun, Aventura and the list goes on. Growing up and listening to all the music my parents played, from Freestyle, to Motown, to Salsa, Bachata, Jazz, it was full of different music cultures and genres in my house. When Selena came out in 1997, I was born that year. As I got older, that was my inspiration. Selena and her music moved me, and I looked up to JLO from such an early age when she played Selena in the movie. When I found out she was from the Bronx just like me, that motivated me. I started singing Selena actually at the age of 3 with my mom. I remember Selena playing and I would rush out of my room to do the "washing machine" dance. It was truly inspiring.

What and who are your musical influences?

I would say growing up I was also into R&B and Pop. My favorite artists in the early 2000s were Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, Marc Anthony, Ashanti, Ne-Yo, Usher, Selena, JLO, Pharrell, Beyonce, Britney Spears, Alicia Keys, Emininem, the list can go on. I still love all these artists to this day. With my current music style now, I would resonate more with Rihanna, Jhene Aiko, Kehlani, Justin Bieber, Drake, SZA, and The Weeknd. Right now, I am also loving Bad Bunny and Rauw Alejandro's sounds. Growing up in a Latino household, Spanish music has always had a great influence on me as well.

How would you describe your original music?

My original music can be described as more of an R&B/Pop type of feel. I have three singles out and they all have different sounds. "I'll Be There" is more of a Pop Styled record with inspiration from early 2000's R&B. "Can't Get Enough" Is a Pop/Latino track and "Only One" is more of an R&B and Hip Hop record. I want to be able to make music that is versatile and can resonate with everyone and also make music that I love. I love all music genres so I love to explore different sounds to see what I can do.

Congrats on your new single 'Only One'! We love it. What's it about?

“Only One” was inspired by a previous situation I was in and realizing that it wasn’t all I thought it was. Even though it didn’t work out, the realization of me still being an empowered woman is all I ever needed. Emphasizing the want to grind and pick myself back up after was very important for me to say and I wanted to show my strength within this record. This record was very personal to me and to be able to showcase my emotions and what I was going through at that time was very freeing to me. That's what making music is about.



You've had success as a musician, songwriter and model. What's your favorite thing about all of it?

Even though I am just at the beginning of starting my career, it has been so much fun and I can't wait to continue learning and growing. It is all a process and I am ready for the next step. Being able to create different treatments for videos and create a vision for photoshoots, It has been a blessing. The joy in making music and writing my own songs is something that's unmatched. Being able to tap into my own emotions and create art is something that can not be explained in words because the happiness is too strong. In my music, you can tell the joy that comes with making any type of record.

So what's next for you and your music career?

I am releasing a new single and my first music video this year. So, I am very excited about that. I also am working towards an EP by the end of the year or early 2023. I am focusing more on singles and more visuals so I can gain more momentum for my bigger project releases.

How'd the stage-name Meladie come to be?

Meladie is actually my middle name! My father gave me this name. The story behind it was I was the first and only girl to be born into my family, so he told everyone this little girl was going to be "my lady." So, he kind of just put those two words together and here I am! My name is Ashley Meladie Falto but Meladie is such a unique name, especially in the industry, so I wanted to be known as that.

How can our readers continue to follow your career?

Definitely follow my Instagram, Twitter and TikTok. I am always on social media interacting with everyone and collaborating. All of those handles are @iam_meladie. Also, stay tuned this year for my new release on all music platforms, such as Apple Music and Spotify!