Today we’d like to introduce you to Melody Downey.
Hi Melody, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hi, my name is Melody, and I’m turning 51 this month. I’m a singer/songwriter, looking for an opportunity to promote my music and the message that comes with it.
In one fashion or another, I have been an expressionist for much of my life. You can say that I wear my heart on my sleeve because much of my expressionism is reflective of my current stage of life and the circumstances surrounding it. Whether it was my wardrobe, the way I wore my hair, tattoos, drawings, poetry, or songs, much has expressed pain and struggle.
Now, I carry a message of hope that I wish to share with anyone who has need of it, and frankly, that’s just about everyone.
I used to write poetry, but now I write songs. I started writing songs in the summer of 2000, after a worship conference I had attended at the church that I attended at the time. I have penned many words off and on over the years, and most of them have been out to music. Just recently, I released my first album containing 7 songs entitled “I Will Not Let Go.” Each song was also featured as a single, and all of them can be found on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube, and many other streaming platforms.
I am hoping to have more releases soon, but I am working on funding at the moment.
Not only do I desire to release a message of hope through my songs, I desire to learn music production and recording so that I can do my own recordings and eventually have a music studio not only for myself but as a resource for other musicians.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I think most artists/ musicians can say that it’s never an easy road. For myself, inspiration comes and goes. Sometimes I get an entire song in a day or two, and sometimes I get tidbits here and there.
I think one of the biggest obstacles is time. I work a regular 8-5 job to make ends meet and have other activities that I participate in, and I don’t often have focused time to work on my songs.
The second biggest obstacle is finances. On my own, I would not have been able to pay for the recording sessions for my album. I had a huge blessing of resource come through my dad, and I was able to finally start recording and getting my music out.
A third obstacle is not being able really promote my music. I’m not very savvy, nor do I have the patience to self-promote on social media or other platforms.
The final obstacle is the need to find venues where I can share my music. I know they’re out there, but finding them is a challenge.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar with what you do, what can you tell them about what you do?
As I mentioned earlier, I am a singer/songwriter. I sing and play guitar and do percussion.
I think the fact that I just released my first album, I can say, is a huge accomplishment. It had been a desire of mine for a few years now, and finally, it happened. I am excited to hopefully be able to do more recordings and have some new releases soon…
I would say that the one thing that would see me apart from others, is I’m not just telling a story in my songs, I’m giving a message of redemption and hope. I mentioned earlier that much of what I express is reflective of what is happening in my life and the journey that I have taken. Interwoven with that is a message of God’s love, His plan, and His purpose in my life.
Risk-taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
When I share my music with anyone, it’s a risk. It’s a vulnerable position to take because that music is a piece of me that is being displayed for others to see and hear. Before this past year, I have shared maybe 3 or 4 songs publicly, either at church, a Bible study, or a workshop. Other than those instances and with a few close friends, I had not ventured out much with my music until my releases last year. That was huge for me.
Now, I’m wanting to do more by finding small venues and do more releases. All of that is a risk, but it’s a risk that is worth taking.
Pricing:
- Album CD $10 plus postage if mailed
Contact Info:
