In contrast to the also recently published
‘Submerged’ interview, this interview
by the Birmingham (UK) born but now
London (UK) based ‘Melissa Phillips’
Came together quite quickly.
‘Melissa’ in contrast to the way
sometimes goes with interviews for
‘Setting Sun’ actually approached
me to listen to her music.
Interested, I gave her music a chance
And was impressed by the first
Very different nature of the tracks
Which varied from the electro pop
Of ‘Feel the Rush’ to the moody
Piano Jazz of ‘My heart and soul…’
To the very Tori Amos-ish pop
Of ‘Run Away’.
So of course it made natural sense
I contacted her to discuss a interview
And it pleased me Melissa agreed
To do the interview, which then
Promptly followed.
For more information on Melissa
Please check her out on her page
On myspace.com which can
Be found here:
(http://www.myspace.com/melphillips)
A big thank you for Melissa is due
Here.
I certainly look forward to hearing
More tracks in the future here.
Cheers
Andy N
Setting Sun:
How are things and what are you doing at the moment?
Melissa:
Things are going very well! Myspace has really
seemed to be an amazing (if slightly frightening
experience).
People keep adding me and the opportunities I’m
getting are unbelievable. However, at the
moment I am currently studying for my university
degrees in Music and Psychology.
I am also rerecording a lot of my tracks
bringing it back to just me and a piano.
I’m happy with the stuff I’ve done but I was
about 16-17 years old when I recorded some
of them so feel it’s time I updated and added
some new ideas!
Setting Sun:
Can you next tell us a little bit about the history
of your music – what started you off etc or as
I like to say who fired the starting pistol?
Melissa:
I’ve always been into music. At a really early
age I learned to play the organ, then moved
onto keyboard, then piano, singing and
finally a bit of saxophone. My mum is probably
to blame for where I am now as she enrolled
me into a conservatoire at the age of 11
which I had to go to every Saturday!!! I was
really mad about it at the time (Imagine
having to give up your weekend for you
entire teenage life!) but I met some really
special people there who inspired me to
continue.
Setting Sun:
What are your influences (music) and what are
you listening to at the moment?
Melissa:
I listen to EVERYTHING! I’m more into
specific songs than following certain bands
as I like music that means something to
me. I’m a huge lover of film music (Hans
Zimmer is my favorite) and even all the
golden oldies (hands up who remembers
Gene Pitney?). My influences come from
my past. My songs aren’t about trying
to sound like another artist, they express who
I am, where I’m from and what I want to become.
Setting Sun:
I am really grooving your music your music at the
moment on your myspace.com account including
‘Runaway’ which keeps reminding me of Tori
Amos for some reason – what is the story behind
this track out of interest?
Melissa:
It’s funny, a lot of people have mentioned a link
to Tori Amos or they compare my voice to
Karen Carpenter.
‘Runaway’ was written as I was walking home
one night. I was 16 and there was so much going
on in my head I didn’t know where to start to
put things right. I wrote the song based on that
desire that everyone has, thinking it would
just be easier to run away and not look back than
trying to sort them out. At the time I was really
frustrated, everything around me seemed to be
going wrong and I just wanted it all to go away!
Setting Sun:
There is also a nice contrast to your more
slower and haunting track ‘My heart and soul’
which is a excellent track to listen to looking
outwards towards the stars at 4am in the morning
(I did that the other night and it seemed to fit a
mood beautifully) while your other track
‘Feel the Rush’ which is a completely
different tempo also (Almost a fast pop song) –
you clearly have a nice range there – how would
(or how it would plan to be if you don’t) come
across in a live environment as certainly listening
to those tracks there is almost a style there where
you could adapt it from anything from a
rock / pop venue to a pop concert to a jazz
club almost?
Melissa:
I think at the moment I’m testing out the water in any
style I can do, finding out what works and what
doesn’t. There are a few producers working on
remixes of my acoustic tracks as we speak so you
never know, ‘heart and soul’ has actually been
turned into a drum and bass track so I suppose
all my music will be able to be played
anywhere soon!
My ideal setting for my own acoustic songs would be a
nice lounge bar with a big grand piano. I think I could
get really lost into myself then, but I’ve performed with
death metal band ‘Avoidance of Doubt’ in the Koko bar
and sang various open mic set ups and even dance tracks.
I’m an opportunity collector when it comes to performance,
I just can’t seem to say no!!
Setting Sun:
What’s next for yourself? Do you have any concerts
planned – perhaps even as far as Manchester?
Melissa:
I’m always looking for new gig opportunities! I have
regular readers and supporters to my blog as I post
everyday and it has been suggested that they wanted
to organize a meeting, which would be great fun!
So perhaps that should be my next ‘gig’?
As for new ventures, I have just teamed up with a
drum and bass producer who is remixing some of
my tracks which we hope will interest the club scene.
I am also hoping to sing again for death metal
band AOD as I am on their EP.
I am rerecording all my acoustic tracks so
hopefully they will be available by the
summer.
I got classical assessments too for my ‘opera’
voice at university to prepare for which eats
away at my time.
Even more bizarrely I have just started to plan
with a photographer to pose as a fairy on a
toadstool for some marketing photos that
he hopes he can sell to some fantasy art magazines.
So really… reality begins to fade and I can only
guess what the future will hold!
It’s a bit of a pick ‘n’ mix!
Setting Sun:
Anyway, a few more lighthearted questions
to finish off with – first up, where are you
from? What’s the music scene like where
you live? Have you seen any good concerts
recently?
Melissa:
I am originally from the outskirts of Birmingham.
The music scene is fantastic up there, if anyone
gets the chance they should check out the band
4minutes33. I went to school with them and
they are doing really well, have just been
signed! Great music!
Setting Sun:
What would be your dream job if you
weren’t a rock and roll star?
Melissa:
If I didn’t do music I would want to be a
psychologist, a counselor of some sort
as I am always everyone’s agony aunt! If
not that I would love to work with animals.
I used to ride horses a lot but since I’ve been
in London I’m lucky to see grass. I get cow
withdrawal
down here, really miss my animals!
Setting Sun:
What would you like to be doing
when you are 60?
Melissa:
Maybe just being in the background and
pushing other talent forwards, unless I’m a
sexy 60 year old in which case
I’ll be still performing!
Setting Sun:
Lastly, what will you be doing when you are 60?
Melissa:
Probably still exactly what I’m doing now.
I really would be sad if I turned out to be
some batty little lady who starts every
sentence with “I could have been a singer….”
And if I’m lucky (providing I’ve had at
least one song that reached the top 20) being
asked and paid stupid money for doing
celebrity big brother!
