Melina KB is a musical theater-pop artist initially from the Boston space and primarily based in Nashville, Tennessee. Impressed by productions like Depraved and RENT in addition to artists like No Doubt, Paramore, and Taylor Swift, Melina has carved out a singular lane mixing pop hooks with the drama of musical theater and creating an immersive world round her music. 

On this artist highlight, Melina discusses how she stayed true to her identification and continued to develop as an artist after her breakthrough tune, “I’ve Had Sufficient,” went viral on TikTok.

Experimenting with Emulation

Rising up, Melina honed her efficiency expertise via theater and acapella. There she not solely discovered a musical neighborhood however a future producer, her acapella trainer, Tim Bongiovanni.

Melina’s first tune, “Let Me Explode,” got here after a number of classes wherein Bongiovanni experimented with completely different preparations and mixes, iterating on the sounds of then rising pop stars akin to Billie Eilish and Ariana Grande. 

“We had been going via simply attempting to make me sound like pop artists on the radio,” Melina mentioned. “And each single time I believed, this sounds unbelievable, Tim is so proficient; but it surely didn’t essentially sound like me. And that was the place that seek for my very own artistry got here to be as a result of I used to be like, okay, this doesn’t really feel pure.” 

Discovering Her Personal Voice

Continuously, there have been moments in her early songwriting when Melina wished sure parts to sound extra dramatic — via preparations and vocal styling, songs began sounding extra theatrical. 

“As soon as I leaned into massive, cinematic sounds and theatrical storytelling, that’s when folks began saying, ‘this belongs in a Disney film and that was when it clicked,” Melina mentioned. “I don’t really feel like I’m the primary to do it, there are unbelievable artists like Queen, Panic on the Disco, Fallout Boy—there are artists that mix that line. However it got here actually naturally to lean into these issues and use musical theater as a reference.”

All through Melina’s development as an artist, she’s balanced comedy with severe matters—one thing she regarded to theater for steering on. “I’m so impressed and empowered by the artwork of so many musical theater composers. I really feel like they make sure parts of a tune actually compelling another way,” she mentioned.

Going Viral

In 2021, Melina KB’s tune, “I’ve had sufficient” — a feminist anthem empowering survivors of sexual assault — went viral on TikTok, spurring on 120,000 movies and receiving over 45 million streams.

“I wished to place that out to be courageous and supply one thing folks may relate to on a subject that not lots of people had been talking up about musically. I used to be fascinated about methods to symbolize that spiral of anger, rage, and frustration with the injustices of a system that doesn’t assist, hear out, or consider survivors. 

Processing this second was intense for Melina who discovered an viewers of hundreds of thousands figuring out with an expertise that had left her feeling remoted and misunderstood for thus lengthy. 

“Whereas it was devastating to see so many individuals associated, it was additionally actually empowering as a result of we had been taking our voices again,” Melina mentioned. “We had been unifying. Social media has allowed us to attach with folks exterior our direct circle, particularly once we don’t really feel absolutely understood. 

Navigating Virality as an Unbiased Artist

“[Virality] is admittedly arduous for anybody who’s a younger grownup, and nonetheless determining who they’re, and what they wish to stand for, and what they wish to say, and the way comfy they’re with sharing issues,” Melina mentioned. 

Lengthy earlier than giving a music profession any strategic thought, Melina was met with hundreds of thousands of followers listening to a weak and heavy tune. She was 18, simply beginning school, and was out of the blue within the highlight.

However as a substitute of letting ambitions for stardom distract her, Melina stayed dedicated to experiencing school and the beginning of maturity. “I’m glad that I afforded myself the time to make errors going via basic school experiences—and thru that, I skilled issues I may write about. A few of my favourite songs I’ve put out and launched, I don’t suppose would have ever come to be if I had simply utterly given up on the portion of dwelling my life and being a human,” she mentioned.

Being In step with Branding

All through her profession, Melina has balanced authenticity with a definite and constant branding. 

“I attempt to be actually intentional about world-building and creating one thing I can present the world that so clearly tells them who I’m by simply that fast clip,” Melina mentioned. 

That course of has concerned a variety of self-reflection and taking the time to unplug. “Leaning into branding has actually been a means of fascinated about what I like. When nobody is round, what am I drawn to? We’re all so simply influenced by every little thing, however I actually attempt to take time on my own—as an example I’m on an airplane—wifi off—what am I fascinated about? And I’ll write it down.”

Melina’s a aware client of media too—being attentive to what resonates along with her in different artists’ photoshoots, movies, and branding. These notes assist Melina talk her imaginative and prescient to artistic collaborators by drawing on references, examples, and ideas she is aware of will translate and click on along with her model. 

“I watch music movies and all the time suppose I like this or that. So then I’m going to the videographer, and I’m like hey, what do you consider this? After which we give you our personal factor out, our personal imaginative and prescient, utilizing parts of issues that I’ve clearly gone via and chosen,” Melina mentioned.

Conclusion: Staying True Whereas Constructing a Profession

Melina KB’s journey exhibits the ability of leaning into authenticity, even within the face of viral success. From experimenting with completely different sounds to finally embracing her theatrical-pop identification, she’s confirmed that discovering your voice is simply as a lot about what doesn’t really feel proper as what does. Her viral second with “I’ve Had Sufficient” not solely amplified her platform but additionally linked her to a neighborhood via vulnerability and braveness.

For artists, Melina’s story underscores just a few necessary classes:

• Experimentation results in readability — attempting on completely different influences helped Melina uncover her genuine sound.
• Virality is just the start — staying grounded and intentional is vital to turning a viral second into long-term artistry.
• Branding is private — the simplest artistic route comes from self-reflection and figuring out what resonates with you. It’s additionally tough to isolate ourselves from exterior influences, so mindfully noting what resonates may help you make clear your personal imaginative and prescient.

On the coronary heart of Melina’s profession is her means to stability artistry with honesty, constructing not simply songs however worlds that invite listeners in. Her path is a reminder that true progress as an artist comes from staying curious, intentional, and unapologetically your self.