Award-winning R&B artist Melanie Durrant has officially released her latest single, “Listen.” Produced by Statik Selektah, who has worked alongside Nas and Wiz Khalifa, the track embodies emotion and perfectly encompasses a 90’s hip-hop and R&B sound. Since 2013, Durrant has received three JUNO Award nominations. In 2013, her track “Made For Love” was nominated for Reggae Single of the Year, in 2014 her second single “Gone” was nominated for R&B/Soul Recording of the Year, and in 2015 Durrant picked up another nod in the R&B/Soul category with her single “Four Seasons.” She was also nominated for Soul/R&B Artist or Group of the Year at the 2015 SiriusXM Indie Awards. We had the pleasure to speak to her about the track and her exciting career.
Thank you for agreeing to this interview with Occhi Magazine. Congratulations on your career to date. How did you get into music?
I’ve always been in music. My mother is a singer and always has been. She sang to me in the womb and we have been singing ever since. We have done too many shows to give a number. To be honest, we lost count years ago. I don’t mean to speak for my mother but I’m pretty sure if I asked her how many shows we have done to date she would pause… burst out laughing and say “I don’t know”.
Who have been your industry influences?
My musical influences are Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Anita Baker, Michael Jackson, James Brown, Minnie Riperton, Tina Turner, Diana Ross, and the Supremes, Donna Summer, Smokey Robinson, Van Halen, Aerosmith. Run DMC, Mc Lyte, Nina Cherry, SWV, Lauryn Hill. There are too many to mention without filling the page. It was never about the artist’s full album or body of work, it’s always been about a song and how it made me feel when I listened to it.
What has been your biggest challenge as an artist, and how do you overcome it?
My biggest challenge as an artist has been learning how to use my instrument. Managing my vocal range, figuring out what voice to use, when, and how – these things are learned through experience and training. The voice is a very complex thing, if you use it incorrectly it can be a problem. My mother has helped me through the years because she is a pro. I can now do a 90 min set by myself and be shocked when it’s over. LOL
Since 2013, you seem to be picking up awards and being recognized for your artistry. Congratulations are in order! What has been your proudest achievement, and why?
My proudest achievement was and continues to be standing ovations. If I can’t connect with the audience why am I up there? It’s so touching to hear them sing, dance, and even cry. Crying is the worst though because I’m an ugly crier. LOL #TrueStory
Your latest single is titled ‘Listen’. Please tell us what inspired the track.
Listen is about the end of an emotionally abusive relationship. Here’s the “thing”, I’m a helpful person, and I love problem-solving, decorating, cooking, and sometimes cleaning. I have found over time that certain personality types are drawn to these traits and aim to take advantage of them. They will be all sweet and nice until you say “No” and when that happens, they get angry at you because they feel entitled to your skills, space, and energy. It doesn’t matter if you lay down and die, they will say you didn’t lay flat enough or die fast enough to their liking. They also name-call and try to tear you down. I didn’t know this was a “thing” but it is. I have encountered this personality type over and over from MANY different people over the years. They are drawn to me like a magnet. So I wrote a song about it and it’s called Listen. I focused the story on one relationship because it made sense for the storyline. Verbal abuse is abuse you don’t have to get hit to hurt.
The track was produced by Statik Selektah. Please share your experience working with them, particularly under the strain of the current Covid pandemic conditions.
I’d like to say that working with Statik was amazing but I didn’t even get to work with the guy in person! He sent over some tracks and the beat for Listen just spoke to me. I love the music he produced and look forward to one day meeting him after this Covid-19 crap is over, but for now, it is what it is. What I can say is that he is really talented, and it’s an honor to have him on this project. I would love to make some more music with him.
Listen is the first single from your upcoming album, titled ‘Where I’m At’. Can you tell us more about the project and what fans can expect?
Listen is the first song off of my new album Where I’m At and it was also the first song I wrote for this album so it set the pace for the rest of the songs. I wrote and recorded the first version at home on my computer (shout out to GarageBand lol). Once I was finished writing the lyrics and laying down harmonies, I took it to The Post Office Studios in downtown Toronto and recorded it there with Evan Miles, one of my engineers (who is amazing BTW). After that, other songs followed suit, making noise in my head while I lay trying to sleep, demanding to be written (so annoying sometimes). Have you ever laid down to get some sleep and a marching band of thoughts start playing and won’t stop until you get up and do something about it?
Who would you love to collaborate with and why?
I would love to collaborate with Bruno Mars. He is so versatile and talented. He has an old-school swagger with a new school twist. I like that a lot.
Can you share any information on other projects in the pipeline?
I’m really focused on this new project! “Listen” is only the first of many more to come. I have so many visual ideas that I can’t wait to see them come to life. Being able to hear, see and share an idea that once upon a time only lived in your head is magical. I’m just getting started!
Where can our readers find out more about you and your projects? Note: please provide website and social media links.
For those of you who want to come to check out “Where I’m Going and Where I’m At” (see how I did that there lol), you can find me on:
Website: www.melaniedurrant.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/melaniedurrant
Instagram: www.instagram.com/melaniedurrant
Facebook: www.facebook.com/melaniedurrantmusic
YouTube: www.youtube.com/Melochew2
Photo Credits: Robin Waters
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