Written by: Cait Elizabeth - February 2019
Edited by: Travis Ryan

Introductions:

Melanie Victoria Morin projects her entire personality into her voice in a way I have never heard before. Her deep velvety sound, full of sass and humor, perfectly matches her easy smile. She blends jazz, folk rock, and R&B together to create her own powerful style. Immediately, you can tell that she’s pure heart and soul through and through. Growing up with a close-knit musical family, she’s had music in her blood since day one. Singing in her mother’s choir since she was tiny, soloing by the age of seven, and learning guitar from her father at 14 have been huge landmarks in the development of her sound. By 17 she was playing gigs with a friend’s cousin, Danny Miller, under the name Sweetn’Nasty; both played guitar, with Mel also singing and Danny switching off with the djembe. Her older sister Gabby, a killer singer in her own right, began taking her to open mics where she could network and grow. She began frequenting the Thursday open mic at Portside once she hit 21, becoming quick friends with Mr. Chad Chadwick, bassist of Oogee Wawa. As a seasoned musician, Chad recognized Mel’s talent and took her under his wing. He “notched my talent and success up a few more levels” according to the songstress. Opening for Oogee Wawa has been a fantastic opportunity and a welcoming family for Melanie. Last year Mel was the voice that transformed local reggae rock band The Offshore Regulars into The Regulars, releasing the “Revival” EP and putting on some incredible shows. Currently she’s working more on her solo career and hoping to release her first album by 2020.

Mel’s favorite songs are the ones she first wrote, as she was at a vulnerable age and had lots of writing inspiration from which to draw. She was also learning guitar at the time, so those first memories of writing are tightly woven. Melanie’s much anticipated album is set to feature a song she wrote for her first love, called “Chakras”. It’s one shining example of how she writes her life’s soundtrack around sources of light and love: the beach, her friends, and the memories she holds close to her heart.

Tours & Shows

Melanie has had some incredible experiences in her career already, from playing with her friend Danny Miller and his band Dead Celebrities at Webster Hall at 17, to getting advice from Wilson Jermaine who played Angel in the movie adaption of Rent. They ended up opening for “Tales From the Tunnel”, an Off-Broadway show Jermaine was starring in, after following a Craigslist ad. “He told me he enjoyed my sound and to never stop gigging, gig everywhere and anywhere. Any opportunity, take it,” shared Mel. She’s been following that guidance ever since. Mel counts opening for Oogee Wawa at the Sloppy Tuna in Montauk as one of her favorite shows, and she fondly remembers tearing it up with The Regulars at Rockwood Music Hall in NYC and the Great South Bay Music Festival in 2018. She’s been a constant at the Montauk Music Festival, performing there for the past six years. You can often find her singing at weddings, in coffee shops, and at breweries around the Island. Melanie was also featured with Fresh Brewed Sessions, a local concert series hosted by Phil Firetog.

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INFLUENCES & INSPIRATION

Melanie has an incredible bond with her family and credits them first and foremost with instilling and nurturing a love of music in her. She misses no opportunity to share her appreciation for all of the opportunities she’s had: “I’ve played with some of the best most heartfelt musicians on Long Island and I wouldn’t be the same artists I am today if I hadn’t, including my dear friend Keenan Zach who’s a phenomenal person and bass player.” Mel tells us. You can catch Keenan joining Mel for “Body High” in the video above.

Mel’s musical influences range from James Taylor, k.d Lang, and Queen to Regina Spektor, Kate Nash, Lauryn Hilland, and Amy Winehouse. All genres are fair game for her; the most important thing is a connection to the attitude and lyrics.