From day one, Melissa was always singing. Okay, maybe not literally, but she always knew she wanted to sing. She started writing songs in grade school which developed into a passion as a teenager. “It was my secret, in a way. I think I was writing for myself more than anything. It was a release during a really hard time, a headspace where I always felt heard.”

She studied classical voice, wanting to build a solid foundation of technique. Despite a love for classical music, she always found her mind wandering back to her own writing. “I have a deep respect for many music genres,” she says. “I just found that my writing was where I felt centered. Telling your own truth is really freeing. And I hope that maybe it can help someone, you know? Music has incredible power to heal and empower.”

Does that mean she plans to share more music? “Definitely. Braven feels like a first step to me. There’s so much more where that came from.”