Interview with Music Artist “Melissa Jordano” Release new single Lullabye
BIO:
Melissa Jordano is a singer/songwriter and managing member of the five-person nationally-touring a cappella group, Backtrack Vocals. Growing up in New Jersey, Melissa listened to pop icons like Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and Avril Lavigne. Her love for powerful female artists continues today, and her music is inspired by the catchy melodies and genuine lyrics of stars like Demi Lovato and Taylor Swift. Her vocal style is also influenced by her history with Backtrack Vocals, where musical theater and Disney have frequently covered genres.
Melissa joined Backtrack Vocals in its early stages in 2015. Since then, Backtrack has matured into a professional group, taking the stage at performing arts centers, music festivals and universities. The group also conducts educational programs at schools, which Melissa finds extremely fulfilling.
With the onset of Covid-19 and Backtrack’s tour dates cancelled, Melissa used the downtime to work on her original music. She has released six singles so far and plans to release her debut EP, Lullabye, on November 5th, 2021. Melissa is a self-proclaimed wallflower — shy, and self-doubting; however, through her music Melissa is able to blossom and show her true colors. Tongue Tied Magazine calls Melissa’s song, Dignity, an “anthem of self-confidence, empowerment, and strength.” Melissa hopes to use her music to inspire other wallflowers to believe in themselves and share their voices with the world.
Q: Please introduce yourself to the readers and how you first got into this field of work and who were some of your influences growing up?
Hey there! I’m Melissa Jordano, a singer, songwriter, and managing member of the touring, NYC-based Cappella group, Backtrack Vocals. I had an untraditional path to a career in music. Despite singing in choirs throughout high school and in a cappella group at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, I never imagined that I could actually succeed as a singer. I majored in Film & Media Studies with minors in Applied Mathematics & Statistics and Entrepreneurship & Management, and when I ended up working at a large insurance company in their actuarial training program, I thought I was set. It turned out that a desk job wasn’t for me, and I couldn’t shake the performing bug. So, when I had the ability to quit my day job in 2017 and pursue music full-time with Backtrack, I jumped at the chance.
Growing up in the ’90s and early ’00s, I was obsessed with powerful female pop singers like the Spice Girls, Britney Spears, Destiny’s Child, Avril Lavigne, and Christina Aguilera. Their music was fun and sassy and definitely shaped my musical tastes.
Q: What kind of training have you had, if any?
I sang in my high school’s choral program in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, and I continued singing in college with Johns Hopkins University’s a cappella group, Octopodes. I did not have any formal training until after college when I joined Backtrack. Since then, I’ve taken private singing lessons with several teachers, and also taught myself the basics of music theory and audio production.
Q: What has been your favourite project to work on so far?
Working on this EP pushed me furthest outside of my comfort zone, and I am so proud of the results. For years I had been saying I wanted to release an EP or album, and generally, my excuse was not having the time. However, with Backtrack’s tour dates cancelled because of Covid-19, I ran out of excuses. I used the downtime to write and to learn how to record myself from home. Several of the songs were inspired by overcoming and pushing through the insecurities and fears that have held me back, and working on the EP throughout the pandemic definitely helped me to process, express myself, and heal. This was an enjoyable project to work on because it is so different from what I am used to — this was a solo project, and I am accustomed to singing cover songs, so being able to express myself.
