I recently had the opportunity to exclusively interview Melanie Meriney to learn five random facts about herself and the story behind her single "Mammas Been Prayin". Check out my interview with Melanie below:
Loryn: What is the story behind your coming single, "Mama's Been Prayin'"?
Melanie: I think most parents, especially moms, have expectations when it comes to the person their child brings home to introduce as a partner. When writing, we wanted to create this character who is a little bit outside of the typical box... she's a little bit opposite of what we think mom would love. We went with a very conservative, southern mama so that we could highlight all the ways this girl might not be right for her son: she swears, she doesn't wear dresses, and she's a little bit on the wild side. But those traits are also what makes her so alluring for this guy.
Loryn: What concert would you love to go to in the future?
Melanie: I got my start in singing and songwriting after going to see Shania Twain when I was in third grade. Since then, I've been to see her a couple of times, but it would be awesome to get to go to one of her Vegas shows now that she has a residency there. She's one of my biggest industry inspirations.
Loryn: What was your experience like collaborating with Lainey Wilson?
Melanie: Lainey is an awesome person to be around and has great positive energy. I'm from Pittsburgh, so her Louisiana background and her experience with southern mamas definitely helped us to visualize the characters in the song better! At the time we wrote, she was not yet signed to her record label, so I've been excited to watch the success she's had since then.
Loryn: What projects would you love to accomplish in 2024?
Melanie: I'm happy to announce that 2024 will have more new music starting in January! These are songs I'm very excited about because they're personal to me and show my evolution as an artist. I'd love to also try a music video or two if the timing and funding work out. When getting investor help, numbers are always something they look at, so increasing Spotify numbers and followers definitely helps on that front! Please take a minute and follow if you aren't already! https://open.spotify.com/artist/0e8p5B2NalWyhSEKO7OIZH
Loryn: What is something people would be surprised to learn about you?
Melanie: I grew up playing travel ice hockey and I love sports. I definitely went through a tomboy phase growing up and I miss being out on the ice. Every weekend we used to stay in different cities around the northeast and midwest. It's taught me hard work and resilience in my music career as well as teamwork. Success in the music industry, like the rink, depends on the solid team you have around you.
Be sure to stay updated with Melanie Meriney by checking out her website and following her on social media platforms: @melaniemeriney