Okay, I am a little late to the game regarding Melanie Martinez. I watched her on The Voice however many seasons ago it was, and I was team Adam & Melanie all of the way. She had this intangible “it” factor that made her so interesting to watch and listen to. She was eliminated, but she is arguably one of the most successful contestants to come off of that show.
She released “Dollhouse” as her first single and put out the Dollhouse EP soon after. The song “Carousel” on the EP was featured in some previews for American Horror Story: Freak Show. If you’re curious, search for the previews on YouTube to see how well her music meshed with the theme of the season.
I’ll say now that her music can feel a little dark. The darkness is juxtaposed by the lightness of the theme of childhood and childish things making up her whole act. Here are some outfits that sum up her style:
Sometimes she wears stuff that is so outlandish I question it, but it all ties back into the concept of her album: Cry baby. Cry baby is the person her LP “Cry baby” is about, (as you could probably deduct) and in a way Cry baby is her. If you are familiar with Marina and the Diamond’s character Electra Heart and the different facets of her personality. Cry baby is very similar, and the LP takes you through the story of Cry baby and her journey to acceptance with herself. Cry Baby was released in August of 2015, to general acclaim.
I had the opportunity to attend her show at the Showbox in downtown Seattle on the 20th of February. It was one of the best concerts I have ever been to. The fans were all very nice, and respectful of one another’s space, which seems like common sense but at concerts it goes out the window. She played the entire album in order that they appear on the album, which I have never experienced before and it was really interesting to experience. Usually artists save their most popular song to end on, but her most popular songs were towards the front and middle of the set. This solidified to me the fact that she isn’t in it to be popular, but to make art and stay true to her vision for the album and its purpose.
Everyone go listen to Melanie! You will not regret it. I’ll leave you with a link to her most popular song, “Pity Party.” (It’s quite the jam)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bAPlojfgO0