Mellissa embodies optimism and appeased mindset

In keeping with her growing popularity with audiences over the last few years, the talented Mellissa openly shares her optimistic philosophy with her listeners. We discussed with her the key elements underlying her musical identity.

Quoting the word of Christian Dior, “Happiness is the secret to all beauty. There is no beauty without happiness“. This statement perfectly captures Mellissa’s enchanting universe. With her young musical career, the multi-talented artist from Ghana already demonstrates through her artistic identity that she subscribes to this vision: “I am really drawn to music that makes you feel good, that makes you want to sway, skip around the neighborhood and chill. I also call it “sexy music” because at some point I make music for girls. Of course, guys can enjoy my sound as well, but I do make music to empower and make women feel confident. To me, women are confident when they’ve reached a place of genuine happiness, that’s the reason why I make feel good music. This is my purpose.”

Looking back on her journey since her debut in 2021, Mellissa is proud and humbled to see how she has grown and matured as an artist: “The artist back in the days was very hurt. If we listen to my very first lyrics, the message was a little sad, a little bitter. It’s a part of me that I recognize, but I learned how to let certain negative experiences and feelings pass through me. Now, I pick certain aspects and take lessons from it instead of holding on to the pain itself, which I did in the past. I want anything that I put out to be useful to the world, and I don’t think that holding on to pain, rage and bitterness is useful. I want to bring light and a better mindset to my audience. Even if you don’t pay attention to the lyrics, I want the feeling of my music alone to uplift you. If my sound can switch a person’s mindset, then I’ve done my job.”

This captivating background follows a childhood surrounded by music from the very start. As a child, Mellissa found herself engaging with music in any way she could. The sounds from her mother’s restaurant gave her first real exposure to music and sounds that have accompanied and inspired Mellissa to this day. From the underground gems of Ghana’s Ofori Amponsah and KK Fosu to the legendary sounds of Michael Jackson, the swinging rhythms of Sean Paul, particularly appealing to her and Mariah Carey, Mellissa was able to explore the diversity of sounds from not only Ghana, but outside her hometown too as she traveled a lot. Her wide range of musical abilities enables her to alternate between different sounds, adding her own unique touch to reach the most diverse audience possible. Moreover, she consolidated these skills when she joined her school choir during middle school: “I just needed a space where I can really sing for a purpose because music is my life. That’s why I joined the school choir. It helped me a lot and that experience was wonderful. At a time, I was even the leader of the choir, so it gave me stage confidence and kind of prepared me mentally for this world that I decided for myself.”

Last April, she announced the release of the single “Happy”, which acted as a slogan for her constant mood: “The reception of this song was good. I had a nice campaign to accompany it that brought me closer to my fan base as well. I’m grateful for that.” Musically, this single wonderfully synthesizes all the ideas Mellissa aims to spread through her sounds, blending both African rhythms drawn from her Ghanaian origins, while retaining that “afrosexy” side as she calls it with a charming R&B vibe. Its success confirms all the expectations placed in her when introduced in Apple Music’s Africa Rising Class of 24 roster: “When I heard the news, I rushed to call my sister and celebrated. It felt so satisfying to be recognized. I am grateful for this, and it gave me motivation to give them more. As of what’s next, some exciting features are coming up before the end of this year. Besides that, I have a body of work that I have put together and it’s marinating for you guys to enjoy soon. It may drop in early 2025.”

Listen to Mellissa