Melissa B, a talented pop/R&B/EDM singer & writer based in New York City, has won the December SingerUniverse “Best Vocalist Of The Month” Competition, for her performance of her song “Maria” (co-written by Nykki Nicole & B. Howard). This song is included on her EP, Exclusively, which she released independently in April (2015).
"Maria" is a dramatic, heartfelt ballad, which has a Latin/pop flavor to it. The arrangement is bolstered by stirring, acoustic guitar parts and dynamic drum tracks. This recording provides an excellent showcase for Melissa B's powerful, lead and background vocals, which soar into a higher range during key parts of the song.
"We created 'Maria' to try to inspire women and to uplift people," said Melissa B. "It's an inspirational song, about [someone who is] looking to break free from poverty, hunger, violence and inequality."
Melissa B was born in South Carolina, but she grew up living in several countries (Japan, Germany, U.S.) because her parents were both in the military. She started to sing when she was five, and she also learned how to play piano and flute. When she was 14, she entered Hal Jackson's Talented Teen International Pageant, and she was selected the winner. She also performed in musical theatre productions.
After high school, Melissa B. moved to Los Angeles for two years, where she signed a label deal with hit artist, Ray Parker Jr. Notably, she also decided to continue her college education, attending ECPI University in Virginia, where she trained to become a network engineer. She subsequently graduated from ECPI and began a successful career as a network engineer.
Eventually, Melissa B moved to New York City, where she worked as an engineer while also pursuing her music career. This past April, she released her 6-song EP called Exclusively, which includes her song, "Maria." She's also working on a full album project, which will be titledComputer Love. "I've been working on it for the past two years—hopefully it will be released in 2016." she said.
In addition, Melissa B has just released a mixtape called Feels Good. Also, she recently performed a concert with jazz pianist & actor Vincent Lyn at Carnegie Hall, and this month she will be performing at Concert For A Cause in Los Angeles, which is a special event presented by the Los Angeles Urban League and actress Dawnn Lewis (who is Melissa B's aunt).
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