MELANIE MARTINEZ | Draw My Life

Summary

Melanie Martinez, born in 1995, is a multi-talented American singer, songwriter, and photographer with Puerto Rican and Dominican heritage. She gained fame through 'The Voice' and released her debut EP in 2014, followed by her first album 'Cry Baby' in 2015, which reached number 6 on the Billboard charts. Known for her unique blend of indie folk, dream pop, and alternative pop, Martinez's music often explores themes of childhood, darkness, and social issues. Her aesthetic, featuring pastel colors and a '50s lolita style, complements her artistic vision, making her an international alternative pop sensation.

Takeaways

• 🎤 Melanie Adele Martínez is a singer and photographer known for her unique style and music.
• 🌴 She was born in Baldwin, New York, and has Puerto Rican and Dominican heritage.
• 🎶 Her musical journey began at a young age, influenced by The Beatles and hip hop.
• 📽️ She gained initial recognition through YouTube and open mic performances in Long Island.
• 🏆 At 17, she auditioned for The Voice, impressing judges with her rendition of 'Toxic'.
• 🎥 Despite being eliminated early, she continued her music career, which led to an acoustic tour.
• 💽 In 2014, she signed with Warner and released her first EP, featuring her debut single 'Dollhouse'.
• 🎬 She directed her own music video for 'Soap', which gained more popularity than the official single.
• 📚 Her first studio album, 'Cry Baby', was a commercial success, debuting at number 6 on the Billboard chart.
• 🎥 Her second album, 'K-12', was released alongside a movie and explored themes like gender discrimination.
• 🎨 Melanie's aesthetic is characterized by a blend of childish, unsettling, and dark elements, with a pastel color palette.

Q & A

What is Melanie Adele Martínez's background and where was she born?

Melanie Adele Martínez is a singer and photographer from the United States. She was born in Baldwin, New York on April 28th, 1995.

What are Melanie Martínez's ethnic roots?

Melanie Martínez has both Puerto Rican and Dominican roots.

At what age did Melanie start singing and playing the guitar?

Melanie started to sing when she was three years old and started to play the guitar when she was four.

How did Melanie Martínez's early music career begin?

As a teenager, Melanie started to upload videos to YouTube and perform at open mics in Long Island.

What significant opportunity did Melanie encounter in 2012?

In 2012, at the age of 17, Melanie auditioned for the third season of The Voice and won over three of the four judges with her version of 'Toxic' by Britney Spears.

Who was Melanie's coach on The Voice and what was her experience on the show?

Adam Levine was Melanie's coach on The Voice. Although she was eliminated on the fifth week, she used her fame from the show to continue working on her music.

What was the theme of Melanie's debut single, Dollhouse?

Dollhouse is a song filled with unsettling 'baby sounds' such as those made with pianos for babies, music boxes, and other toys.

How did Melanie Martínez's first studio album, Cry Baby, perform on the charts?

Cry Baby debuted at number 6 on the Billboard ranking.

What was the concept behind Melanie's album and movie, K-12?

K-12 is a surreal dark comedy musical that narrates the story of the album itself, with Melanie participating in all phases of the filming, including direction, makeup, and clothing.

What collaborations has Melanie Martínez been involved in?

In February 2020, Melanie collaborated with rapper Tierra Whack to release the song 'Copy Cat'.

What are some of Melanie Martínez's musical influences and how would you describe her style?

Melanie's music flows between indie folk, dream pop, and alternative pop, with influences such as Kimbra, Feist, Regina Spektor, and Lana del Rey. Her style is described as childish, unsettling, and dark, with naïve touches.

Outlines

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🎤 Early Life and Career Beginnings

Melanie Adele Martínez, born in Baldwin, New York on April 28, 1995, is a singer and photographer with Puerto Rican and Dominican roots. She developed an early interest in music, influenced by The Beatles and hip hop, and began singing at the age of three and playing guitar at four. As a teenager, she uploaded videos to YouTube and performed at open mics in Long Island. Her passion for photography was also evident, focusing on portraits and conceptual works. In 2012, at 17, she auditioned for 'The Voice' with 'Toxic' by Britney Spears, impressing three of four judges and being coached by Adam Levine. Despite elimination in the fifth week, she continued her music career, going on an acoustic tour in 2013, and signing with Warner in 2014 to release her first EP. Her debut single, 'Dollhouse,' showcased her unique style with child-like sounds.

Keywords

💡Melanie Adele Martínez

Melanie Adele Martínez is the central figure of the video, an American singer, songwriter, and photographer known for her unique blend of indie folk, dream pop, and alternative pop. Her music often explores themes of childhood, innocence, and darker, more complex emotions. In the script, she is described as having a strong connection to her childhood, which is reflected in her music and aesthetic choices.

💡The Voice

The Voice is a reality television music competition where aspiring singers compete for a chance to be signed by a record label. Melanie auditioned for the third season and won over three of the four judges with her rendition of 'Toxic' by Britney Spears. This platform was a significant stepping stone in her career, as it provided her with exposure and a coach in Adam Levine, which she leveraged to continue her musical journey.

💡Dollhouse

Dollhouse is Melanie's debut single, characterized by its unsettling 'baby sounds' and themes that reflect her exploration of childhood and innocence. The song is part of her first EP and sets the tone for her artistic direction, which often includes elements of the uncanny and the surreal.

💡Cry Baby

Cry Baby is Melanie's first studio album, which debuted at number 6 on the Billboard ranking. The album features her 'alter ego' and delves into themes of childhood, with a darker and more complex narrative compared to her EP. It showcases her songwriting and storytelling abilities, as well as her distinctive musical style.

💡Soap

Soap is a song from Melanie's album Cry Baby. Despite the record company's refusal to use it for her first music video, she independently filmed and uploaded the video to YouTube, where it received a positive reception. This act of creative autonomy highlights her determination and vision as an artist.

💡K-12

K-12 is Melanie's second album, which was released alongside a movie of the same name. The album and movie explore themes of gender discrimination, insecurities, and friendship, with a narrative that continues the story of the girl from Cry Baby into adulthood. The album's success, including reaching the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 200 and Number 1 on the Billboard Top Alternative Albums, underscores her growing influence in the music industry.

💡Copy Cat

Copy Cat is a song released in collaboration with rapper Tierra Whack. It showcases Melanie's versatility as an artist, as she experiments with different musical styles and collaborations. The song's popularity, with almost 10 million views on YouTube within two months, demonstrates her broad appeal and the impact of her work.

💡After School

After School is Melanie's anticipated third EP, mentioned in the script as being set for release in 2020. It represents her continued artistic output and the evolution of her musical style, which is expected to maintain the elements of mystery, darkness, and personal narrative that characterize her previous work.

💡Aesthetics

Aesthetics in the context of Melanie's work refers to the visual and sensory aspects of her art, including her fashion, music videos, and album covers. Her style is described as a mix of childish, unsettling, and dark elements, with a pastel color palette and a 'lolita from the 50's' vibe. This aesthetic is integral to her artistic identity and is reflected in the visual components of her music and performances.

💡Influences

Influences are the artists or styles that have shaped Melanie's music and aesthetic. She has mentioned being influenced by indie folk, dream pop, and alternative pop artists such as Kimbra, Feist, Regina Spektor, and Lana del Rey. These influences contribute to her distinctive sound and the thematic elements present in her work.

💡Tiktakers

Tiktakers refers to users of the social media platform TikTok, where Melanie's music and aesthetic have found a significant audience. The term is used in the script to engage with her fanbase and to highlight the interactive and community aspect of her work, as she invites her audience to participate in discussions and share their experiences with her music.

Highlights

Melanie Adele Martínez is a singer and photographer from the United States.

Born in Baldwin, New York on April 28th, 1995, with Puerto Rican and Dominican roots.

Developed an early interest in music, influenced by The Beatles and hip hop.

Began singing at age three and playing guitar at four.

Teenage years involved uploading videos to YouTube and performing at open mics.

Passionate about photography, especially portraits and conceptual works.

Auditioned for The Voice at 17, impressing judges with her rendition of 'Toxic'.

Mentored by Adam Levine, though eliminated in the fifth week, continued to pursue music.

In 2013, went on an acoustic tour performing songs from The Voice and her own compositions.

Signed with Warner in 2014 and released her first EP, featuring her debut single 'Dollhouse'.

Her music often reflects a strong connection with her childhood.

After the Dollhouse Tour, 'Carousel' was chosen for American Horror Story: Freak Show trailer.

Released her first studio album 'Cry Baby' in 2015, which debuted at number 6 on the Billboard ranking.

Self-composed most of the 13 songs on 'Cry Baby', showcasing her 'alter ego'.

Independently filmed the music video for 'Soap', which gained popularity on YouTube.

Released the album 'K-12' in 2019, accompanied by a movie of the same name.

Participated in all aspects of 'K-12' movie production, including direction and costume design.

Accumulated over 40 million views on YouTube and over 10 million subscribers by April 2020.

Explores themes of gender discrimination, insecurities, and friendship in 'K-12'.

Collaborated with rapper Tierra Whack on 'Copy Cat', which gained nearly 10 million views.

Influenced by artists such as Kimbra, Feist, Regina Spektor, and Lana del Rey.

Her music style blends indie folk, dream pop, and alternative pop.

Aesthetics include pastel-colored dresses, elaborate makeup, and a 'lolita from the 50’s' look.

Melanie Martínez is recognized as an international alternative pop star.

Transcripts

Melanie Adele Martínez is a singer and photographer from the United States. She was born in Baldwin,

New York in April 28th 1995, and grew up with her father José, her mother Murcy, and her

brother Joseph. She has both Puerto Rican and Dominican roots.

Since she was little Melanie has always been interested in music. She would spend her free

time listening to her dad's CDs, specially The Beatles as well as hip hop albums. She

started to sing when she was three years old, and started to play the guitar when she was

four. When she was a teenager she started to upload videos to YouTube, as well as perform

at open mics in Long Island. She was also passionate about photography, specially portraits

and conceptual works. In 2012, when she turned 17 years old, a big

opportunity came to her: She auditioned for the third season of The Voice, and she won

over three of the four judges with her version of "Toxic" by Britney Spears. Adam Levine

became her coach, and although she was eliminated on the fifth week, she didn't give up and

took advantage of her fame from the show to keep working on her music.

In 2013 she went on an acoustic tour where she would sing the songs she sang in The Voice,

as well as her own songs. Finally, in 2014 she signed a contract with Warner and published

her first EP. Her debut single, Dollhouse, which she describes as "heavy child", is a

song filled with somewhat unsettling "baby sounds" – sounds such as the ones made with

pianos for babies, music boxes and other toys. The thing is, Martínez has always said that

she has a very strong connection with her childhood.

After her Dollhouse Tour, and after Carousel was chosen as the soundtrack for the trailer

of American Horror Story: Freak Show, in August of 2015 she released her first studio album

Cry Baby, which also features her "alter ego". Unlike her EP, Cry Baby had a big repercussion,

debuting number 6 of the Billboard ranking. The album has 13 songs, most of them composed

by Melanie herself. For the filming of her first music video Melanie

suggested they should use the song "Soap", but the record company refused. She was so

excited about filming a music video with that song that she didn’t hesitate to find a

camera and film it herself, without Warner's help. When she uploaded the music video to

YouTube, it had a very good reception! In contrast, Sippy Cup, the official single released

by the record label, didn't take off and landed way lower than her previous work in the music

rankings. Melanie's second album came out with a movie

with the same name: K-12. Both were released in September 2019, and the movie was described

as a surreal dark comedy musical that narrates the story of the album itself. Martínez participated

in all the phases of the filming: Direction, makeup, clothing, etc. Six months later she

had accumulated more than 40 million views in her YouTube channel, and on April 2020

she had over 10 million subscribers. In K-12 the girl from Cry Baby becomes an

adult, and it touches upon very important topics such as gender discrimination, insecurities,

and friendship. As always, mystery and darkness play an important role. K-12 was the second

album by Martínez; it got into the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 200 in the US, and also

got to the Number 1 place in the Billboard Top Alternative Albums ranking.

In February 2020, in collaboration with the rapper Tierra Whack, she released the song

Copy Cat, which two months later would accumulate almost 10 million views on YouTube. If everything

goes well she will release her third EP, After School, in 2020.

Her music flows between indie folk, dream pop and alternative pop, and Melanie has also

mentioned influences such as Kimbra, Feist, Regina Spektor and Lana del Rey. She has a

style that flows between childish, unsettling, and dark, with naif touches. That explains

why she likes artists such as Mark Raiden and Nicoletta Ceccoli.

Her aesthetics follow the same line as her music, with her two color hair – it kind

of reminds us of Cruella de Vil or the singer Sia. She calls herself "a lolita from the

50’s", with her pastel-colored dresses, extravagant pendants, stockings, baby bottles,

and a very elaborated makeup that fits with everything else. For Melanie the visual side

of her work plays a crucial role, so she has to highlight the little girl that she has

inside. Melanie Martínez is now an international

alternative pop star. How many crybabies do we have around here, tiktakers?

Please let us know in the comments!