By Stuart Coupe.
Melody Moko is a woman who embraces and thrives on change. Born and raised in Adelaide, SA, she’s lived in Queensland and NSW, become a mother of two, and as a critically acclaimed songwriter she’s taken her music to the world since the release of debut album in 2017.
Melody is one of those artists whose style is a natural and heartfelt extension of her personality and perspective on life. Her songs reside under the wide umbrella of Americana yet they inhabit all its intriguing corners, traveling from melancholic alt-country to pining country songs, uplifting pop-tinged revelry and proud and powerful balladry. Her heroes and contemporaries include Brandi Carlile, Tift Merritt, Kathleen Edwards, Fanny Lumsden and Brooke Fraser.
Growing up with a father who was a passionate and encouraging music enthusiast, Melody knew early on that she “wanted to sing like Linda Ronstadt, and write songs like Bob Dylan.” That awareness of song and performance led to her traveling around Australia, playing her songs and winning songwriting awards in her early teens. The allure of international travel took her to the USA where she had the honour of performing at iconic country music venues such as Nashville’s famous Bluebird Cafe, The Continental Club in Austin, Texas and Hank William's favourite hangout, Tootsies.
Moko is one of those artists whose style is a natural and heartfelt extension of her personality and perspective on life. Her songs reside under the wide umbrella of Americana yet they inhabit all its intriguing corners, traveling from melancholic alt-country to pining country songs, uplifting pop-tinged revelry and proud and powerful balladry.
Off the back of her recent hit singles - the Top 20 smash "Last Cigarette" (co-written with Catherine Britt) and "Benjamin", comes the third release from her brand new album, dropping this Friday.
Inspired by a tour in the US and a visit to The Hank Williams Museum in Montgomery, Alabama, "Like Hank Would", already has the critics raving and is being touted as "her best yet"! It's a revenge song that bring all the elements of country music together in one track and features the standout pedal steel of Fats Kaplins.
Melody's fans showed their faith and commitment by contributing overwhelmingly to her crowdfunding campaign to make her follow up to her impressive debut album, "The Wreckage". "Two Kids & A Radio", shows a new maturity in both the depth of emotional connectivity, the richly detailed, world class voice that Melody possesses and the sonic tone and texture of the recordings.
“I feel like The Wreckage was my life PG and pretty, still figuring out how I wanted to tell my story, just nudging at it and testing the waters. This new record is the MA version, the indie film, the nude scenes, the gross things and the stuff that makes viewers or listeners uncomfortable but needs to be said", says Melody.
The highly anticipated album is her most realised and honest work to date and is set to provide listeners with a new picture of Melody Moko, one that is a product of her life on the road, as a mother, a woman and, particularly a woman in the music industry.
Website: www.melodymoko.com