Interview: Melina Blanco – Bad Luck

“I wrote this song when after another failed romance. At that moment, it felt like I had constantly had bad luck with relationships and with love in the past.”

Discovered via submithub.com

Hi Melina, how are you today?

I’m great!

How would you describe your sound?

I’d say that my sound is a blend of indie, pop and rock. I like including guitars, synths and catchy hooks in my songs. I often try to be on that fine line between alternative/indie music and pop music.

Which artists have influenced you the most over the years?

I grew up listening to The Beatles, so a lot of my inspiration comes from their music. I’d say my top influences over the past couple of years would be indie rock bands such as The Wombats, and alt-pop artists like MARINA, Lana Del Rey, and Harry Styles. I am also inspired by 80s music; my song “The Crowd” was heavily influenced by Duran Duran.

How did your single, ‘Bad Luck’, come about?

I wrote it when I was pining over someone who wasn’t interested in me. To make matters worse, it was an awkward love triangle situation and where I was on the unlucky end of it. I was wallowing in my self-pity, thinking “Why me? Why does romance never seem to work out for me?”. I took that feeling and put it in the lyrics. Over time, I realised that many people can also relate to that feeling. The song means a lot to me now, after everything it got me through.

Are you planning to make it part of a larger release, such as an EP or album?

As I’m still young and still learning about this industry, I don’t have any plans about EPs or albums for the near future. I’ve mostly been writing and releasing singles for the past few years. However, I want to make a larger release in the future!

The lockdown has affected everyone’s plans right now. What are you doing to stay productive throughout it and are you still able to work on new music?

In my experience, the lockdown has given me more time to focus on music. I’ve just graduated from secondary school, so this lockdown is my time to transition into solely focusing on music, singing and writing songs. I’ve written a few songs in lockdown so far, and I’ve taken the time to record music videos and covers for my youtube video. The lockdown gave me the time to film and edit the music video for Bad Luck!

What advice would you give other artists who are trying to stay productive during this crisis?

I know that many songwriters (including myself!) have struggled with writer’s block and lack of motivation at least once during the lockdown. Instead of panicking and stressing, we can pick up our instruments, listen to new music, explore new artists, finding new hobbies within our realm. These are all things we can do and enjoy, even within the confines of our homes.

Anything you would like to add?

Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity and for featuring Bad Luck!