Life & Work with Melanie Meriney

Today we’d like to introduce you to Melanie Meriney.

Hi Melanie, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My passion for singing and songwriting started very young. I attended a Shania Twain concert in third grade and thought she had the most incredible job. When I graduated high school, I moved to Nashville and attended Belmont University where I dual majored in English and songwriting.

The internships and connections I made there led me to my first publishing deal a few years later. When that deal ended, I began my own publishing company, Steel Fox Entertainment, to continue pitching my catalog.

On the artistry side, I was always co-writing and playing festivals and writers’ rounds. I got to open for acts like Little Big Town and Journey as well as did a radio tour with my EP “Up In Lights”- the lead single “Lifeboat” got to #2 on the UK radio chart.

Some of my biggest bucket lists came true moments include write-ups in Billboard and Country Aircheck as well as one of my videos being featured on CMT. I continue to love the process of bringing stories and lyrics to life through music!

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I don’t think many people can claim that their path in the entertainment industry is a smooth one. I’ve been rejected (and ignored) more times than I can count. I’ve worked every side job you can imagine, from waiting tables to driving Uber Eats to working at an Amazon fulfillment center, to teaching high school English.

While the music is always worth it, I’ve had to fight (like many of my friends) to balance making a living wage with pursuing my passion. One of the most memorable times I had was working for an industry party and eating free bacon-wrapped scallops and steak – I couldn’t stop laughing with my now-husband because we had a combined $30 to our names that night.

You never know where this town is going to take you, and it’s so hard to measure the successes and the letdowns because more often than not, there is a little of both mixed into every situation. Keeping a sense of humor is vital.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m originally from Pittsburgh, PA, so growing up, nobody besides my mom listened to country music. I remember having to bribe my friend to go to a Rascal Flatts concert with me. While my upbringing didn’t lend itself to songs about farming and southern hospitality, I’ve always been drawn to the stories in country music.

At the end of the day, no matter what experiences brought us there, we all go through the same emotions, the same heartbreak, the same happiness. So I like to consider my music country with a bit of pop, rock, and city mixed in. I try to be authentic in my songwriting so that listeners can relate and connect.

What’s next?
I’m gearing up for my second release this year at the end of July- the song is called “Method Writer” and it’s all about living the story you are telling (kind of like method actors have to live the part they play). It’s got some wry humor to it, but it’s ultimately feel-good and hopefully the perfect summer song.

My husband, Michael Funk (of Funk Studio here in Nashville) produced it and is also one of the co-writers on it, so it was a fun collab for the most part. He is very, sometimes brutally, honest with me, but that’s how we get the best sounds and I couldn’t be more excited for the world to hear it!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.melaniemeriney.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/melaniemeriney
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/melaniemerineymusic
• Youtube: www.youtube.com/user/melaniemerineymusic 

Image Credits
Angelea and Doltyn Snedden