Today we’d like to introduce you to Hannah Mello.
Hi Hannah, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I heard a phrase recently that I can’t help but use now, but basically I got into music making ass-backwards.
Originally from Houston, TX, I learned to play guitar around age 12, and wrote my first song not long after. I loved to sing in my school choir, and of course I would daydream about singing on a TV show like the Voice or AGT. But I was too scared and too focused on getting a scholarship to college. I earned a full-ride to play volleyball in Kansas and then in Illinois. I let music and songwriting fall to the wayside while I got my degree, but I never could fully get rid of that itch, so I played music where I could like a campus open-mic night or the national anthem at my volleyball games. After I graduated, I decided to try out for American Idol (under my maiden name, Hannah Nicolaisen). In my head, it was just for a golden ticket (if I was lucky), a bucket-list moment, and a good old “at least I tried” for when I’m old and grey. I never expected that I would end up as a Top 20 finalist. So… armed with a new, small amount of confidence and absolutely zero knowledge of the music industry, I moved to Nashville, TN.
I began taking gigs wherever I could, writing songs with new friends in Nashville, and trying to learn everything all at once. One of those new friends, Autumn Nicholas, shared about a contest called the “Arium Sounds of Summer Contest” where the grand prize was an entire YEAR of free rent. It was almost too good to believe, but after a short video submission, several rounds of voting, and an in-person, grand finale in Atlanta, GA… I won the whole thing.
The prize money helped pay for my beautiful wedding and helped fund my first EP as an independent artist. I didn’t know what “direction” I should move in musically, but I wanted to learn, and I figured the best way to learn was through doing. I reached out to an incredibly talented, young producer, Joey Liechty, with a modest budget and crazy ideas, and he jumped right on board. We spent several months creating a little world of music. He encouraged me to shut out other people’s opinions and create the art that I needed to make, which led to my debut EP, “Decode”. This EP was my attempt to “decode” some of the heavier, more complicated emotions I have experienced into songs, like grief, anxiety, self-hatred, and hope.
Now, I still live in Nashville with my husband, Matheus, and our sweet dog Nala. With all the changes I have experienced in the last few years, I have also decided to throw in a name change. I started the American Idol process with my maiden name, “Hannah Nicolaisen”, then got engaged in the middle of the season, and married a year and a half later. There was so much change all at once, so the name fell on the back burner. But finally, now coming up on 2 years of marriage, I decided it’s worth the “rebrand” to take on a new name. Something I find myself thinking is that my first EP, full of healing and learning, belonged to a younger version of me, and now I feel like a different person. It feels right that I should change my name (oh the paperwork) right alongside sharing new batch of music that shows a clear shift into a new sound.
I am excited to share that my first single as Hannah Mello, “You and God”, will be officially released on June 26, 2026. I cannot explain how excited I am to share this one.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The biggest obstacle I have is my own self-doubt. I constantly question if I am good enough or worry I’m behind in some invisible race. After releasing my EP last year, I didn’t really know what to do next. It’s really easy for me to let perfectionism get in the way of just taking the next best step. My husband, friends and mentors are so incredibly important to stay grounded in all of this.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am an independent artist and songwriter living in Nashville, TN. I have been releasing music over the past 2-3 years, and slowly improving with every release. I am a “rookie” in most ways, but have had some really incredible moments in music already such as placing Top 20 on American Idol, performing at the Bluebird Cafe, growing a following on TikTok of up to 175K followers (I still dont understand that one), releasing my first independent project, and even performing nationwide for K-12 students with a motivational speaker named Cory Greenwood.
I am most proud of my good intentions and my growth. My goal is to make music that is honest, memorable, and encourages a little connection to the people and the world around us.
I would like perhaps one day to be known for my songwriting. If there were three songs of mine I had to send someone to, they would be Cage (a song about my brother), Human (a song about being present and finding peace), and my new soon-to-be-released song You and God.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
To quote the goat, Dory herself… just keep swimming. You don’t have to know what you’re doing as long as you’re doing something.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.hannahmellomusic.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hannicomusic/
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6cEIkZiNUVTdrIH8mbK1mp
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@hannicomusic
