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“this beguiling songwriting talent…â€
Songwriter and vocalist Melissa Stott sits at her baby grand piano in the cellar of the hillside house she shares with husband and fellow musician Max Chirico, biting her nails and jotting down original songs. The catalyst can be anything: a discussion, frustration, joy, a film, a book, an image, a feeling… She learned her craft from the classic songwriters such as Porter, Gershwin, Ellington, Strayhorn, Berlin, etc. but her songs have a more modern appeal thanks to their contemporary emotional concerns.
For her 2005 debut, Why Now, the Anglo-Chinese vocalist was hailed by Chris Parker (Vortex, London) as “ a witty, accomplished songwriter with the ability to deliver her material with beguiling, informal intimacy…†and went on to predict that “her ability to write clever but affecting original songs that sound like standards in the making should see her establish herself in the top flight of vocalists in short orderâ€. Her new 2007 release The Picture for Feetfirst Records, sees that promise about to be fulfilled.
All of the thirteen songs on The Picture were penned by Melissa, proving that her talent for writing catchy tunes with interesting harmonies and witty, touching lyrics continues to blossom. From the up-tempo dismissal of a lover in “Romance Addioâ€, to the haunting Evans-esque “The Pictureâ€, or the aching, melancholic “Wish It Wasn’t Trueâ€, each and every one of Stott’s original songs casts a spell which is hard to forget. Tongue firmly in cheek, she imparts a cautionary tale about learning (or not) from your mistakes in “Hindsight†and dreams poignantly of better tomorrows in “A Little Contented Placeâ€.
As a vocalist, her style is natural and understated, yet “an almost conversational intimacy combines with subtle power†to produce feelings that it’s hard to put your finger on.
Visit Melissa's Official Website at melissastott.com !
Buy the CDs at leorecords.com .
Photography by Licia Rossi, Silvia Pedrini, Matteo Tommaso Petri, Mimma Giovinazzi