We each have a connection with music. For a songwriter, that connection will continue to grow over time as we explore the songs that come to us. Our recent discovery Melissa Quinn Fox has developed a sound that blends her favorite styles into something that is truly hers.
We had a chance to chat with the singer-songwriter about her growth and latest single “Fickle Girl.” Enjoy the interview here:
First off, what is it that drives you to create music?
Music has always been my number one love and passion since a very young age. I found myself connecting with songs that tell a story or strike a chord in my heart. I’ve always wanted to create great songs like that that express my thoughts and feelings and have the chance to connect with other people that can relate or just enjoy my songs.
I think my innate desire to express myself is what drives me to create. Sometimes it feels like we spend so much of our lives concerned with the day-to-day minutiae of work, and family, and our responsibilities that who we are as dreamers and artists get lost in the shuffle of everyday life. But when I start writing a song, I can feel that part of myself coming to the surface. It’s my chance to create something, that if I’m lucky, someone will hear and relate to, and maybe, just for a few moments, will help them express themselves too.
How would you describe the Melissa Quinn Fox sound?
My sister likes to call it, “a distinctive blend of classic country charm and modern folk-pop.” I’m not sure if that’s what Spotify would list it as, but I do try to embrace an honest, emotive lyrical style. I started many years ago with just me and my acoustic guitar. But over the years, I’ve grown into more textured compositions that evoke contemporary pop while honoring Country Music’s Golden Age powerhouses.
Which artists have had the biggest influence on you?
I’ve always gravitated, even at a young age, toward strong female artists. Artists who are more than just musicians, but also gifted storytellers that I felt I could relate to, like Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac, Carole King, Patsy Cline, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Sarah McLachlan, Sara Evans, and Miranda Lambert. My father’s expansive love for music also broadened my horizons – he introduced me to so many artists that I would’ve otherwise never known just listening to Top 40 radio as a kid.
We hear you have played at many amusement parks in your career. Tell us about that experience.
After I graduated from Point Park University with a BA in Musical Theatre, I was eager to get out into the world and use what I had learned and the skills I had honed to entertain and connect with people. I started at a local park in my home state of Pennsylvania, and from there worked at amusement and entertainment resorts in New Hampshire, Arizona, and Texas – meeting incredible people, musicians, and new lifelong friends along the way. But I’d have to say it was my time at a park in Germany that felt the most rewarding. It was the first time I was in Europe, by myself, with a real opportunity to grow as an individual while doing what I love and seeing the world from a whole new perspective. I look back at that time in my life and career very fondly because of all the experience I gained as a performer, but also because of the impact it had on my songwriting.
How does a song come together for you? What is your songwriting process?
I wish there was some secret recipe that I could go back to time and time again, but the truth is, it’s different every time. I feel like in music, just like in life, inspiration happens in the most unexpected ways. Like most musicians, I draw on my personal experiences – loves won and lost, times of happiness and triumph, but also pain and regret. More often than not, I start with the lyrics. For me, the lyrics are what drive the songwriting process and the melodies simply form around them to help bring them to life. I’ve written songs that have taken hours and others that I’ve sat with for years until they feel complete.
Tell us about your newest single “Fickle Girl”
I actually wrote “Fickle Girl” years ago, at a time in my life when I was feeling unsure about being in a serious, committed relationship. I wasn’t sure I was ready to say goodbye to my single life and settle down at that time. Fickle Girl is all about wondering if the grass really is greener and learning how to trust your instincts. In this day and age of the “fear of missing out,” the song feels more relevant than ever before. I dusted off my original lyrics and melody and gave the song some new life and love. It’s an up-tempo, percussion-driven number that is fun, flirty, and unpredictable – just like the title suggests.
Share some advice for other artists growing their career.
Seize the day when it comes to your music. Don’t put off the things you know you should be doing to further your career and your potential as an artist. Make your music and your creativity a priority and make the sacrifices to create your music and put it out there. No gig, no show is too small. Never take an audience for granted – they’re giving you their most valuable, limited asset – their time. Absorb everything you can from other artists and the world around you to help you create music that means something to you, something that you’re proud of.
What does the future hold for Melissa Quinn Fox?
Much more music to be created and released. More full band and acoustic shows in the Washington DC/Northern Virginia, Pittsburgh, and other cities
I’m working on my first LP studio album – to be released in 2022. It will be a lifelong dream come true. But until then, you will find me (and often my full band) at shows in Washington DC, Virginia, Pittsburgh, and New York. I’m hoping to schedule more tour dates across the country as well as I continue to release new music.
Keep up with more from Melissa Quinn Fox on her WEBSITE.
