This Toronto electro-pop artist goes full 80s on her latest single.
Toronto-based electro-pop singer-songwriter Melany Yelle-Nikischer performs under pseudonym Melotika, crafting a signature style reminiscent of current day art-pop, 90s pop, and electronica influences. She describes her personal style as a combination of new and retro aesthetics, pulling from vintage sounds and modern imagery- projecting this combination onto her latest single, "Tangled Hearts", a marriage of 80s synth-y styles with an electro-pop beat.
"It's hard not to be influenced by classics and sounds that make you feel nostalgic," said Yelle-Nikischer. "At the same time, I always try to add a new twist and do my own thing. I don't like to be stagnant, and I cannot do the same thing over and over again. Exploring new styles is my style. In my songwriting I like to add off-putting statements that make you think twice, and I always sing from my heart. My sound is heavily influenced by artists such as Tool’s Maynard James Keenan, Lady Gaga, Madonna, Evanescence, Metric, Portishead, Silversun Pickups, and music of the 70s, 80s, and 90s."
With Melotika, the musician says she aimed to carve out a youthful and feminine bubble-gum-pop sound.
"Something that reminds us of youth, turbulent love and something very feminine," said Yelle-Nikischer. ""Tangled Hearts" just naturally came about signifying confusion, or an intertwined relationship either with someone else or your own self. The song just sounded so cool."
Melotika wrote "Tangled Hearts" in the summer of 2020 during the lockdown from the COVID-19 second wave.
"The song was inspired by a poem I wrote called "Flowers" a couple years ago while working at a cafe in Toronto," said Yelle-Nikischer. "The poem expresses the confusion I felt being a woman in my early 20s and not being ready for the ‘real world.’ I was on a call with a friend of mine, Gory Gloriana, a songwriter from Rochester, NY. It was super spontaneous but I showed her the poem, and she came up with beautiful keys and new melodies. We exchanged back and forth new lyrics bringing new life to this poem of mine. It was such a memorable experience, and the very first time I've had a songwriter other than myself compose lyrics for a track."
The artist included lyrics that held personal meaning for her, referencing the passage of time and nostalgia for childhood memories.
"A part of me would do anything to go back in time and reinvent my childhood and adolescence said Yelle-Nikischer. "It is a phase in life that we take for granted, and passes so fast!"
Melotika recorded and produced "Tangled Hearts" with Sean Savage of Phase One Studios in Toronto.
"Last summer, Gory Gloriana and I worked from home in our personal home studios recording demos and exchanging back and forth ideas," said Yelle-Nikischer. "When we completed, I brought the main demo to Sean Savage who produced the rest of my album as well, and we re-worked the song to make it fit with my overall sound and aesthetic for the project. Sean Savage and I were heavily inspired by 90s and early 2000s pop music at the time of reinventing this track. We combined it with elements used in my other songs, and 80s retro textures and synths."
The singer-songwriter says she hopes "Tangled Hearts" is able to stand out amongst her other projects, and introduces her fans to a more carefree side of Melotika.
"I hope that my listeners can experience a more playful side of Melotika through the single," said Yelle-Nikischer. "The other singles I've been releasing this year such as "Beautiful Disguise", "Crazy" and "Dancing Without You" have bolder vocal performances and have more 80s inspired instrumentation. I want "Tangled Hearts" to sit as its own little thing, and I want this song to surprise my listeners and get them to enter another part of my world that hasn't been exposed before."
You can help support Melotika by streaming her music, following her socials, or by donating to her Bandcamp linked below.
"The best way to support me is to follow me on Spotify, and donate by purchasing music from my catalog on Bandcamp," said Yelle-Nikischer. "Or subscribe to my YouTube channel!"
Upcoming gigs:
X