There’s been a lot of talk about the resurgence of guys with guitars on American Idol Season 13.
But we’ve also been introduced to several girls with guitars, and one of the most impressive during the Detroit auditions was Melanie Porras.
Melanie Porras during her Detroit audition on American Idol. (FOX Photo)
Melanie is the singer who told us how she bonded with her father over music.
He was a musician, too, and raised Melanie as a single parent from birth until age 5, he told Idol.
During her audition, Melanie sang “Fever” while playing guitar and “Wanted Dead or Alive” a cappella.
She got a great response from the judges, including Jennifer Lopez, who said she could hear Melanie “making records.”
On her website, Melanie says music was a coping mechanism during her youth.
“As a child I was a very lonely person but music has always been my best friend,” she writes. “I never felt that I had a true friend to talk to and as a result I released my feelings through my poetry.”
Poetry led to music, especially after she learned to play guitar at age 11.
“Once I paired guitar playing with my lyrics I realized that I could express myself in a way that brings people together and I loved it!” she says.
During her Road to Hollywood video, she says her biggest musical influences are Norah Jones and John Mayer.
“Their genre of music represents the style I like to do, which is blues and jazz,” she explains. “I listened to a lot of their music growing up.”
If you’d like to follow Melanie, here are links to her Facebook page and Twitter account (@MelPorrasMusic).
I’ve embedded samples of her music below. You can hear more on her YouTube channel.
“Disturbia” (Rihanna cover)
“Good Time” (original)
“Hey Boy” (original)
Leave a reply