Melanie Herrera
I spoke with Melanie Herrera ahead of the release of her debut album A Fearful & Wondrous Thing, a project that marks a deeply personal and defining moment in her artistic journey. Blending emotional honesty with cinematic, story-driven pop, Melanie has created a distinctive world she describes as “storybook pop” — where narrative, vulnerability, and theatricality all meet.
In this conversation, we explore the themes at the heart of her work: fear, growth, identity, and what it means to fully step into life, with all its contradictions. From being a self-described “late bloomer” in the music industry to navigating creativity in a fast-paced environment, she reflects on the experiences that have shaped both her music and her perspective as an artist.
We also discuss her new single “I Think I Lied,” her approach to balancing lightness and emotional depth in songwriting, and the cultural and familial influences — from a psychotherapist mother to a Latin jazz musician father — that have shaped her emotional language and artistic voice.
At its core, this interview offers a glimpse into the world behind A Fearful & Wondrous Thing: a record built on reflection, courage, and the willingness to embrace life in all its complexity.
Photo credit: Armaan Virani
Hi Melanie, how are you today?
Doing well! Just got a new haircut so feeling fabulous! What's better than a haircut, honestly.
Your debut album A Fearful & Wondrous Thing is about to be released—how does it feel to be at this moment of arrival in your career?
It feels like about time. I feel really proud of myself, I never thought I would get myself here to be honest. I'm thankful for every step.
The album is described as a “life lived in full.” What does that mean to you personally?
Fear held me back for years from being a person who felt capable of going after my goals. And listen, fear is a very useful emotion; it helps keep us safe, it helps us build boundaries and limits, but sometimes it can take over to the point where it prevents you from engaging fully with your life... because you're afraid. Of pain, of failure, of embarrassment... Turns out, the best way to experience the best parts of life is to embrace all of those things. You can't achieve greatness without extreme failure, you can't experience love without the pain of loss, you can't build confidence without self-doubt. The album explores these different emotions to paint a picture of a multicolored life.
You’ve spoken about being a “late bloomer” as an artist. How has that shaped your relationship with creativity and success?
I love this question! It's made me work harder. It's made me laser-focused because I feel like I'm playing catch-up. It's made me unapologetic in the pursuit of success – I think partially because I'm older now and I feel less sorry for being myself, haha. I'm like... this is who I am, and I think I'm good enough. So excuse me while I keep going.
It makes me look at creativity less like something that happens to me, and something that I can create and work at. Again, I feel pressure to get better faster. So I work at it more regularly than I did when I was younger. I feel overall less afraid of failure, both in the process of creation and in the pursuit of success. I have actually come to love it – growth feels more like a painting that I work at bit by bit. A mistake can just be used to contribute to the work that is my life and my career.
Your new single, “I Think I Lied," explores contradiction, emotional tension, and romantic impulse. Where did that story or feeling come from?
Have you ever broken up with someone and regretted it? I'm just a girl! Haha. I feel like summer is a sexy time – and I love ushering in the warm weather with songs about emotional tension and attraction.
The song feels both playful and emotionally restless—how do you balance lightness and depth in your songwriting?
I think it depends on the song – with this one, I incorporated some colloquial language amidst the poetic to make it feel more fun. Some of the language in the verses, especially the opening verse, moves along quickly to play into the fliratious energy. I also think that Tiger's production helps keep the energy of the song high.
You describe your style as “storybook-pop.” How would you define that world for someone discovering your music for the first time?
Storybook Pop (n): the intersection of narrative lyrics, theatrical melody, sweeping orchestral arrangements, and modern pop production.
Your songs feel very cinematic and character-driven. Do you see yourself more as a storyteller, a performer, or both?
Definitely both. My passion is performing, and I use storytelling to be able to do that.
Growing up with a psychotherapist mother and a Latin jazz musician father, how did that shape your emotional and musical language?
I think it definitely made me more emotionally intelligent – I have to thank my mom for that. I have always been a very sensitive and emotional person and was never taught to be anything different, which I consider very lucky. It's helped me be more open with my creative work. I think that my dad is a super talented musician – I feel like his influence helped me have good taste. I was exposed to original music and different genres and cultures of music early on in my life. Also very lucky!
You were raised between Mexican and Argentinean heritage in a very musical environment—how does that cultural background influence your artistry today?
I think most of my songs are a little danceable, and that's not NOT the Latina in me. I love a rhythm. I also think being bilingual has helped me be fun with the rhythm of language. I can tend to be a little verbose in lyrics, but I don't mind it. I like words, haha. Maybe it also means some Spanish language music is on the horizon :) We'll see.
You also trained in ballet, choir, and acting before fully returning to songwriting. Do those disciplines still influence your creative process or performances?
Absolutely. I think of myself as an entertainer, not just a singer. And I think that the best pop acts give you a show when you go see them. I strive to do something similar. I will never just stand there and sing – I've got bits, I've got jokes, I'm dancing, I'm moving... It's planned, it's rehearsed, it's prepared. I think being trained in multiple disciplines makes me have an appreciation for a good show.
Your “Nepo Baby Vocal Warm-Ups” series went viral online. How has that experience changed your relationship with visibility and social media?
It has completely cracked open my online world and allowed me to reach so many new people! Which has been incredible. It definitely has its challenges. People can sometimes forget you're a person and say such crazy things – but it's given me MUCH thicker skin, which has been a pleasant learning experience!
What are your thoughts on today’s music industry? If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
If I may be so bold... I would entirely eradicate streaming. I feel like it has devalued music – the fact that we spent thousands of dollars to make and market one song... only to get, like, .00001 cents when a human listens to it? The math isn't mathing.
As an artist, what have been your biggest challenges so far?
As an indie artist trying to grow, the hardest part for me has been the intensity of the pace. We're encouraged to be releasing music every 6-8 weeks, which I have done for the past 3-4 years. There's not a ton of downtime, which I think can be necessary for creativity to blossom. You have to sort of learn how to be outputting and creating all at the same time, which doesn't always feel natural. There is also very little extended rest.
And on the other side — what do you consider the best part of being an artist?
That I get to be in charge of my own ship! I auditioned/worked in TV/Film for years. I always hated how everything felt out of my control – I really have always been a person who likes to make my own things and run my own show. That has been the joy of my life in this most recent chapter.
How do you take care of your mental health in such a demanding and fast-paced industry?
Therapy, sleep, prayer, keeping my friends and family close and prioritized, and remembering to take FULL DAYS of rest. I also find that staying as organized as possible helps me keep calm as I plow forward.
What are the biggest lessons you’ve learned so far in your career and as a person?
Many. Here are a few favorites:
1. A coach once taught me, "It's not a problem, it's just information." I love applying this when things don't go quite the way I thought.
2. No one is coming to save you, and effort is not cringe, so you better get up and try something 'cuz it's the only way anything will ever happen.
3. Trial and error is part of learning anything and trying anything. Stop looking at failure like it's this big, horrible thing – it's the error part of trial and error. It's not bad, it's necessary. A computer will teach itself to play chess by trial and error; we need to take the emotion out of it so we can keep going. It's not a problem, it's just information!
Finally, what do you hope listeners take away from A Fearful & Wondrous Thing?
I hope that they come into contact with the intangible magic of being alive, even if it's just for a moment. I hope it reminds them how wild and wonderful it is to be lucky enough to be here. There's a lot of little magical moments in this album that I hope people love.
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