Mélissa Laveaux facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mélissa Laveaux
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| Background information | |
| Born | 9 January 1985 Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Genres | Indie rock, folk rock, pop rock |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar |
| Labels | No Format!, Malleable Records |
| Associated acts | Gautier Vizioz |
Mélissa Laveaux, born on January 9, 1985, is a talented Canadian singer, songwriter, and guitarist. She has Haitian family roots. Her music is a cool mix of roots, folk, and blues. She plays the guitar in a special, rhythmic way and sings with a lot of feeling.
In 2006, Mélissa released her first album of original songs. She worked with percussionist Rob Reid and Lisa Patterson to create it. People in music magazines, like ColorLines, have praised her work. She even won an award for her song "Koud'lo" at a folk music festival in 2006.
Contents
About Mélissa Laveaux
Early Career and Performances
Mélissa Laveaux has opened shows for many artists who inspired her. These include Meshell Ndegeocello, Feist, and Lura. She has also performed at jazz and pop music festivals all over the world. Most of her shows have been in France, but she also performs in Japan and Spain.
Some of the big festivals she has played at include the Montreal International Jazz Festival. She performed there in 2007, 2009, and 2010. Other festivals include Cully Jazz, Donostia Jazzaldia, and Les Francofolies de La Rochelle. She has also been a guest on many CBC Radio shows in Canada.
Education and Collaborations
Mélissa Laveaux is not just a musician; she also studied at university. In December 2007, she earned a special degree in Ethics from the University of Ottawa.
In 2009, Mélissa worked with a producer named MaJiKer. They created a song together for his music project. Later, in 2018, her album Radyo Siwel was nominated for the Polaris Music Prize. This is a big award for Canadian music.
Her Albums
Camphor and Copper
In July 2006, Mélissa Laveaux released her first album, Camphor & Copper. It came out on an independent record label called Malleable Records. In 2007, she won a special grant from the Lagardère Talent foundation. She used this money to record a new version of Camphor & Copper.
This new version was released by No Format! in 2008. It had some new songs and some old ones were removed. The album included covers of "I wanna be evil" by Eartha Kitt and "Needle in the Hay" by Elliott Smith. She also sang a traditional Creole lullaby called "Dodo Titit". Many talented musicians helped with this album. It was released in many European countries and then in Canada in 2010.
In 2009, Mélissa worked with producer Mocky. They made a cover of Beyoncé's popular song "Crazy in Love". This song was added to a special deluxe version of Camphor & Copper.
Dying is a Wild Night
Mélissa's second full-length album came out in February 2013 in Europe. It was called Dying Is a Wild Night. This title was inspired by a quote from the famous poet Emily Dickinson.
Musicians on the Album
- The Jazz Basterds: Ludovic Bruni, Vincent Taeger, and Vincent Taurelle played guitar, bass, drums, and keyboards.
- Mélissa Laveaux played guitar and sang the main and backing vocals.
- Thea Hjelmeland sang backing vocals.
Production Team
- Mélissa Laveaux wrote the songs.
- Ludovic Bruni, Vincent Taeger, and Vincent Taurelle produced the album.
- Bertrand Fresel mixed the music.
- Adam Ayan mastered the album, making it ready for release.
Discography
Albums (full-length)
- Camphor & Copper (Malleable Records, 2006)
- Camphor & Copper (No Format!, 2009)
- Dying Is a Wild Night (No Format!, 2013)
- Radyo Siwel (2018)
- Mama Forgot Her Name Was Miracle (2022)
Demos
- Four Piece Mosaic
- Live at Alumni
- Warm Milk and Honey
Compilations
- Hands off Haiti (2007)
- Nos Artistes – édition branchée (2007)
- SOS Haiti (2010)
