Melody Swink: Today is Someday

My family never fostered my musical potential but I sang anyway. I used to put on shows and act like the Supremes. Of course, I was always Diana. I always saw myself as the star. I used to work during the summers picking strawberries and apples so I could buy clothes to blend in with the smart kids in my classroom who lived in the better neighborhoods.�

When you see former model Melody Swink walking down the street, you don’t walk on by as is indicated in the song “Walk on Byâ€? featured on her current CD “Today is Someday.â€?  No, in fact, you stop and listen.   Swink’s cache of songs “Let’s Stay Together,â€? “Heaven,â€? “Honeysuckle Roseâ€? and “Why,â€? soothe the soul with their smooth jazzy refrains, classic vocals and up tempo beat which even has jazz legend extraordinaire, Ramsey Lewis, accompanying her on piano for two of her songs “I’m Still In Love With Youâ€? and “Time.â€?  Music critics have described Melody’s sound as impressive and claim she has the stylings reminiscent of Sade and the intimacy of Diane Krall.   However, I would say Melody’s choice of music is reflective of herself.  Her songs like passages in her life, speak to the heart and soul of her passions and experiences.  She sings from the soul with a depth of feel that can only get better with time.

“Each song depicts a certain aspect of my life.  When looking at the cover songs, my primary selection process was about the story and whether or not I connected to the works emotionally,â€? claimed Melody.  “Each song, whether it was by Burt Bacharach, R Kelly or Alanis Morrisette, called for me to dive into the story so that I could convey the artist’s meaning in my own words.  The song “Walk On Byâ€? for instance, has been done wonderfully by Dionne Warwick, so what could I add to it.  I took a look at the lyrics and listened in the studio and thought the thing I could bring was a sassiness and the sweet quality of my voiceâ€? commented Melody.

Melody who was raised in a small suburb outside of San Diego, California, presently lives the single life in Chicago.  She occasionally feels that void one feels when dwelling in a big city.  “I wrote “Romeovoidâ€? because the song reflects how one feels in those instances when they really would like to be holding hands with someone.  Although, right now, I am not looking for a man, there are times I miss romance.  I am attracted to extremely intelligent men.  I would love to have the kind of man who appreciates my strengths and values those characteristics that reflect the core of who I amâ€? states the elegant singer/songwriter.

Melody was born into an extremely poor family.  Her father was an authoritative and violent man of German ancestry.  Her mother is Puerto Rican and came up in an environment which didn’t encourage women to strive beyond marriage.  Swink was the youngest of 4 daughters and a disappointment to her father who wanted a boy.  “When I was 6, my father took a 2 x 4 to my sister, beating her so severely my mother decided it was time to leave.  The only skill my mother knew was sewing so she got a job in a pajama factory. When you grow up in a household that views the female worth via your reproductive abilities and your ability to get and keep a man, is it any wonder my sisters married and had kids.  During this period, I was sent to 3 different foster homes.  I didn’t get along with my mother’s boyfriend, so after the foster homes, I lived in Oakland, California with my sister.  The one thing that I did do was keep up with my schoolingâ€? reflected the beautiful artist.

Melody certainly earned her name because music was the salve that kept Melody going.  “My family never fostered my musical potential but I sang anyway.  I used to put on shows and act like the Supremes.  Of course, I was always Diana.  I always saw myself as the star.  I used to work during the summers picking strawberries and apples so I could buy clothes to blend in with the smart kids in my classroom who lived in the better neighborhoods.â€?

It is clear when you view the Double CD album book which houses Melody’s CD’s, a great deal of care went into the making of it, not only the CD but the jacket in which the CDs are contained. Those readers who wish to know more about Melody and acquire her CD can go to www.melodysongs.com

“When you come from lack, you have that desire to do better, at least I did and that is part of who I am to this day,� claims the singer who plans on touring shelters when marketing her CD.
“I want to go into these shelters and face these women, face-to-face and eye-to-eye and tell them I have been there too.  I want to tell them that I was a product of that but at the end of the day, here I am.  I want to represent that they can keep the faith, keep hope and let them know their dreams can come trueâ€? says Melody with a haunting look.

“The person that I have become is reflected within the visuals of my album because I didn’t just want to present the image of an attractive woman.  It was about presenting ‘the woman.’  I want people to listen to the CD, read the jacket and get a slice of the Melody experienceâ€? explained Ms Swink.  “Hope doesn’t just happen, hope needs to be fostered. I was at a crossroads when I wrote “Today is Someday.â€?  I wanted people to know they can eventually reach their destination.  My song says you are never too far gone.  My theme is that everyone has a someday.  People say someday I am going to do this, or someday I am going to do that.  My song is saying, today is that some day.â€?

 

 

 

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