Melissa INDOT's star is fast rising in the International music scene with the recent release of her English language album 'Eclecticism'. This young siren possesses a combination of spunk and warmth, beauty and wit that's very hard to miss. And she's got the powerful singing voice to boot.

Profile
FULL NAME: Melissa INDOT
PLACE OF BIRTH: Kuala Lumpur
AGE: My Mother always told me no one shuld ever ask your age, so my response is I'm as old as u want me to be!
CITY OF RESIDENCE: KL
EDUCATION: UNIVERSITY OF LIFE
CAREER: MUSIC ~ My debut Album ECLECTICISM is available in Malaysia and soon in the region.

How old were you when you started singing?
I think I was singing or at least humming before I could talk!

What was your childhood like with your family?
Filled with love and music, music and love.

Did your family contribute to your musicality if at all?
Absolutely! My parents are music lovers themselves and I believe that even if they did not notice the natural magnetism I had for music they would still have encouraged me to have music in my life. My siblings encouraged me too as I was growing up and my parents insisted on the the discipline and structure of formal training. I studied piano to Grade 8 and did Vocal training to Grade 5 whilst still at secondary school.

At which point in your life did you know you'd have music as a career?
As much as music had been a huge part of my ife, it was never something I had planned to have as a career.

So how did you start out as a musician in London?
Completely by accident. A songwriter friend of mine asked if I was interested in collaborating with her on her music demos. We'd never worked together and unlike her, I had absolutely no experience in the industry. I was fresh into my 20s and had nothing to lose. Saw it as an extension to my music hobby and gave it a shot! The rest is history.

Tell us about how you broke out into the UK music scene.
When I was in the music busines in the UK I was part of a duo. I think our unique selling point at that time was that we didn't look like anyone else in the business. I'm of mixed parentage and my music partner is EurAsian. In a musical climate where the majority of new acts, (primarily boy and girl bands) were formed by record companies and were very homogenised, our image coupled with the fact that we wrote, programmed, produced and mixed our own material between the two of us, was something that helped us gain interest.

How do you classify your music?
It's commercial radio friendly music that you can sing along to.

Musical influences?
My musical influences are eclectic and range from Quincy Jones to Dionne Warwick to Nina Simone to Maroon 5 to Ne-Yo to Madonna to Zero 7 to Sade to The Fray to Jamiroquai to Timbaland to Moloko to The Killers to Amy Winehouse to Stevie Wonder to Bjork! How much time do you have?

Ok but if you were to pick ONE favourite international artist, who would it be?
Madonna. Master Performer, Entertainer and writer of killer hook melodies!

You have a great sense of fashion, how would you describe your style?
I wouldn't go so far to say that I have a great sense of fashion! Actually I like to keep things fairly simple and clean. Mix and match. Funky with fine High street with classic timeless items. Most important thing for me is comfort.

Do you consciously make your music define every outfit you wear?
I write about all sorts of things in my music, differing emotions and moods and thoughts and experiences. In the same way, my songs often come out in different genres of music, be it pop, RnB, chillout, dance etc. Similarly, I like to dress in many different ways, never sticking to one particular style or fashion trend. The culmination of these elements that relate to me, inspired the title "ECLECTICISM" for my debut solo album, as not only does it describe my music, but it describes who Melissa Indot is.

Tell us about your decision to move back to KL from London, how did that decision come to be?
It was one made on impulse. After over 20 years living away from KL, I started to come back more often on holiday. One fine day in May 2003, I was holidaying in KL and I decided that my life needed a change. I flew back to London a week later, I packed up my life and by July 4th I was back in KL!

How is the Malaysian audience when you perform?
The Malaysian audience I've experienced so far, can be shy at times, often a little slow to warm up, but once they let go of their self consciousness, they are incredibly enthusiastic, encouraging and supportive!

What's in store for your fans in the near future?
Lots of gigs so they get to see me perform the songs off the album LIVE, possibly even a roadshow. And more exciting music videos!

Care to share long-term plans for your career?
To continue writing, possibly for other artists too and to take my music out of Malaysia, to the region and beyond.

Our pick from Melissa's 'Eclecticism' album is the track called 'Little Girls'... For more information on Melissa's songs, album and shows, visit her website www.melissaindot.com