Melody McArthur
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada | Established. Jan 01, 2014 | SELF
Music
Press
Melody McArthur is an indie, self-managed, singer/songwriter from Edmonton, AB, Canada and most recently she turned indie pop and R&B artist. She released Indigenuity which incorporates R&B and soul but under the umbrella of pop music.
There are a wide range of songs which bring different energy. She starts with “Miwasin” which is built on a heavy kick drum, synths and all around upbeat mix of dance worthy elements. The vocals are dynamic and lyrically very positive. On the verse she goes a little bit above a whisper and lets loose on the chorus.
That dance beat continues on “Vibing.” This song is a thumper and definitely feels like a celebration. There are a couple of pretty straightforward breakdowns which lead to the anthemic chorus. “Nepewihowin” was a highlight. She puts the 4/4 kick drum to the side on this song and delivers more into atmosphere and the lead vocals. Her vocals sound great in a ballad like this and I thought her singing here really shines.
“Implore” doesn't exactly go into a club feel again. There is a nice mix of soul and pop on this song. It’s an explosive song bursting with bright instrumentation and plenty of hooks. She sings about race on “Sipihkaw” with an absolute heaving hitting beat. “Mon Amour” is a love song at its core. It’s emotionally resonant, warm and has a kicking sub bass. “Versatile” is a fun song with a good amount of attitude while the closer “Family” is a hopeful and life affirming closer.
Indigenuity is very well produced album with plenty of hooks for music fans. The eight songs on here display her talent and undeniable voice. - Divide and Conquer; Jamie Funk
The album Redneck Reservation tackles some difficult themes of love and loss, perhaps most bravely and poignantly on Still, a number about losing a child to a stillbirth — something McArthur faced a few years ago — and subsequent feelings of isolation. One of the happier, more upbeat numbers, Barley Soup (complete with an extra remix version) has gained national radio play on various public stations. - Edmonton Journal; Roger Levesque
Discography
October 2019, Indigenuity, 8-tracks - Melody McArthur
November 2018, Redneck Reservation, 10-tracks - (former artist name) Kristen McArthur
Photos
Bio
Melody McArthur is a Pop-R&B indie musician based out of Edmonton, AB. Her sophomore self-released album, aptly titled Indigenuity, captures the versatility of not only her song writing abilities, but also her captivating vocal range. Her capacity to fit into multiple genres with ease is beguiling as in November 2018 she independently released a debut country album; Redneck Reservation. Indigenuity self-released October 18, 2019 and features the production talents of Louis-Phillippe Moore (RedRockerz), Tomas Brabec (Octavo Productions), Justin McDonough and Conor Wharton (Resonate Music). The album was funded in part by Canada Council for the Arts.
Indigenuity, is an anglo-slang whereby Indigenous meets ingenuity; an album filled with decolonial ideologies, Nehiyaw (Cree) inspired titles and artwork, and a mixture of dance, pop, and hip-hop elements. However, her personal influences range from Tove Lo and Shania Twain, to the renowned author Richard Wagameese and the late Tejano singer Selena Quintanilla-Perez. Melody says she admires "the spirit and gifted teachings" of individual artists and strives to "be the example" she wants to see in the world.
Melody has been recording original works since 2014; her most memorable performances include (but are certainly not limited to) the 2010 CCMA's (choir backup for Johnny Reid), 2017 APTN Aboriginal Day Live, 2019 CBC Centre Stage, 2019 Skirts-A-Fire Festival; and the Douglas Corner Cafe (2018/2019), and world famous Bluebird Cafe (2019) in Nashville, TN. In 2018 she made the front page of the Edmonton Journal (entertainment section; Roger Levesque) for Redneck Reservation. She is a two-time Edmonton Music Award nominee (Indigenous Recording of the Year), a two-time Spirit Seekers Arts, Music and Creativity recipient, an Esquao Award recipient (2013), a TD Monnex Leadership Award recipient (2015), and University of Alberta Alumni.
Band Members
Links
