Exclusive Interview with Singer Melanie Amaro

A few years ago I was sitting at home watching X Factor US when something special happened. An 18-year-old girl from Sunrise, Florida took the stage and proceeded to blow everyone away with her extraordinary talent. Her name is Melanie Amaro and she has the kind of natural talent that most singers dream of having.
If you asked me to pick out the names of people who have performed on X Factor I’d fail miserably. However, years later I still remember Melanie. From the moment she opened her mouth I was amazed. By the end of her performance, I had the chills over my entire body and was ugly crying. This only happens when I hear an artist that hits me right in the feels. Which she did…in spades.
So without further ado, I reintroduce you to Melanie Amaro.
Your new song “The One” has recently been released. What was your inspiration for this song?
Everyone has that special someone and they’re always looking for their soul mate. They’re looking for that special one for them and I think this song gives them that hope that there is someone out there for them. I’m just providing the music for everybody to be able to find their special one.
Will you be following up the release of your song with an album?
I’m following the song up with an EP. The EP is called “Nice Nasty”. I’m super, super excited for everybody to hear what I’ve been working on. Hopefully, after I get the EP out I’ll be able to tour and share my music with my fans. I’d like to go out, hit the streets, and meet all the people that have been supporting me.
It’s definitely in my plans to release the EP quite soon actually. I’m so excited.
How did you get into singing?
I didn’t get into it. (laughs). I was kind of born with it. I was born with the gift and I was in the womb and I was singing. My mom would always say that as soon as I came out of her stomach, I was singing. At around 6 months I was developing a voice box and the melodies started flowing and the music just started playing in my head. Since then I have not been able to turn it off.
When you sing you have a passion that emanates from you. Where does this come from?
My passion for music. I mean that’s all I really can say. The passion and love that I have for my craft that’s really the driving thing behind it. I feel the music all throughout my body. I feel it down to my very pinky toes. Music is the drive behind everything that I’m doing.
Do you think being raised in the British Virgin Islands has influenced your sound?
Oh definitely! It definitely helped with that Caribbean feel that’s behind my music. It’s also allowed me to relate to people who grew up on the islands and whatnot.
Also, the Virgin Islands, have their own types of soulful music. They have their R&B and we have artists that come from the Virgin Islands that do R&B, Pop and other sorts of music. So I definitely feel being from the Caribbean has influenced me a whole lot in my musical journey.
7 years ago you auditioned for The X Factor USA. When you sang you blew everyone away with your talent. What did it feel like when you finished singing “Listen” on the audition stage?
I was nervous but I wasn’t really nervous. If that makes sense. (laughs). I was more excited than anything. My thoughts were “OMG what do they think?” That type of feeling. I knew I had done such a great job. It was just like BANG! I just left everything on that stage. I think there was a mixture of nervousness, anxiousness, excitement, and anxiety. It was a bunch of mixed feelings.
Initially, you didn’t make it past the judge’s houses. What did it feel like when Simon came to your house and told you he had made a mistake and wanted you on the live shows?
(laughs). I was shocked and I thought he was kidding. I couldn’t believe it. It really blew me away. I could not believe it.
For myself and many others, your other big breakout moment on The X Factor was when you sang “Earth Song” by Michael Jackson. What was the process in picking out that specific song and putting it together for the live shows?
It was for Michael Jackson week. So we had picked out songs that we wanted to do that we enjoyed from Michael Jackson. That song was about everything that was going on in the world. It was just the perfect song to sing in my opinion. Simon said, “Oh yeah this is the song we need to do and I think you have the ability to kill it.” So I just went out there. I rehearsed and practiced the song and it became a part of me and I just went out there and sang it.
Looking at it from my perspective it didn’t seem like you expected to win The X Factor. How did it feel when your name was called as the winner?
Well, I didn’t expect to win. (laughs). I always thought “if I make it far, that’s great. At least I gave it my best.” I was stunned when I won. I was really shocked. I could not believe that I had won. You could see it on my face the night that I won. I was so shocked that he said my name. I was like “OMG Really? Did he just say me?” Everyone was like “Yeah he said you!” So it was so surreal. It was an amazing experience that I will never, ever forget.
I was actually surprised that you were able to sing after your name was announced as the winner.
Yeah, definitely. I think a lot of people were definitely saying to me “Girl you got this! You’re gonna win.” Everybody backstage was like “Girl this is a cakewalk for you. Your voice is amazing. America’s heard it. The judges love it. You’re gonna win.” But I was still telling everyone “There is no way. Do you see who I’m up against? Do you see the people I’m up against?” It’s ridiculous.
In the past few years, you’ve taken a break from professional singing. What have you done in your time off?
I’ve just been working on the music. I’ve been working on the EP that’s coming out, “Nice Nasty”. I was also just trying to find myself as an artist. Trying to find myself as a woman, as an artist, as a singer. Trying to just find my sound and switch gears from what I was doing previously. I was just going the direction that my heart was leading me.
We at TNWU all have something nerdy/geeky about us. What is something nerdy or geeky about you?
I am actually very tech savvy. I am good with any phone, computer, device, etc. Everybody in my family always comes to me when they have problems with their phones or computer. (laughs). I love Apple products. I love all their products. Macs, iPhones, iPads, anything. I have them all. I have one of each of their products. Shout out to Apple! I have all their products and I love Apple!
Where can you find Melanie online