We were lucky to catch up with Melia Hudgin recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Melia, thanks for joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

My most meaningful project would be the one I’m currently working on! I’m working with a couple different producers for this album (shoutout Lottoz) and we’ve started creating demos for my debut album which will be a mix of electronic songs that have a similar vibe. I’m experimenting with deep house, d&b, and I expect to be trying out some different sub-genres like EDM and maybe techno. The songs will all have a melodic component to them with a typical lyric structure (intro, verse, pre-chorus, chorus, verse, bridge, chorus) along with heavy instrumental breaks that’ll keep everyone moving! These are definitely catchy club bangers.
I originally started my professional music career writing sad r&b songs, when I preformed them I noticed the energy in the room and although I love moving people emotionally I felt there was something missing. This is when I decided to focus on higher energy songs that can be played in diverse environments, I realized that I loved seeing people dance and move to my music. The best part is that I can have emotional lyrics over a high energy beat so my audience gets the best of both worlds.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I was born and raised in Whitehorse, Yukon, immersed in my Indigenous heritage. I am a proud member of both the Kwanlin Dün First Nation (Yukon) and the Tahltan First Nation (Northern BC), with roots tracing back to the Kaska Dena, Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in, and Tahltan peoples.

My passion for music and art ignited as soon as I could speak. I began singing at a very young age, participating in numerous musicals from grade two through high school. At 15, I started performing with a cover band in small venues around Whitehorse and eventually began producing my own music, initially sharing it on Soundcloud. After high school, I took a gap year, contemplating studies in engineering, physics, or music. I chose music, a decision that proved to be the best one I could have made. During my search for the top music schools in Canada, The Harris Institute in Toronto stood out. Without visiting Toronto, I applied, was accepted, and soon moved there.

At the Harris Institute, I earned two diplomas—one in Music Business and another in Audio Engineering. I specialized in marketing and events within the business program, discovering a passion for combining my creative and analytical skills to help others achieve their goals. This aligns perfectly with what I love in life. While studying, I gained extensive experience in marketing and events. My latest project was a women’s charity event called HERSTORY. I’ve also curated events with labs.to, Adaka Cultural Festival, and organized my own release show, open mics, and artist showcases. Additionally, I’ve managed multiple artists’ social media, created advertisements, websites, graphic designs, logos, and more. As a musician, I continue to perform at open mics, festivals, and venues across Canada, take singing lessons, enhance my production skills, and collaborate with other artists.

After graduating from the Harris Institute, I decided to stay in Toronto. Alongside my music career, I pursued the Fashion Studies program at Seneca, which greatly enhanced my creative skills. Although I planned to continue for an advanced diploma, I chose to explore another path.

With a desire to start my own business, I sought further education and am now in my second semester of Business-Marketing at Seneca, which I thoroughly enjoy. I recently soft-launched my new venture, MLH Marketing & Events, offering tailored marketing and event services for clients in both corporate and music industries. My services include digital/social media marketing, advertising, artist marketing management, logo creation, website development, asset/content curation, event curation, event promotion, and more. I am deeply dedicated to helping people achieve their goals.

As an artist, my goal has always been to move people. I have several singles scheduled for release this year, starting with an R&B track releasing July 15th titled “Yeah Right,” which explores mental health and substance abuse. Two more singles are forthcoming: “Deception & Rejection,” another soulful R&B track, and “Like You,” a fun house track.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

It was a very tough decision for me to decide to leave my family and move across the country to pursue a career in music, yet it’s been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life. Growing up in a small town I was always used to having my whole family around and its tough now only seeing them a few times a year. I love Toronto, the busy city, and the energy it possesses but I’ll always miss being up north with the diverse wildlife and beautiful scenes. In Whitehorse, Yukon you have wilderness right out your back door. Ultimately, I’m very happy with where this decision has led me and I look forward to when my career really takes off and I can be around family more often.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I feel the greatest reward pursuing what I love and in doing that, finding my path in life. I’m someone who loves change, it keeps things very interesting for me. Having a career that allows me to have my own business with very low overhead at such a young age is something I’m so grateful for. I can honestly thank all my years in diverse post secondary programs along with my real lived experience for giving me an extremely broad skill set. This allows me to have a career in music in tandem with a career in diverse business industries which is very rewarding for me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://MLHMarketing-Events.com
• Instagram: @ThePrincessMelia @MLHMarketing_Events
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theprincessmelia
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melia-lillian-9a910320b/
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/bloodymelia

Image Credits

Julia Paliy
Isaac Pumphrey
Virgil E