We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Melissa Divanna. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Melissa below.

Alright, Melissa thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. One of the toughest things about progressing in your creative career is that there are almost always unexpected problems that come up – problems that you often can’t read about in advance, can’t prepare for, etc. Have you had such and experience and if so, can you tell us the story of one of those unexpected problems you’ve encountered?

I definitely have had many unexpected issues arise throughout my creative journey. One of these problems that I have faced stems from my extreme perfectionism. I always knew I was very hard on myself, but I did not expect my extreme self criticism to almost throw me off course.

There have been various times that my perfectionism over a specific project has led to such self doubt that I ended up not completing it at all. There have been many times that I had dedicated endless time into a song or music video, just to end up feeling like it was not good enough. As a result I would not complete it and all of that hard work would essentially go to waste.

As an artist being critical of your work is inevitable. In some cases, it may even be a good thing in order to help assure you are presenting your best work to the world. With that said, In my case I feel like there were many times I took the negative views on my work too far and it led to discouragement rather than growth.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a singer/songwriter primarily focused on creating pop dance anthems. My backstory heavily influences the type of music I make.

Growing up I suffered from extreme Body Dysmorphia and found solace in female pop empowerment anthems. These songs helped me escape to a place where I felt strong and beautiful. This type of music is ultimately what embarked me on my musical journey. I am now on a mission to give back the pop anthems that saved my life to those that are still struggling to find themselves.

I strive to be a multifaceted artist. Aside from being a vocalist, I also write all of my own songs. I have spent years acquiring the skill set of creating unique catchy melodies and lyrics. Recording and producing my own vocals is another aspect of the songwriting process that I have been able to learn.

I also love the visual side of music. I create all of my own cover art, graphics, and promotional material. I am also very hands on with my music videos and execute the vision from start to finish.

I always love to push my creativity to new levels. I am currently challenging myself to create a music video all alone, by myself, in my bedroom, with no budget. So far I am very excited with the results, so definitely stay tuned to see that!

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

As I was saying before, my perfectionism became a huge obstacle for me. It has definitely been a lesson that I have had to unlearn.

I think we grow up with certain expectations set on ourselves. I told myself my entire life to strive for perfection. I had to learn the hard way that that mind set only slows down your progress. I think it is important to take pride in your work and make it the best you can, but with that said, it can not come at the expense of the enjoyment of your craft.

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

Resilience is a key component when it comes to success in any aspect of life.

For me, I have been rejected endlessly on my journey, but I do not let it detour me from my determination. Even some music professionals that I greatly admire have told me that my work is not good enough. Nothing hurts more than pouring your heart and soul into something and then not having people believe in it. It truly is so disheartening and can make you want to give up completely.

I still am working on staying strong through this. I know that I still have a lot more rejection to come on my journey. I am happy to say tho, that I no longer attach the same emotion and retaliations to negative opinions of my work.

I hope if I stay resilient and continue on with a dedicated mindset, then the rest will fall into place.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: melissadivanna
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@melissadivanna