American rock singer-songwriter, guitarist, and activist Melissa Etheridge has been producing music for over 27 years and is still coming up with new music, new sounds, and new ways to reach her audience.
You may have seen her in the past, possibly at Centre In The Square in 2011 with special guest, Serena Ryder. Melissa joins us again in September, this time singing some of her greatest hits as well as songs from her latest album, This is M.E. During our exclusive interview, we asked Melissa about her latest album, her recent move to go independent and create her own label, and her newly released CD/DVD/BluRay.
Q: WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO CREATE YOUR OWN LABEL?
A: In the music industry, the advent of technology completely changed the way people get their music. The industry really narrowed its market to certain types of music and a certain listener and the funds dried up for everyone else. It is also a time in the rise of the power of the artists, and I can now reach my fans and reach the people who want to hear my music and participate in it directly. I used to have to go through corporations before but I have changed management and made a big change in my whole business model so that we could do that and reach people. It has been so successful because it’s not so much that we’re selling the product anymore, but we’re selling me.
Q: WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES IN BEING INDEPEDENT IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY?
A: All the challenges have turned out to be great learning lessons. The biggest challenge was probably the budget of the album but we ended up collaborating with producers and writers by giving them a piece of the song, rather than a certain amount of money up front to make it more of a collaborative effort. This helped me to grow as an artist so much and the result is this album which is so many types of influences that I have and love. You can listen to it and go wow, there’s country and rock and hip-hop all on one album and in the centre of it is me and my music.
Listen to Melissa Etheridge’s ‘Monster’ from album This Is M.E.
Q: YOU RECENTLY RELEASED YOUR LIVE CD/DVD/BLURAY – A LITTLE BIT OF ME: LIVE IN L.A. WHERE DID THAT IDEA COME FROM?
A: I have had many different bands and musicians and phases of my performing career. I have put out several different live DVDs and I like to film those and have a memory of that time. What I do live is the best thing I do, so I like to present that every now and again in this form.
Check out the trailer to A Little Bit Of Me: Live In LA.
See Melissa Etheridge like never before during her solo performance on September 21. Get your tickets to this one-of-a-kind intimate show before they’re all gone!
