Career Woman – Mel’s Drive In

Career Woman, the indie rock project led by 20-year-old songwriter Melody Caudill, shares “Mel’s Drive In,” the second single from her upcoming debut album, Lighthouse, out June 6 via Lauren Records.

“Even now that I know who I am / it still hurts the same,” Caudill opens on “Mel’s Drive In,” over a backdrop of nostalgic, reverb-laden guitar and pedal steel. The track follows the trajectory of a single day, revived by late-night diner food, after a long day of driving around Los Angeles and the emotional fatigue following a break-up. 

“It encapsulates the bittersweet, exhausting recovery after a grueling break-up I was going through at the time, surrounded by hometown friends and destroying a Beyond Burger,” Caudill explains.

The accompanying music video – written and directed by Caudill, and shot and edited by Tristian Padron – blends cozy studio footage with dreamy diner scenes that feel lifted from a coming-of-age film.

With Lighthouse, Career Woman chronicles a transformative period of young adulthood, tracing back-to-back heartbreaks, self-discovery, and the realization of Caudill’s queer identity. The 11-track record is an intimate time capsule set against raw, hook-driven indie rock.

#melodycaudill