Melanie Susuras

Melanie Susuras emerged from hiding to play the Lilith Fair Talent Auditions. A fourth generation musician, Melanie has a power and strength in her voice that should be respected. She is confident and self assured both in her music and her daily life. FEMMUSIC was privileged to get an interview with her prior to the Lilith Fair Winners/Women From Mars show. This is what she said:

FEMMUSIC: Before the Lilith Fair Talent Auditions many people were unaware of you. Could you tell me a little about yourself, and how you became interested in music?

MS: I started playing guitar when I was ten years old. My father plays, and his father played, his father’s father played. It’s fourth generation guitar playing. It’s always the first born too which is kind of cool. I’m the first female. My grandfather would play with the likes of Mickey Gilly and the likes of them from Texas. …My father, ….he played with B.B. King. It just runs in the family. I was just lucky enough to pick up a guitar, and my mom made me go to guitar lessons. I was frustrated because I couldn’t play a “G.” And I wanted to quit, but she kept me going. When I started playing guitar at ten I just combined the two and started writing stupid little kids’ songs. (I) sort of matured I guess. That’s pretty much how I got into guitar, guitar lessons, and taught myself the rest. It’s the only schooling that I’ve had on music besides playing in high school and choir. Never really had any formal training at all. Just seems to come from somewhere inside of me. (I) Don’t quite get it.

FEMMUSIC: Just some more basics – Are you a Denver native?

MS: I am. I am a Denver native. I was born at Fitzsimmons Army Hospital in Aurora. Actually a fifth generation native. My family goes way back. There’s still a homestead somewhere out there that we have. I’m of Greek ancestry when they settled out here from Greece. It’s quite a big family. We’re all around here somewhere. Not from California. Not from NY. Born here. Grew up in Green Mountain. Went to Green Mountain High School. Hung out in the foothills for a while. Red Rocks area.

FEMMUSIC: How long have you been playing music professionally?

MS: Professionally? That’s a hard question to answer. I’ve been in clubs since I was twelve. ‘Cause my dad would sneak me in, he played Country music, … (he would) sneak me onstage and I would play three or four songs. But from there, but it’s been sporadic. I … go through phases. I’ll just not play for a while. I’m kind of a chicken when it comes to playing out. I’m getting more comfortable with it. Definitely the last three years I’ve been really getting comfortable with playing in front of people with my music. (I’ve) just been waiting for a chance like the Lilith Fair. I was lucky enough to be selected.

Renne Apodaca, Melanie’s Manager: How long have you been talking about recording a CD?

MS: Since I was born.

FEMMUSIC: Getting picked to play the Lilith Fair is a great honor. How has your life changed because of it?

MS: I’m very humbled by this whole thing. There were 350 tapes submitted. Just to picked out of the twenty that was good enough for me. I was completely happy with that. The fact that I was selected for the first day, I was very honored. If I never go anywhere from here, ….I can say I played the Lilith Fair. That’s pretty cool to be a part of history. I think the Lilith Fair is amazing. I get to do interviews now. (I) get phone calls. (My) name’s been in the paper. It’s a little weird. It’s fun. I’m still on a little adreline high from the whole thing. Like I said before, it’s motivating me to continue, and to try to do something with my music. It’s mostly a hobby for me. I like sharing it with people now.  Now that I have the guts.  I have a lot of people who back me up. Who’ve also been a motivating factor behind this.

FEMMUSIC: Yes I noticed a small group cheering for you at the auditions? (It was a large group)

MS: Yes. I have a huge support group. I have been playing out for three years just not very often. My friends are very supportive. Not because I’m there friend, but really actually because they enjoy my music. They’re cheering for me, and I love that.

FEMMUSIC: You said since the auditions you’re doing more with you music including playing out, and a CD?

MS: Yes. I’m working on that. In the selection process of studio. Which is kind of hard. It should be done by the Lilith Fair (August 28). So I can have one to sell. Mostly it’ll be acosutic. I’ve got a band going. We’re just kind of getting to know each other. We’ll start playing out, hopefully soon. We’ll work in the studio together, and be done by Lilith Fair. Yeah! I have to get it done by Lilith Fair.

FEMMUSIC: I see those as short term goals. Do you have any others that you see as short term? And any as long term goals?

MS: No. I’m just kind of taking it one day at a time. I would love to be successful. If playing music was my job I would love that, but this is a hard business. If something wonderful comes of it that would be wonderful. I’m not letting it get to my head. I’m just taking it one day at a time. I’m going to ….be out there, and get my name out there. (I’m going to) hope for the best. I’m just going to have fun with it. I’ll just say that.

FEMMUSIC: You choose the song “Scar On My Heart” to audition with. Tell me about the song, and why you choose it?

MS: A friend of mine, she’s a poet. I can’t remember the sentence I gave her, but I told her to write some poem with some word in it. And she told me to write a song with the word “scar” in it. I wrote the song from Boulder back to Denver. (I) just put it to music when I got home. You know, it really wasn’t about anyone. Your typical breakup song. Everybody can relate to that. It’s just a song that gets the most reaction. I think people can relate to it. It’s upbeat. It gets the crowd excited, and it’s not even one of my favorites, but it seems to be the one peole want me to play.

FEMMUSIC: What among your song list are your favorites?

MS: They all mean something to me. They all are a part of my history. You know something somebody said, something I’ve gone through, overhearing a conversation …. All I can say is that they have their own special meaning.  I try to write songs that mean something to me, but you still when you listen to it. You can relate to it as well. They’re just about life, …

FEMMUSIC: What music do you listen to? Who has influenced your music the most?

MS: First major influence in my life was probably Olivia Netwton-John when I was a kid. I just loved her.

When I was 18, Melissa Etheridge hit the scene. Women’s music wasn’t that big, especially rock and roll. She really gave me hope. (I) listened to her a lot. Shawn Colvin, Tori Amos…there’s so many. Patti Griffin. Anybody who plays at the Lilith Fair pretty much.   But I listen to everthing from the Beastie Boys, Rage Against the Machine to Mark Romaninoff, you know.

FEMMUSIC: What is your opinion of the Colorado music scene?

MS: I think we sort of go unnoticed. They’re are a lot of really talented musicians out here. I wish people would get behind the musicians more here.  You don’t really here of any big names coming out of Colorado that often. Firefall, of course, Big Head Todd and the Monsters. John Denver. I think there’s a great music scene, and I hope it gets better. The economy’s awesome. It’s growing. It would be cool if we had a music scene like Austin… I could totatally see that because there are just great bands around. I wish there were more female vocalists. So the Women From Mars thing is cool.

FEMMUSIC: What challenges have you faced as a woman singer-songwriter?

MS: You know I haven’t. It’s been really easy for me. I just started playing guitar and picked it up kind of naturally. I always had the teacher’s ear to work with me musically.  When I was in high school my choir teacher, and guitar teacher basically centered the whole concert around four of my songs. Did composing around them. It was really an honor that he would do that.  You know, you always have the end of the year program, and he centered it around my songs. I had a whole choir behind me doing background vocals to my music and it was ….unreal. I’ve been blessed with that. I haven’t had to really go after anything. It just kind of comes to me. And I don’t mean that in a vain way. It’s just that I’ve been lucky I think. Someone’s looking over me in that way.

FEMMUSIC: What is your best memory since you’ve been playing music professionally?

MS: Professionally? Definitely the Lilith Fair. Absolutely. Wow! That was cool. When they just said my name I couldn’t believe it. I still can’t believe it. (I’m) just so thrilled, …. That was an easy question. That’ll be my answer forever.

FEMMUSIC: What role does Lilith and other womens’ artist’s projects like Women From Mars, Indiegrrl, etc..around the nation play for emerging artists?

MS: You know it gives us that stepping stone. That little push. I don’t think that we go unnoticed per se but just seems like they’re “guy” bands everywhere, you know. Like the Bruce Springstein’s of the world, and things like that. It just gives a stage for women to say, “You know we’re out here.” I think…..women are more emotional. I think we make great songwriters. There are some great guy songwriters. I’m not being a feminist but opportunity that Sarah McLachlin gives for nobodys like me to play the Lilith Fair. How cool is that? I’m not going to be able to thank her enough. You just don’t get that opportunity. It’s a once in a lifetime thing because ….the Talent Search and all that. It’s not everyday that you can try out for the Lilith Fair, just being somebody off the street. It’s definitely cool.

FEMMUSIC: Playing tonight with other Lilith winner and the Women From Mars is very special. What have you done to prepare for it?

MS: Bought a new guitar, but I needed to do that anyway. You know, I just haven’t prepared. I mean , (I) haven’t sat down and, “I have to do this, have to do that..” It just comes naturally to me. I just picked up my guitar and basically jotted down the songs I want to play. (I) went through the selection process, and just sat down and have been playing them. Waiting for tonight. Very relaxed and calming atmosphere. I haven’t felt stressed out about it. I’m excited. I’m surrounded by a bunch of great female musicians, and I’m honored to play with them.

FEMMUSIC: What else would you like to tell our readers about you, Lilith, and emerging artists in Colorado?

MS: About me? (Laugh). I don’t know, Renee?

Renee Apodaca: Do you want some help here?

MS: Yes. What about me? You know me better than me?

RA: I’ll comment for her. She doesn’t like talking about herself so I’m surprised that she so readily agreed to an interview. And I think I’ll probably end up stressing her out more in the future forcing her to do more interviews. But she’s very humble about her music. Before I knew Melanie very well, I always heard people literally just gushing about what a great artist she was. What a great songwriter. What a fabulous voice she had. You hear these comments time to time and you kind of take them with a grain of salt. So when I finally did have a chance to hear her sing I was very impressed. To me…that means a lot to me because I’m not easily impressed by very many artists.   The first time I heard Melanie play we actually had to beg her for thrity to forty-five minutes to play for us. And that was actually at a Christmas party with some friends, just sitting around. And (I was) just blown away. (You) could hear her on the second floor, and she was down on the basement singing. I was struck with the feeling at the time that she could go very far in this business if she motivated herself to do it.

MS: It’s taken me a long time to get to this point.

RA: It really has. And it’s nice to see the change in Melanie. Now she is motivated about her music, and she is excited. And she wants to pursue it further than just the occasional public appearance, and playing for friends and family. So I think that’s really great. And she’s still very humbled by all of it. She doesn’t believe how good she is.

MS: Like I said it’s more of a hobby.

RA: It’s more of a hobby for her, but I’d like to see it turn into a career for her.

MS: I would too. I love my hobby. I wouldn’t say pressured, but people have been trying to get me to do this for a long time, and I always knew when I would be ready. And I saw the ad in the Westwordmagazine, and said, “This is it!” This is my shot right here and I’m going to go for it, and I’m having fun. I’ve been ready (for) the last couple years. (I’ve) playing out a little bit. (I’ve been) getting back into that, and saw the ad for the audition, and went for it, and here I am.