Melissa Weikart’s late 2017 EP Release ‘Coffee’ off Worcester Label HEC Tapes has been a Hassle Fav since first gracing our ears. Since then It’s been on repeat and each listen sounds as fresh and new as well, your morning cup of coffee. Arcadio Falcon (of Falcon’s Bandit’s) E-sat down with Weikart for a special Hassle 5 Questions Interview which we hope you enjoy. We also you can go out and #gettothegigs and see Melissa play around town. Weikart plays Dorchester Art Project 10/19 with the Ditrani Brothers and the Hammer of Spring, Wheels on Mars, & the Andrea Nicodemou// Damon Smith Duo.
Boston Hassle: How does it feel to live in the United States right now? Have you been away from home for a long time? What is the thing you miss most?
Melissa Weikart: I was born in france but I’ve lived here most of my life!
BH: Your music sounds very diverse, I can hear a lot classical and jazz influences but your voice also has some pop mannerisms. What are your main influences? When did you start playing piano?
MW: I started playing piano when I was 5, and studied classical piano until I was 20. Then, I got confused. I always sang in choirs and made up songs, but never played and sang at the same time. A year and a half ago, something clicked. I saw a lot of my peers experimenting with what it means to be a songwriter, and I found a supportive and welcoming community of musicians (in Boston and all over!)
BH: How do you write songs? What is your process? Do lyrics or music come first?
MW: I usually sit at the piano and improvise until I find a melody that I like as a starting point. Or sometimes I’m cooking or walking or doing dishes and something pops into my head. Maybe it has lyrics, maybe it doesn’t. Then I step away with my notebook and focus on the poetic content. It’s a lot of back and forth, and it can be really frustrating, but I try and step away if it’s not happening in the moment. I also find that songwriting comes in waves, and it’s important to trust yourself. You can’t always churn out content – we’re not machines!
BH: Looking back on your EP “Coffee”, how do you feel now that it has been out for almost a year? How has your songwriting changed since then?
MW: It’s kind of crazy that it’s already been a year. So far, I’ve noticed that I’ve been writing shorter songs. A lot of them are less than 2 minutes long. It’s satisfying to write and decide the song is over once I’ve said what I needed to say.
BH: What’s next for Melissa Weikart in 2019? Any releases or shows we should be aware of?
MW: I’m cooking up a full length album slowly but surely…the plan is to keep writing and performing and going to shows! I also have some other projects brewing…one of them is a small vocal ensemble!
