Melissa Acosta: Singing With Emergency Service

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Photo by Patrick Bishop
When I think of Etta James, I think of her sultry and indescribably amazing voice singing the words to “At Last.� Then I think of Melissa Acosta. I saw Melissa sing “At Last� at a bar in Boston. I think Etta would have been proud.
Melissa has been climbing the music scene since as far back as she can remember. She’s now singing with the progressive hip hop/R&B/reggae/funk New York City-based band, Emergency Service. Melissa is currently on tour with them, so catch her if you can.
She took time to email me her answers to my questions. Here’s Melissa…


How has the journey to where you are now in your singing career been? When did you start? And what were your stepping stones along the way?
I started singing when I was really young. I can remember at age 6, my sisters and I would put on shows for my parents. We’d all take turns singing verses, while we did a little dance routine that we had spent hours choreographing. I always sang in class under my breath, in the car, walking down the street, wherever and whenever—I was always singing, and I loved it.
But it was my freshman year of high school when other people started taking real notice of my voice and encouraging me to try and go further with it. I blossomed and trusted in my talent, and I’ve been singing in a different capacity every since. I started writing and recording songs and I fell in love with that aspect of being an artist. In college, I put my skill to use and joined a wedding band as the lead singer. I was making money doing what I loved to do, but more importantly, it was a great opportunity to try different things vocally, and become much more comfortable on stage. We played so many shows that nerves never came into the equation. I became completely comfortable on stage and that’s definitely something that I’ve carried with me.
After a year and a half, I left the band to pursue a more creative musical path. It was then when I was approached by Emergency Service, a hot new band out of New York City, to collaborate and record a couple of songs. I was amazed by their sound—a perfect blend of hip hop, funk, rock, and reggae. It was completely original with catchy melodies and great lyrics. I loved their vision and how they combined the styles of the music genres they loved while at the same time creating real messages that tried to work for positive change. Once I heard their music, I knew that I had to be a part of it. So, we hit the studio and it was clear that we had a winning formula on our hands. Since then, I’ve been performing with Emergency Service and collaborating on new songs, and it’s all been onward and upward. By the way, you can download the Emergency Service debut album titled This Emergency… on iTunes, or you can purchase the album from CD Baby or www.emergencyserviceband.com. Check it out!
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Melissa performing at the Knitting Factory in Manhattan.
How would you describe your on-stage singing experience? Would you say you’re used to singing in front of a live audience of strangers now?
I love being on stage. It’s difficult to describe the actual feeling. When you’re looking out at the audience and seeing everyone having fun, and enjoying the music, and singing along with the songs that you wrote, it’s really indescribable. Being able to connect to the audience is such a special feeling, whether you’re talking or singing to everyone. Or taking a moment to single someone out and look directly at them, or sing directly to them, it’s one of the best parts of what I do! When you see how receptive the audience is to what you do, it definitely pushes you to do more, to write more songs, to step up your game every time you’re on stage or in the studio. I’m extremely grateful for the gift that I was blessed with. I thank God for the ability to sing and create and share it with others every day.

Do you have any memorable or favorite interactions with the audience?

Hmmm, there have been so many memorable moments it’s hard to pick one. I guess I have two that I can think of now. The first would have to be singing the National Anthem before a Boston Celtics game at the Fleet Center. That was the first time I sang for thousands of people and, for me, it was very emotional. I remember I was so, so sick with a horrible cold. My throat was killing me, I couldn’t breathe out of my nose, and I was having cold sweats. But I got to the middle of the court, and sang my heart out! Clearly, it wasn’t a Grammy winning performance, but I loved every moment of it, and it’s definitely an experience I’ll never forget.
The next memorable moment was with Emergency Service. We were doing a show in Manhattan, and I was on stage singing one of the songs off of our album This Emergency… The CD had only been released for a couple of weeks, but there were a group of girls dancing in front of the stage, and singing along to the song with me. They knew every lyric, every rift, every break. I couldn’t help but watch them while I was singing. I could have cried! It was the most unbelievable feeling to see these girls sing our lyrics. I just felt like all of the hard work was slowly paying off—all of the hours in the studio, all of the nights spent writing—here it was, right before my very eyes.
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Melissa performing with Emergency Service at the Knitting Factory.
Is your singing, at this point, something you want to make a career of professionally? What do you see as being your next steps?
Singing is definitely a part of me. In many ways, it defines who I am. I’ll continue to sing for as long as I’m capable of doing so, whether it’s professionally or recreationally. For now, I’m singing professionally. This year is definitely going to be busy with shows all around the East Coast, and definitely getting back into the studio to record the next big hit!

What would you say are the most challenging aspects of striving for a singing career?

I guess the biggest challenge is trying to not focus on the challenges. I definitely just stay focused on what I know—writing, creating, singing. When I write a song, I don’t really think about who’s going to like it and who’s not. I just try and stay true to the type of music that I love to sing, and that’s a mixture of everything that I grew up listening to, from Latin to R&B and everything in between. If people are receptive, then it just makes it all even sweeter.
What do you think about the music industry today? How much of it is art, and how much of it is machine or industry?
Well, I guess everyone has a different idea of what art is and what music should sound like. As opposed to commenting on the music industry, I will say this, I think it’s important for artists today to stay true to themselves and their music, and not force themselves to try and fit the mold of what they think people might want to hear. That, in my experience, is when real art happens.

If there was any song you could sing, in front of any group of people, in any place of the world—what would it be, who would it be for, and where would you sing it?

Wow, that is a hard question! Hmm, well I could come up with a million answers to this question, so it’s almost unfair to just pick one. I mean, I’d like to sing a lullaby to my baby while rocking him or her in my arms, many years from now. And I’d like to sing to thousands of mi gente on the shores of Puerto Rico. How about I say that right now, today, I’d like to sing a song of thanks to every fan who has seen me perform and enjoyed my music, and to every person who has taken the time to read this interview and learn about me and my music, about my challenges and my triumphs, about my past and unwritten future.

Is there anything you would like to add?

I’d like to tell all of the young girls out there who have a passion for music or anything else, to never let anyone tell you it’s a farfetched dream not worth chasing. People will tell you things are impossible, and they’ll tell you not to bother trying. People will laugh at you, and others will belittle you. Never let that affect you. Never let anybody tell you something is unfeasible. I was told from a very early age that singing wasn’t a realistic dream and that I should abandon the notion immediately and find something more “practical.� People tried to hold me down. But I kept moving on and didn’t let negativity get the best of me. Now, I’m doing what I’ve always wanted to do and I’m loving every minute of it. If you want something, you have to try and make your dream a reality. Just believe in yourself, and you can do anything. Nothing is impossible.

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