mel: Music Beyond the Algorithm

Artist Name: mel
Full Name: Melyssa Lanzieri
City/Country: Seattle, United States

What do you do, and how would you describe your work or mission?
I’m a singer songwriter and producer. My creative work is about inspiring people to connect with their authentic selves by exploring their creativity without worrying about numbers or social media pressures.

What inspired you to begin your journey?
Growing up between life before and after smartphones made me miss the art of living slowly. Everything now feels very fast paced, and when I realized even the art I consumed was dictated by algorithms, I decided to step back and simplify my view of the world and how I create.

What challenges have you faced, and how have you navigated them?
Like many artists sharing their work online, I struggled with feeling discouraged by low numbers and comparing myself to other artists at different stages in their careers. The way I deal with that is by stepping away from the screen and focusing on doing one thing each day to improve my craft.

How does your culture or environment influence your work?
Being surrounded by people who were not musicians or artists made it difficult to connect with my authentic self as an artist. I had to push myself out of my comfort zone and start attending events for musicians and creatives that I found online.

What message do you hope people take from your story?
I hope people feel inspired to create space in their lives for authenticity and creative freedom and stop letting algorithms dictate their taste.

What are you currently building or working toward?
I’m currently working on a project called “Talking to the Walls.” Being an artist on social media comes with pressure to constantly release content and reach bigger numbers. This project is about stepping away from trying to “make it” or go viral and instead creating as if I’m talking to the walls and doing my best even if no one is watching. The project includes a new song each month, a music video, conversations about topics like authenticity and consistency, a Substack post expanding on those themes, and visual storytelling across social media.

Where can people find or support your work?
Everything is centralized on my website: mellanzieri.com

Is there anything the world often misunderstands about your field or community?
Many people believe success in music is defined by social media numbers. I don’t think that’s true.

What does the future look like for you?
The next year looks busy with new music, content, and connections forming. My goal is to continue creating and hopefully inspire people to explore their authenticity and live fuller lives.

mel, the artist project of Melyssa Lanzieri, is a singer songwriter and producer based in Seattle whose work centers on authenticity and creative freedom. Her mission is to inspire people to reconnect with their creative side without letting social media numbers or algorithms define their art.

Growing up during the transition from life before smartphones to today’s hyper connected world shaped her perspective. Watching art become increasingly influenced by algorithms made her step back and focus on creating music that feels honest and personal rather than chasing trends.

Like many artists, mel faced the discouragement that comes with comparing social media numbers and progress with others online. She overcame that pressure by stepping away from the screen and focusing on improving her craft each day.

Her environment also pushed her to grow. Being surrounded by people outside the music world made it harder to express her artistic identity at first, but attending events and connecting with other creatives helped her build a stronger sense of community.

mel is currently developing a project called “Talking to the Walls,” which includes a new song and music video each month along with conversations and writing about authenticity and consistency. The project embraces the idea of creating even when no one is watching rather than trying to go viral.

She hopes her story encourages people to slow down, embrace authenticity, and stop letting algorithms dictate their creative tastes.

Listeners can follow her work and projects at mellanzieri.com.