Melanie Martinez on trusting her gut, staying true to her art

Melanie Martinez as her alter-ego Cry Baby’s four-eyed reincarnation [Facebook]

Melanie Martinez [Facebook]

For someone like Melanie Martinez, who takes on a more conceptual approach to music, a clear, genuine artistic vision is a nonnegotiable aspect of her craft.

“I always trust my intuition and I never listen to the record label or any business people about what I should be doing with my art. I never think about what people expect me to put out. I never compromise my vision,” she told the Inquirer in an email interview arranged by Live Nation Philippines.

And that much is apparent in Melanie’s work, specifically, the “Cry Baby” album trilogy, which fleshes out the storyline and journey of her “fairy tale” alter-ego of the same name.

For her latest album, “Portals” (2023)—the said trilogy’s closing chapter after “Cry Baby” (2015) and “K-12” (2019)—Melanie conceives a parallel universe marked by atmospheric and, at times, ominous soundscapes and visuals. In this otherworldly space, Melanie, as Cry Baby, explores and grapples with the ideas of death, afterlife and rebirth.

“I know when an idea is worth it when I feel such a strong gut feeling it’s impossible to ignore it. It’s like my stomach is screaming, ‘Before I die in this lifetime, I must put this out there,’” related the 28-year-old singer-songwriter whose previous hits include “Play Date,” “Pacify Her” and “Pity Party.”

Personal creative triumph

Not only was “Portals” a personal creative triumph, but it was also a commercial success, debuting at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart. The album also features “Void” and “Death,” which are her first singles to chart on the Billboard Hot 100.

Now, Melanie’s bound for Manila where she’s set to open the portals that will let Filipino fans into her ethereal and mysterious world. Mounted by Live Nation Philippines, the Manila stop of her ongoing world tour will be held on Jan. 23 at the World Trade Center, Pasay City. Visit www.livenation.ph and www.smtickets.com.

The stage is expected to breathe life and reflect “Portals’” concepts through “CGI-animated visuals and immersive production.”

“It’s so exciting to be able to meet and perform for my audience in the Philippines! I can’t wait to go,” said Melanie, who will be performing as Cry Baby’s four-eyed fairy reincarnation.

“It will be a memory I will cherish and remember forever,” she said.

The rest of our Q&A with Melanie:

What are the challenges of touring such an intricately crafted show? I think mainly the logistical things, like shipping certain props, lighting and things like that. My team and I know this show very well now after touring it a lot in 2023. But there are always unique complications that can come up in putting on a show no matter how many times you have played it. You just have to go with the flow and find creative solutions to any problems that come up.

Coming up with a concept album seems such a daunting task. Were you always confident about the process? It takes me a long time to complete a concept album. Every day, you’re constantly thinking of ways to connect the dots and make them cohesive enough for listeners to understand it right away.

To make three concept albums that all connect took a lot of preplanning and serious thought and intention. It was stressful at times and other times it felt natural and easy.

How do you separate Melanie from Cry Baby? Are there days when you find it hard getting out of character? It’s easy for me to separate myself from the character now that I have grown out of a lot of the early stylistic choices that were more closely tied to the character. This new creature version of the character I have been performing as has helped me separate the two in a really positive way, as well.

What do you think happens when Melanie and Cry Baby come face to face? What would they tell each other? I think both of us would express gratitude toward one another for what we taught each other.

Was it hard revisiting your childhood and tapping into your vulnerable side? Would you say it’s cathartic in a way? It’s very cathartic and can be very revealing as well. It shows you parts of yourself and your life that need to be loved and cared for; sides of yourself that you need to let go of and grow out of.

In terms of the creative process, is it the music that inspires the visual art and styles, or is it the other way around? I think both inform each other. Visuals come naturally to me, whereas the music takes much longer for me to develop and figure out. But in the end, they both fit together like a puzzle piece and both sides need to be 100 percent right before I put out any song or album.

Can you tell us about your relationship with your fans? Do you take their feedback or ideas into consideration? I like knowing what they’re going through and it’s inspiring to be able to hear about new perspectives and different experiences so I can also write from that. But I do mainly focus on expressing myself first. It’s because when I express myself to the fullest that they feel connected to the music.

What’s your message to your Filipino fans? I’m so excited to connect with you guys and meet you. It’s a blessing and honor to be able to make music that resonates with you. Thank you for your support. I will always be grateful.