Boxfresh®

When it comes to Funky, I think we’re all skanked out. It’s now time for the ladies to take the spolight with their sexy and soulful bangers. In last month’s SUPER SUPER I wrote a feature about some of the first ladies of funky and how they’re going to take over the world. I also recently caught up with Meleka to find out what she’s been up to. With her debut single GO set to be released on the 26th Ocotber it seems it’s all, well…GO for her these days.

21 year-old Meleka from North West London was born to be involved in the music scene. “My dad was producer in the late 80’s early 90’s for reggae and soul artists like Janet Kay. I always had a flair for music, dancing, performing so it was kind of predetermined” she says.

Her first single Go has made a scene in the world of music videos as it involves Meleka killing her boyfriend! “Doing the video was so much fun. It was directed by Ben Jones at Davey Inc. who have also done videos for people like The Streets and Lily Allen. I was actually handcuffed in the car to add more realism because obviously if you were arrested you’d be handcuffed” says Meleka. The song itself is pretty self-explanatory, “It’s about when you’re with someone and it’s not working and out and they just have to leave, they have to go. Exactly what it’s saying is exactly what it means”. It’s impact on the clubbing scene is most evident is the way it has post heartbreak raver girls in nightclubs skankin’ out and screaming at the tops of their voices “GOOOOO HOMEEEE… I DON’T WANNA BEEEE WITH YOUUUUUUUU”. (Being one of said girls I can assure you it’s very liberating…)

Last year Meleka won Hugo Urban Rules – a music competition which allowed her to open for Estelle and which helped her find her managers and in turn enabled the single to be released on a promotional basis. The Crazy Cousinz remix was probably what made the track so successful on the club scene. “Working with Crazy Cousinz was really cool. Paleface just let me be myself and be creative,” says Meleka.

She has already recorded a number of tracks and has explored a number of different music styles. “I have some pop songs, some more soulful ones, I have one called My Life Song which has more acoustic sound. I’m currently looking for new inspiration and buying albums by people like Madonna, Kings of Leon, the Beegees, even Abba. I’m trying to get into people that the industry consider as being the best,” says Meleka. As an up and comer in the UK music scene Meleka hopes to work on an album and see how far her music can take her. “People like Chipmunk, Ironik and NDubz are all doing really well and it’s very encouraging for the up and coming people like myself.” I’m sure we can look forward to great things from Meleka.

Make sure you get your hands on acopy of the single which is released on the 26th of this month.