Way back in 1989, Melissa nervously sang to her first audience - it was at the metro arts centre in Brisbane's city - it was a disaster! So, she set out to get herself together!
By 1995, Melissa had teamed up with guitarist/songwriter Anjela Iltners, where the girls formed the duo JUTE..both had given up full time work and decided to go for broke, sending out their home recorded demos to every A&R staffer they could track down. After a call from Mushroom Records the girls thought it was all smooth sailing from here... but it wasn't that simple. JUTE disbanded.
Melissa went solo.. zipping off the to the U.S to tour festivals seemed like the next logical move.. Melissa found this to be a significant and grounding process - finding that there were a plethora of folkie, original, singer, songwriters just like her even on the other side of the globe..after months of selling the soul, she came back with a huge debt but an even bigger thirst and wealth of experience!
A couple of years later Melissa met percussionist/singer Sue Drummond, who by coincidence had left her band Odd Girl Out and was looking for a gig - the two were a great combination, playing as "Florences balcony" they created 3 cd's and played pubs, festivals and cafes throughout Queensland... it was a blast..several side projects ensued with these two, Trasey Chambers, LSG, The Flanno Party and the Ukulele Sisters...
Fast forward some 15 or so years to today - Melissa continues to play gigs around Brisbane and Interstate. She has dropped the band feel, and plays intimate, boutique shows as a solo artist. Melissa is instrumental in advocating for fellow singer songwriters, where she organisers Poetry in Motion, a great show that is performed every three months at The Junk Bar on Brisbanes north side. in 2019, Melissa released a new dp "Grounded" and was a founding member of the "You Can't Take Me" project - writing and performing songs to help survivors of sexual violence.