Melody’s sunglasses

Since her horrible accident, and as a consequence of it, Melody Gardot has developed a hypersensitivity to light, which forces her to wear sunglasses at all atime.

Her sunglasses’ mandatory status does not mean they have to be dull. Melody has shown that she has a real talent in making that accessory play in favor of her overal look. Here are a few shots to show that.

My question for you readers: can you cite brands and models of sunglasses that Melody Gardot wears?

Homeless Melody?

PM: Où vivez-vous, aujourd’hui? (Where do you live now?)

MG: Nulle part. Je n’ai pas de maison. . Je vis dans ma valise et j’apprécie cette existence. (Nowhere. I don’t have a house. I live in my suitcase and I appreciate that)

This extract from Melody Gardots’ interview in french magazine Paris Match says it all. Melody Gardot has her own view to living, to ownership and to stability.

As an example of this attitude, Melody has recently let the leaser expire on her Philadelphia appartment. She spends her time traveling and doesn’t have a home to herself. To the remark that she is now technically homeless, she laughs and answers “Homeless has such a negative connotation.” (interview with UK’s “The Telegraph”).

Probably this attitude is coming from her early livingt conditions. She was raised by her single mother. Her mother was a photographer and had to travel a lot to make a (difficult) living.

Music Therapy

Music Therapy played a key role in Melody Gardot recovery after her terrible accident.

Melody’s accident not only caused her severe physical injury (broken pelvis and back, …), but also affected her cognitive  capabilities. Among other things, she had (and still has, although to a lesser extent) important memory problems. She couls not remember what she was doing the day before.

One of her physicians, after her mother said that she used to play piano in bars before the accident,  adviced her to play music in order to train and recover her cognitive capacities. This initially sounded impossible, as she used to play piano and, at that time, was physically not able to sit.

This is where her mother suggested that she learns guitar. The process was very tough for several reasons. For one, guitar was very different from piano. She also had to play guitar laying in her bed, which was clearly not an ideal position. To add some more difficulty, her memory problems got her to often forget whatever she had learned the day before.

This is where recording and writing music came. As she was often not remembering what she had done the day before, she decided to record herself. Then she started singing along with the guitar, hoping it would gibe her more chances to memorize it. Last step, she started writing. And this is how Melody Gardot’s first song, “Some Lessons” [Lyrics]  was born.

The Absence by Melody Gardot

[Buy Album]

The latest album by Melody Gardot, “The Absence”, was released May 28, 2012. The Absence is a magic album with inspirations from the places Melody visited during her one-year of wandering around the world: Morocco, Brazil, Argentina, Portugal, …

The opening of “Mira” will directly get you to Brazil, with its Samba rythms. Travel to Lisboa with the eponym song, and keep enjoying latin sounds throughout the album.

While the album keeps the essence of Melody Gardot, it is quite different from her previous ones, and especially the very successful “My One and Only Thrill”. Some of the fans might feel a bit frustrated, but I think it is really a chance to discover a new, yet similar Melody.

The Absence:

Released: May 28, 2012

Produced by: Heitor Pereira

Songs:

Mira
Amalia
So long [Lyrics]
So we meet again my heartache
Lisboa
Impossible Love
If I tell you I love you
Goodbye
Se Voce Me Ama
My heart won’t have it any other way
Iemanja

A wonderful artist

Wow!

Seems like I’ve never heard music before. One of my friends just made me discover the latest album from Melody Gardot,  “The Absence”. What a discovery!

Melody has pleased my ears, and touched my heart. I have spent the week-end listening to Melody Gardot music, reading about Melody Gardot biography, viewing Melody Gardot videos on youtube, and doing all Melody Gardot.

I am now starting this blog, and will hopefully keep feding it, to gather bits and pieces about Melody. Youtube videos, songs lyrics, interviews, photos and more. I will also write some personal articles and hopefully get some debate around.

Please be indulgent and patient. I am not a professional blogger, and I am not a Melody Gardot expert. I just want to share some of my admiration for this artist, and hopefully give you some pleasure along the way.