Melanie Murray on Nashville, Big Goals & Her 2026 Vision Ep114

This week on Happy Hour with Deb, we’re joined by rising country artist Melanie Murray for an inspiring conversation about chasing dreams in Nashville. 

Melanie shares how she first got started as an artist, what led her to pursue music professionally, and the journey of building a career in one of the most competitive music cities in the world.

We also talk about her goals, mindset, and exciting plans for 2026 as she continues to grow both personally and professionally in the country music industry. From passion and persistence to staying focused on the bigger picture, this episode is filled with real conversation and motivation for anyone chasing a dream.

#countrymusic #countrymusicartist #nashville #podcast #happyhourwithdeb 

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:00

How many bachelorette parties have you seen?

SPEAKER_00 0:02

Millions. Hundreds of millions. I call them the pop woohoo girls. The woo-p what pop woo-hoo girls. Yeah, they are the pop woo-woo girls. They really are.

SPEAKER_02 0:22

Hey, this is Deb. This is Happy Hour Deb. And today I have this cutie, Melanie Mary, with me today. Yep. How are you?

SPEAKER_00 0:31

I'm good. How are you?

SPEAKER_02 0:32

I'm awesome. Welcome to Happy Hour.

SPEAKER_00 0:34

I'm happy to be here.

SPEAKER_02 0:35

Uh we're we're thrilled to have you. I know it's a yikky kind of day. Like I know it's not the best day.

SPEAKER_00 0:40

Yeah, it definitely isn't, but I'm just happy to be here. And yeah, that's awesome.

SPEAKER_02 0:44

Tell me about I know you got a little like rock and pop in your music. Tell me how you started. Let's go back to the beginning. How'd you get into this crazy industry? You're Nashville based.

SPEAKER_00 0:54

I am. I actually moved here about a year ago. Wow. So I moved here from New Jersey.

SPEAKER_02 0:59

Wait, what part of New Jersey?

SPEAKER_00 1:00

Uh Hoboken. Hoboken. It's like a little small town.

SPEAKER_02 1:03

Yeah, up in the northern Jersey. Just New York. It's a great town.

SPEAKER_00 1:07

It really is. It was a great place to grow up. Um, but as a young child, I just was writing songs all the time. And then about a year ago, right out of high school, I just moved here to Nashville thing.

SPEAKER_01 1:19

I know, isn't that crazy?

SPEAKER_00 1:20

So always country music has been your thing? Well, not really. I kind of I listened to a lot of rock because of my dad. I was heavily influenced by that as a child. So I feel like I take a fusion of rock and country just from moving here. And I feel like that that's kind of what has blended into my artistry and who I am as an artist, which is really cool. I love that.

SPEAKER_02 1:42

So you got out of high school at what, 17?

SPEAKER_00 1:45

Yeah, uh, 18.

SPEAKER_02 1:46

18. Yeah. And then you just packed up a guitar in a dream and came to Nashville. Pretty much. You're my favorite kind of guest. I love that because you know, there's so viewers, and I'm like, they're like, we can't do it, we can't do it. I'm like, yes, you can. You can do anything you want to do.

SPEAKER_00 2:01

Yeah. I mean, I'm really grateful that I have uh a really good support system for my parents. Totally. So what kind of rock was your dad into? Um, he was definitely into like a lot of 80s rock, just because that's kind of what he grew up with. Uh we were always listening to a lot of Journey. Um, we were always listening to Fleetwood Match. I love that. That era, which is really cool.

SPEAKER_02 2:23

Like Journey had so much power in music.

SPEAKER_00 2:27

And it's so funny because now I play on Broadway and I'm playing all of those songs. That is unbelievable, which is really cool. You've written your own. Yes. Do you perform those? So I do. I I perform a lot of originals on Broadway, but it's mainly covers on Broadway that we have to perform, but I sneak in a couple of my originals into the set with the code.

SPEAKER_02 2:49

And you know, I get the reason why it's covers. Like people come here to sing and dance along with music. For sure. So and they want to hear songs, but I love that you're performing your own in there.

SPEAKER_00 3:00

Are you playing anywhere else besides Broadway? So, right now I've I've been playing just Broadway right now. I play a lot of rounds and stuff, though, that they have in Nashville. And if you guys don't know what Nashville songwriter rounds are, it's basically where everyone, there's about like four artists that get up on stage and they go in uh a line and just share their songs. It's usually three to four originals, which is really cool. And uh actually, there's a couple of spots that a lot of tourists even come to watch original movies.

SPEAKER_02 3:32

I've been to some writers' rounds. It's very cool. It's very cool. It's literally where like genius meets artistry meets magic. Yeah. I mean, it's really such a cool concept, and you never know who's gonna be there, and you never know who you're gonna get inspiration from or you're gonna collab with people. So true. Yeah. Who was your who was your biggest influence that got you into music?

SPEAKER_00 3:56

Um I I think from dis different aspects, I would say that Taylor Swift, the b business side of her, Taylor Swifty. The way that she runs her business, I think, is just so smart. Yes. Um I think that she's very, very uh a really smart businesswoman. But I think that's why she's a billionaire. That's true. She deserves it. It's so true. She deserves it. She totally deserves it.

SPEAKER_02 4:21

Who isn't a Swifty?

SPEAKER_00 4:22

No one. No one that I know.

SPEAKER_02 4:24

Who isn't a Swifty?

SPEAKER_00 4:25

And a lot of people appreciate her work ethic. That's a big thing.

SPEAKER_02 4:28

Her work ethic and her creativity and her and her song. I mean, it takes a lot to write a ton of hits.

SPEAKER_00 4:33

Yeah, it's so true. And actually, I like about two years ago, I was just so inspired by her that I decided to play outside of her stadiums for eight cities, which was really cool. I hope told me that.

SPEAKER_02 4:46

That is crazy.

SPEAKER_00 4:48

Yeah, it was a really fun time. Actually, so you eight eight cities. Eight cities, coast to coast. And her Airs Tour. Air's Tour. It was the prime of the Airs Tour. It was such a cool experience. I met so many Swift D's. Oh my God. I cannot even imagine the people that you've met. Yeah, it was great. It was amazing. And it was just a really good experience for me to come out of my comfort zone because Absolutely. I feel like I struggled a lot as um like young when I was younger with confidence and really putting myself out there with my music and my artistry and what I'm doing. There's an ad here, he came from Philadelphia with me. So don't feel like an attitude. Don't be afraid. Um and I kind of just realized that this is what I want to do, and if I want to do it, I can't be afraid to express that and with other people. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 5:38

Yeah, and that's what makes you guys the the best in the world is you and to show up authentically as who you are. And I'm so happy that you learned at a young age that like we can't let fear or what other people think hold us back. No.

SPEAKER_00 5:52

Are your parents so incredibly proud of you? They are, they're really, really supportive of me and uh my dream of moving down here. And I I know that most parents would kind of I guess frown upon moving and right out of high school. Not the parents to trust in the process, not doing the c college route, the traditional college route, but not for everybody. It's not, it's not for everybody, and also like I would be going to college if this isn't really what I wanted to pursue, and I just decided, you know, I'm gonna pack up my stuff and follow my dreams out here. I love that so much.

SPEAKER_02 6:28

You know, a lot of artists have told me that there's like no plan B.

SPEAKER_00 6:32

Yeah, there shouldn't be.

SPEAKER_02 6:33

There should not be. If you're gonna fully commit to something, you read need to really fully commit. It's so true. So did you just get yourself an apartment?

SPEAKER_00 6:42

Uh yeah, pretty much. I mean, I've been playing downtown, so that's kind of where the money's at. Right, absolutely. Which is really nice, but it's also really nice. The cool part about playing downtown is that I get to do what I love, but I'm still like being able to live where I live, which is really nice. Yeah, that's great. Um, but yeah, I I get to play music for a living, and that that's kind of what I want to do. Obviously, downtown isn't the end time goal for me, but right now I'm kind of it's an amazing start.

SPEAKER_02 7:12

Yeah, and I'm just starting out here.

SPEAKER_00 7:14

Yeah, and you're so young, but like people come to Nashville for that vibe. It's so true. And like that's kind of I love what I'm doing right now, but I know that there's so much more that I have for myself and envisioned for myself.

SPEAKER_02 7:28

Your level of confidence is incredible. Oh, thank you. I think I love that. Yeah, and you're so young, you're doing a great job. I mean, I think what stifles careers in any career, but mainly in music too, is we're terrified of what other people think.

SPEAKER_00 7:41

It's so true. It's I mean, honestly, that's the name of the game. I feel like is just how the listeners. The mindset that you're just you kind of just have to block out any listeners that are judging your music in that sense, and I feel like you really have to hone into who you are as an artist and not really care about what other people think.

SPEAKER_02 8:02

Absolutely. Or follow what's trendy right now. Like if you want to make it in this industry long term, you have to be authentic.

SPEAKER_00 8:09

Yeah, you and you can't get wrapped up in trends or what you think other people like, right? Because that's not being true to you.

SPEAKER_02 8:18

It is beautifully said, it's not being true to you, and it's not gonna last long term because there is only one Taylor Swift.

SPEAKER_00 8:24

It's true, you know, there's authentic, and that's why people love her. She's gonna be authentic, right?

SPEAKER_02 8:29

Lover or hater. Lover love her or you just can't, you know. I think she's amazing, I think she's brilliant, I think she's creative, and for she empowers women.

SPEAKER_00 8:39

So true.

SPEAKER_02 8:40

And I think that is so amazing. Yeah. What's your favorite place to play downtown?

SPEAKER_00 8:45

Um, I well, right now I'm playing on the Titsie Circuit, which is Titsie's, Kid Rock, Rippies, and Honky Tonk Central.

SPEAKER_02 8:53

So I have never been to Kid Rocks. Is it fabulous?

SPEAKER_00 8:55

Kid Rocks is really, really fun. Actually, it's it's that's the main spot I feel like where people go. People also really like to go to Titsies.

SPEAKER_02 9:03

People love Titsies, it's a legend.

SPEAKER_00 9:04

It's a it's just yeah, it's been there forever. It's like nostalgic. It was one of the first bars to be downtown.

SPEAKER_02 9:11

To start that legendary, you know, strip of fabulous music and bars and stupid. So true.

SPEAKER_00 9:16

And honestly, like I I love playing there. I think that each and every bar has its own uh pros and cons. Yeah. But yeah, I would say that I like playing there. I also do sometimes play um at Posties, which is really fun too.

SPEAKER_02 9:32

I haven't been there yet either.

SPEAKER_00 9:33

Posties just opened. So it's it's it's fairly new. Post Malone cut the ribbon about like a couple months ago.

SPEAKER_02 9:40

Leah was there. My niece was there.

SPEAKER_00 9:42

Oh, really?

SPEAKER_02 9:43

This is mine? This is fine. Oh, okay. Oh, thank you. This is a little Leah, my knees around me, my bestie for the week. Oh my gosh. I can't wait. I know. It's so amazing. You know, and I love that that we're blending um country music with every other. Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. Leah, can you grab a napkin? No worries. We can edit anything out there.

SPEAKER_00 10:04

This is so me-coded because I feel like I just like am always clumsy with everything.

SPEAKER_02 10:09

I'm literally I'm a pig pen. There's a pile of dogs following me.

SPEAKER_00 10:12

I like them always. Thank you so much. It totally does. You know what? This is this is part of this is part of the the plot, guys.

SPEAKER_01 10:20

It's right, it's but right.

SPEAKER_02 10:21

We did the plot on the fly, or did the fly really come from Philly?

unknown 10:25

I think we brought it.

SPEAKER_02 10:26

We I totally think we brought it too. I totally think it. Thank you so much.

SPEAKER_00 10:30

Yeah, sure.

SPEAKER_02 10:31

Thank you. She's her mother's child. She's picking up after me and everybody else is what she does. I'm just a rolling, like hot mess. You know, oh, me too. Trying to get through the day. I think God bless Cheers to the hot messes. Cheers. Cheers. Cheers to good coffee. Just what do you think of this brand new hotel?

SPEAKER_00 10:48

I think it's beautiful. It is so pretty.

SPEAKER_02 10:51

We're in the we are at the printing house, brand new here in Nashville. If you're coming for CMA or CRS, you gotta stay here.

SPEAKER_00 10:59

This coffee is so delicious. I know.

SPEAKER_02 11:01

Okay, so I'm I'm desperately. We were talking a little earlier. I I'm I have a very strong love relationship with sugar. Okay, yeah. Like I don't feel complete at the end of the day unless I have some candy. Like, I love it. It's I'm literally a breed of Buddy the Elf and Susie talked a lot. So I love it so much, but we were heading up to chute, right? Like you're young, you can process it. We're heading up to the chute, and I'm like, okay, I'm just gonna cleanse out and do some water and not eat candy. I think I started that last Monday. It lasted till Wednesday. Okay. And then do you guys have you've been to Trader Joe's? Yeah, yeah. Okay, I love Trader Joe's. Me too. Um so they make these Scandinavian swimmers, which are essentially Swedish fish. They're so good. Okay, I'm not the the my husband can have one little scoop of ice cream or one, not me.

SPEAKER_00 11:51

No.

SPEAKER_02 11:51

It's like I gotta feed that beast.

SPEAKER_00 11:53

Oh, same. It's like once I start, it's just it's just gonna keep going. It just keeps going. And I love the bottomless pit.

SPEAKER_02 11:58

Yeah. I'm a life coach, and um, you know, I work with trauma, I work with addiction, I work with some artists, and it's really at the end of the day, like I need a decompression. Like, I need my sugar, I need some like big ed, like some ridiculous merit. What's it what's it called? Naughty Day Fiance, like something ludicrous that I don't have to think about. Yeah. But I made it up until today, and I was just upstairs, we're staying here, um, kind of fluffing up, and I came down, I'm like, I'm I need a coffee with caramel. What's in yours?

SPEAKER_00 12:27

Mine's in uh my mine's a vanilla iced oat milk latte. Girl. Which is a little bit, it's a little pr pretentious, but I used to be a barista, so Oh, you did? Yeah. So that's that's why I feel like my coffee. Oh, I will totally do it. I I make fun fetty ice lattes. I make uh strawberry mocha lattes. You're multi- your parents did an amazing job.

SPEAKER_02 12:54

Like, shout out to your parents. You did you did an incre they did an incredible job of raising you.

SPEAKER_00 12:59

I was actually a barista for about four years until I moved here. Wow. That was my first job ever.

SPEAKER_02 13:06

You learn, learn a big.

SPEAKER_00 13:07

Yeah, exactly. So I was I was a barista. I was even a barista for a couple months until I started playing on Broadway just for like a job down here because I was kind of just starting out and I was like, I need someplace to work.

SPEAKER_02 13:22

It's really funny, like everybody starts out getting their feet wet, right? Like before you are Taylor Swift or Post Malone, there's this period of growth.

unknown 13:30

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 13:31

Which I think is so important because at your age, even at my age, like I learn something new every single day.

SPEAKER_00 13:39

Oh, me too.

SPEAKER_02 13:40

Something that is like these nuggets that I wish I would have gotten earlier or whatever. Like, I always store those things away because it really just helps you in every aspect in life. But you're killing it. I'm so proud of you. Thank you. Tell me the power of social media with artists.

SPEAKER_00 13:57

I think that the power of social media is very, very strong. And I think that like it's it really is like I I like to think of it as like an egg you kind of just have to like crack at the surface. I I do, but I don't. I'm I'm also currently with um the Clutch Socials, which is really fun. Yeah. Shout out, shout out to Hope, Mitch, and Jared.

SPEAKER_02 14:23

Mitch and Jared, the best.

SPEAKER_00 14:24

They're they're the best. Truly are. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 14:27

Truly are. I feel very blessed. A year ago I changed media teams, and um I got a them from Chrissy Nix. Um and she's shout out to you, Chris. We love you, girl. And um I just they're they're family to me now. They have lived. They're my Nashville family. That's what I say. We all went to dinner last night, and that's they're my Nashville people.

SPEAKER_00 14:47

Yeah, they are awesome. They've helped me with like a lot and just making my socials look a lot more cleaner, I feel like, and less hope's an artist with that, more intentional, I feel like, yeah, to who I am as an artist.

SPEAKER_02 15:01

And the direction you want to go in.

SPEAKER_00 15:03

I feel like it's really hard to do your own just because right now I'm kind of in this period where I'm trying to make all these connections and do all of these things that it's like there's so many different that are like you.

SPEAKER_02 15:15

I'm like, so you play at night.

SPEAKER_00 15:16

I have no idea.

SPEAKER_02 15:17

It's really important to get yourself in rooms where you can have connections, yeah, in a in this amazing town of Nashville. You don't know, you might be getting coffee with somebody who's your next big you know door to open. And I just think you know, it is and I'm gonna be asked, I don't do my own social media, but um, I know the importance of it, but like there's no way I could fit it in.

SPEAKER_00 15:38

No, and also another thing is like even when you do work with a social media team, you're still creating your own content, but that's they're kind of editing it, putting it out for you. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 15:48

So there's still that portion of the worst day of the week that I hear is Deb, we need to shoot some reels. I'm like, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun right now. Because you never feel I mean, I talk to people for a living, yeah. So I have no problem with that, but it's like the second, like podcast cameras, I'm called the second that camera comes out on my desk, I'm like, it's a whole other world, I feel like. It totally is. And it's so structurally important for your career. But like, did you ever sometimes I like I try not to fixate on social media? Yeah. Somebody called me a Karen last week and I was like, What? I know. No, I'm not a Karen. I'm a lot of things, but not a Karen. Yeah. It was very like I try not to because I have a life and you know, and I try not to focus on it, but it's definitely one of those things. You're like, like I'll see yours and be like, damn, how'd she do that? You know, it's really, and I don't know how there's any way you could get in bigger rooms and network and and play and do everything.

SPEAKER_00 16:53

And do by yourself. It's just it's really, really hard. And I I definitely feel like it's helped me uh focus on a lot of other things by having that.

SPEAKER_02 17:03

Things that'll help you grow.

SPEAKER_00 17:04

Yeah, and like it's really made me focus on the important things and really helped my writing because I've been doing it a lot more because I haven't been having to focus on a million things. It's just been like social media's exhausting. It's only really been like 900,000 things.

SPEAKER_02 17:22

Right, I know I feel the same. Yeah. You know what they say in life? They're like, give it my friends are like, just give it to Deb, she'll get done. You give it to a busy person, shit gets done. Yeah, it's so true. If you get like, I'm like, just throw it on the desk, it'll get done. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 17:36

You know, because I'm already in the mode of just constantly Once you're in that mode, you just do it. You just go. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 17:42

Just go and it's I know. And even flying down here, it was like, there people are like, how many are you shooting? I mean, we hope and Mitch and I did the CRS last year.

SPEAKER_00 17:53

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 17:54

And I shot with them for cheese. We did 67 interviews. Right. That's crazy. I know. It is so crazy. But you know, when you're in the flow, it's just like playing, you know. I'm sure you're tired at one o'clock in the morning. I'm sure you are. Yeah. But like you're in the flow and you're going.

SPEAKER_00 18:10

Yeah. At sevenly, I mean, most days I wake up at like 11.

SPEAKER_02 18:15

Oh, girl, I'm not a morning girl.

SPEAKER_00 18:17

I mean neither. I'm not a morning person.

SPEAKER_02 18:19

I'm so rusty.

SPEAKER_00 18:20

I've never been a morning person, but especially now, I'm not a morning person. Yeah, I need my sleep. You need- There's no way. There's not enough hours. There's not. There's just not.

SPEAKER_02 18:30

I mean, I talk to artists who are like, I'm up at five, I'm up till two. I'm like, well. Where's where's sleep? When do you sleep? And your body needs rest. If you're gonna be on first stage performing, your body needs rest. So true. I mean it. You got youth on your side. So that's one beautiful thing.

SPEAKER_00 18:47

True, but also most days I just have this overwhelming sense of tiredness just because I'm always playing, but then it it's weird. Sometimes it feels like I'm not doing a lot because when I am extremely tired, I feel like I don't allow myself to have that black.

SPEAKER_02 19:03

Yeah, me neither. I'm like, it's we gotta push through. I mean, I tell myself, I'm like, it's we gotta get through it. Like it is what it is.

SPEAKER_00 19:09

I know. You just have to push through, I feel like sometimes, but it's definitely hard with the schedule. A hundred percent. And boots the musician helps. Totally helps, right? True.

SPEAKER_02 19:18

I mean, I understand why everyone in America has a freaking Dunkins cup or a Starbucks cup.

SPEAKER_00 19:23

I'm really lucky, I feel like, because I make a lot of my coffee at home now.

SPEAKER_02 19:27

If you're a barista coffee, I'm a barista at my house for Christmas, and you can make the coffee.

SPEAKER_00 19:31

Totally, totally.

SPEAKER_02 19:32

It's amazing.

SPEAKER_00 19:32

Yeah, I actually, when I first started out my job as a barista, I was making funfetti lattes. Like I said, like a bunch of very Who doesn't love funfetti? Yeah, it's a little bit over the top, but I learned how to make all these things, and I think it just kind of made life more fun. Absolutely. Do you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_02 19:53

It's an art.

SPEAKER_00 19:54

It it definitely is. I used to make little Christmas trees too. Stopping. And hearts. Dude, we're so getting together for coffee now. Definitely. Totally. I'll make you coffee.

SPEAKER_02 20:04

Me, you and Hope, we're gonna we're gonna drink some coffee together. Yep, we will. What's the greatest compliment you've received about your music?

SPEAKER_00 20:11

Um, I feel like compliment. Okay, this wasn't a compliment, but I think it just really kind of touched me in a way that I was like, wow, this is really why I'm doing what I do. I love that. Um I after I got done with doing the touring with Taylor thing, I had a bunch of fans that like were now kind of following me. Right, which is really fabulous. Which is really, really cool because I just was not expecting that at all. I kind of when I first started touring with Taylor, it was like, okay, we're just gonna play outside, see what happens, and then I ended up getting on the New York Times, which was so cool. What's amazing! Yeah, that was that was a really cool experience. But I ended up getting some fans of my own, and then um once I moved down here in Nashville, this was even like a year and a half out later, which I was just expecting, you know, they follow me on social media, but they're not really like, you know, like we haven't I've there's not been like a lot of time there's been a lot of time between the two things. Absolutely. And um, so I'm and how much money did make that did that tour make? It a lot.

SPEAKER_02 21:17

A lot of money. Yeah, yeah. A lot of she owes you some swag. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 21:21

Turtle and Taylor.

SPEAKER_02 21:22

Send some we got Taylor girl. If you're listening to this, come in the show and sit down with me.

SPEAKER_00 21:27

If you're listening to this, send me merch. I would love to. You got your hype girl, Taylor. You got your hype girl, and she's a cutie, so um anyways. So the people that were fans of Taylor's ended up becoming fans of mine, and actually, one fan sent me a sweatshirt of my like the cover of one of my singles. Right! Which is so cool, and she wrote a beautiful gift. It was so pretty, and she she wrote me a whole handwritten note of like hi, I just listened to all of your music and I just wanted to. Tell you that you are amazing and like keep doing what you're doing and like keeping it. We we all we all see it in you, and I know that millions of fans will see it one day.

SPEAKER_02 22:09

Oh, you're gonna be a huge deal. I thought that that was gonna. I mean, you're gonna get your own bar on Broadway. You're gonna be a huge deal. Your stage presence, your voice, your songs, you're gonna be a huge deal. I mean, that's the plan, but we'll see. Yeah, you will. But you and Taylor, you might be co-writing some stuff, and you know that would be amazing. That would be crazy, but yeah. Dream big, girl. It can happen. Anything could happen. Anything could happen. You have such a beautiful spirit and such a beautiful attitude. Thank you so much. You know, I'd love that. You know, we can choose to be miserable or we can choose to be happy, and I love that you've taken it. Where's the dream? Where do you want to play? That's the dream.

SPEAKER_00 22:47

The dream would be I do a whole US tour. Whoa, that'd be great. Across the country, we go into stadium tours. Oh, yeah. Oh, that would be great. You guys, you guys are getting VIP tickets. We I would love it.

SPEAKER_02 22:58

I seriously want a tour bus. I want a big black tour bus with that logo on it. And um Oh yeah.

unknown 23:03

Yep.

SPEAKER_02 23:04

That's my goal. Oh, yeah. We're gonna get a tour bus. Yeah. My friends are like, what's gonna be on your tour bus? I'm like, everything fabulous. Everything. My dog. Yeah. You know, like everything fabulous. Coffee. My coffee, absolutely. When we go, you can hang out. We'll drive you to drive my tour bus. We'll have to get a driver. I don't know if anybody has a license for that, but we'll find somebody. We'll find. We'll find. No, no doubt. So you want to tour? What's the what's the big like I wanna play at this? What's the what's the Coliseum? What's the theater?

SPEAKER_00 23:34

I would say Madison Square Garden.

SPEAKER_02 23:35

Madison Square Garden. I'm like, if you're going like we're gonna go big, you're gonna go big. Screw around with Philadelphia. We go right to Madison Square Garden. I love that. Yeah. You're gonna totally be there. I know you are, because you've got such a brilliant attitude about it.

SPEAKER_00 23:51

I hope so one day. You will do.

SPEAKER_02 23:54

You will. I mean, it's really it's not easy to 24-7 your career, you know. I teach people in my practice to kind of like schedule joy and make sure that you book time for yourself. Yeah. And because days just go into weeks, go into months, go into years.

SPEAKER_00 24:11

It gets crazy. It totally does. Can you believe it's Christmas time? I can't believe it. I feel like just not that long ago I was moving here.

SPEAKER_02 24:18

Girl, my flip flops are still out. I'm from Philadelphia.

SPEAKER_00 24:22

I saw my bathing suits out. I know.

SPEAKER_02 24:24

But I mean, it might uh oh the winters are here are kind of crazy.

SPEAKER_00 24:28

No, actually, it's not as I'm not complaining because it's not as bad as New Jersey. It's the East Coast, nope. The East Coast, nothing.

SPEAKER_02 24:35

I I really like when it got cold, it got cold. It got really cold. It gets really cold. It got some freaking rain.

SPEAKER_00 24:43

I will say, like, at least here it only drops to 20 degrees. We're getting in the negatives. I know, absolutely. It's the negatives.

SPEAKER_02 24:51

I shot the CRS last year. Okay. The first day of the CRS. Now we were already locked into the Omni with you know just press and artists. And um it snowed. Which is for us, we're like, and but it's so funny because it just I'm a ri I'm from Texas, yeah, and it's the same way, it just shuts it down. Like people just don't know how to deal. No, no, and it's for there's another misconception about Nashville, although I I think this city is magical. Yeah. I think it's amazing. From the time I land and they're like, welcome to Nashville, to me slumping myself on the plane back, it's just a magical city. But I agree. I think people think because it's in the south, it's always warm. It's not always warm. But it's always very misleading. Yeah, but the vibe will will keep you warm. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 25:40

That's what I say. The vibe. The vibe will keep you warm. Yeah, I feel like the vibe here is very cool. And also another thing that's a big deal for me is New Jersey, it's cold from like October. October to June. At least here. At least here it gets cold November to March. Right.

SPEAKER_02 26:01

And it's gray. The East Coast has this gray bubble. Yeah. Even on days that it's not cold in starting October, it's and then you know, we got that daylight saving sign that's been thrown in. I'm like, that's true. It's totally messing with my mind. I think my house gets the sun like early, so four o'clock. And it's a total mindset. At four o'clock, I'm like, I'm done. Because I'm like, it's must be time. It's it's dark out. Totally. It's time to pour a drink, it's time to throw in some sweatpants. I agree. It's a total kind of what do you do to carve out time for yourself?

SPEAKER_00 26:35

I feel like I do what my my dad actually taught me this because he runs his own small business. But he It's awesome. God bless the entrepreneurship. I know. God bless him. I've definitely learned a lot from him, I think, when it comes to running a small business. But what he does and what he taught me is just time blocking. Time blocking. You have to do it. You have to do it. Because if you don't do time blocking, especially with the calendar, like if you don't time blocking.

SPEAKER_02 27:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 27:03

Yeah. And and sometimes I, especially in the winter, sometimes there's days that I just don't want to get up. I know. I'm not.

SPEAKER_02 27:10

And if you're not a morning girl, I'm not a morning girl. I don't think anything should happen before 10 a.m.

SPEAKER_00 27:15

I agree. I agree. 100%. I think that like when it comes to mornings in general, I just tend to be more tired if I'm dooming. Totally.

SPEAKER_02 27:24

I'm the same girl. It takes me till like noon to be like, let's go. I'm I'm ready. We're ready. Yes. Totally ready. I love the art of sleeping in. Me too. I mean. I appreciate all you morning birds. I do. And but like, why seven on a Saturday? Yeah. It's crazy. That's the day you said you're supposed to rest. What do you do? I know. It's so true. It's like so crazy. You don't need to do that. You don't need to. Yeah. And then by eight o'clock, everybody's tired. I'm like, that's because you got your ass out of bed too early. It's true. You know? You'd be able to stay up and watch Elf with me if you didn't get up at five o'clock in the morning.

SPEAKER_00 28:02

Also in the middle of the day, sometimes if I wake up too early, I'll just be I'll be down for the count. Do you love a good nap? You know, it's funny because every time I try to nap and I think that I am going to nap, I never actually do nap. I just lay down and then.

SPEAKER_02 28:19

Just taking it down is putting your phone in another room, decompressing, and just like getting comfy and just To reset. I totally think that everybody that works in general, but especially works in what you do and what I do, you I legitimately carve out an hour.

SPEAKER_00 28:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 28:40

Sometimes you and I will just take myself and I will just lay down and just regroup.

SPEAKER_00 28:45

Yeah. Because that's the only way you can do that. That's what you have to do sometimes. Absolutely. It's just how was your Thanksgiving? It was really good. Actually, my my parents, because my brother, he's a senior at the University of Michigan. What? Yeah. Studying uh business. That's awesome. So we are totally opposite ends of girl. You they've got the creative touch. You're locked out. True, true. He's definitely more the data guy. Yeah. A lot of analytical thinking.

SPEAKER_02 29:11

There's a world for every one of us.

SPEAKER_00 29:13

So true. But he um so they went to go to visit him because there was uh the game. So they went to the game, and um I was actually here in Nashville because I had a bunch of stuff the day after and the day before.

SPEAKER_02 29:27

Because that's the party week for everybody.

SPEAKER_00 29:29

Yeah, it's unless you're just industry and it's not not for me, though. But um, yeah, so for Thanksgiving, I actually ended up going over to a good friend of mine's and uh her family was hosting Thanksgiving.

SPEAKER_02 29:41

That's the day that it should be, like sweatpants and football.

SPEAKER_00 29:44

Yeah, and you know I definitely was like, I'm going to take Thanksgiving. Like that day, I'm going to take off.

SPEAKER_02 29:49

Just take off, but other than that, day before, day after, it's back to Well, people come here to play when you're working. Yeah. It's so it's so crazy. It's like we forget that those are regular humans like everybody else, and they totally deserve a break. What's what if you were stranded on a desert island and could only have one Thanksgiving food, what would it be?

SPEAKER_00 30:14

I gotta think about this one. Um mashed potatoes.

SPEAKER_02 30:19

Oh, jam, right. Mashed potatoes. I'm Irish, we just potatoes are a staple and it's not.

SPEAKER_00 30:23

It's just if you don't have mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving, it's like what are you doing?

SPEAKER_02 30:27

I know. Mashed potatoes and have mashed potatoes until I was like, there's no way we can have it without mashed potatoes.

SPEAKER_00 30:33

Or, or I will say, my aunt, when I was younger, used to make sweet potatoes with marshmallows on top. Taking a yam and you're candying it.

SPEAKER_02 30:44

That's beautiful. So good.

SPEAKER_00 30:46

That is so beautiful. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 30:47

What's your thought on Christmas cookies?

SPEAKER_00 30:49

You know, I like Christmas cookies. I think that um obviously traditional chocolate chip cookies. Good cookie. But I'm not a big fan of sugar cookies. Oh. Which is so crazy to me. I feel like I would be a big fan of sugar cookies.

SPEAKER_02 31:06

When I get home on Thursday or Friday, um, I'm going on the because this is my last shoot of the year. I'm going on the all sugar, the all Christmas cookie diet. I am. I said, I literally told Rusty. That's a great diet to do. Oh, you don't even know because you don't care. I don't care what I look like. They are, you know, I think it's just like when you do what you do and you do what I do and you travel, there's so many little things that you miss out on.

SPEAKER_00 31:34

So true.

SPEAKER_02 31:34

That are like pivotal, and you learn them when you were young, or like your aunt's um sweet potatoes, exactly that kind of stuff. And I think it's important to keep tradition.

SPEAKER_00 31:43

It's important to remember.

SPEAKER_02 31:45

Do you see yourself getting married and raising a baby in this city?

unknown 31:48

No.

SPEAKER_02 31:49

Did I just scare the death out of you? Yeah, a little bit. I was like, wait, what you're like, I'm never going on happy hour again.

SPEAKER_00 31:55

That woman is no, no, no, no, no. I was like, uh uh. I feel like uh it's crazy too, because uh I feel like at 19, it's kind of hard to think about those.

SPEAKER_02 32:05

Totally, totally. And don't. It shouldn't be in like in your like front mirror.

SPEAKER_00 32:11

I feel like I'm I'm kind of right now in this mode of like I'm pursuing what I'm pursuing, and I'm I haven't really thought about that. I don't think I'm really ready to think about that yet. You totally not, you're too young, you're totally young, but it's kind of crazy because I've noticed that in like especially in the south, people get married a lot younger than uh in the east coast.

SPEAKER_02 32:34

Well, that's because the east coast is on what I call east coast time. It's true. Uh it there you're it's structured about how much money you make, how hard you work, and south we appreciate things like having dinner with your family, yeah, and being able to do stuff. You know, in the northeast, it's just like if you work an eight-hour day, they're like you're a slacker.

SPEAKER_00 32:57

And that's that's a thing too. Like I it it was crazy moving down here because as when I was younger, my child my my parents would um work from 7 a.m. to like 7 p.m. 8 p.m. Here it's kind of like okay, you get into work at 8 a.m., 9 a.m. and then you leave at 3 p.m., 4 p.m. Which is uh crazy to me.

SPEAKER_02 33:20

It's I I mean structurally it's mandatory. Yeah, right. Like we we're not we're humans. Yeah. We're not meant to not sleep, we're not meant to not celebrate, we're not meant, we're not meant to grind out life.

SPEAKER_00 33:35

No. We're supposed to, you know, enjoy live life right because you you know, you don't want to get to the point either where you're like, I don't I don't even know who I am or what's going on, or I think that that's also another reason why like I I've noticed that people on the East Coast tend to switch up their careers so drastically just because they realize this is actually really is it's not achievable. It's just not.

SPEAKER_02 34:01

And if you want to see, you know, or if you want to have a flourishing relationship or have kids or whatever, you need uh time. Yeah, you totally need time. Let me give you a little tip about the being overwhelmed when there's too much to do.

SPEAKER_00 34:13

Okay, I'm right.

SPEAKER_02 34:14

So I've taught this to every one of my clients, and if something feels overwhelming, you're like, I don't have two hours to give it, like I'll just gonna backburn. I am the queen of be like, I'm gonna get to you later, I'm gonna get to you later. So set a timer for 15 minutes. Like on your phone, like 15 minutes, and just go in and do what you can in the 15 minutes. It's better than doing nothing, but but in most cases, it brings motivation so that you complete the task. Yeah, like when people think things are too big, I'm like, 15 minutes is one percent of your day. So you've given it the good the college try, right? Yeah, and but you can accomplish so much more because I'm I'm the girl that like starts the coffee and then starts the laundry and forgot that the dog was outside. Like, yeah, because I'm trying to shove 90 things into one day. So if I need to do anything, like I had to clean my closet before we came here because of the damn flip-flops. So I'm like, just set a timer for 15 minutes. Yeah, and then once the 50s, I'm like, all right, let's just finish it.

SPEAKER_00 35:10

Yeah. Yeah, I was actually, it was funny because um, like I have ADHD, so I'm Oh girl, stop. I feel like everyone does, but yeah.

SPEAKER_02 35:19

I think women, because we try to do 50 things a week.

SPEAKER_00 35:22

It's so true, but yeah, I I definitely have a lot of uh organization problems. Yeah, same where it's really hard for me to or yeah, especially that, but also when it comes to my room. My room is just a mess. It's basically anything that I've ever taken out. Has not found its home. Has not found its home.

SPEAKER_02 35:43

It's homeless. It really is. It's got other friends, so it's not truly homeless. So true.

SPEAKER_00 35:51

Yeah, it's so true. But I definitely I'm gonna take that advice. 15 minutes. Totally.

SPEAKER_02 35:55

I'm telling you, it's life-changing, you know. People are like, I don't even have 15 minutes. I'm like, if you don't have 15 minutes, we have a problem. You spend more than 15 minutes a day scrolling. Every human being that's on a social media platform does.

SPEAKER_00 36:06

It's so true.

SPEAKER_02 36:06

You know, it's at least 15 minutes is empowering enough to get some done. Most cases people are like, let me just finish it. But it's and if you give it 15 minutes the next day and give it 15 minutes, like the key to life is not being perfect. The key to life is being consistent. If you consistently do something every day, of course you're gonna get greatness.

SPEAKER_00 36:25

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 36:25

You know, it's such a crazy I alright. I'm I'm I'm reformed. I was really bad. Like, I'm a drop on the floor kind of girl. Like, I that's my like here's my sweatshirt, there's my book bag.

SPEAKER_00 36:37

Me too. Totally. Or the thing is is like for me, I'm very particular about the outfits that I wear. Absolutely. I like very much into fashion, which I love it.

SPEAKER_02 36:49

Is really like you're so beautiful and cute's button. You look great and close. So you rock it.

SPEAKER_00 36:54

Clothes, clothes is a vague, I feel like part of my brand because I just I love to thrift clothes and I love to kind of put different outfits together every day. And I do these like little fit checks usually. Exactly. I love that. But yeah, so when I'm doing when I'm putting together these outfits, it's like I'm trying on a different pair of pants or different shirt every time, and it's like what I there's no room to and then there's no time to put it back, and then it like you feel if you hang one, you're like, what about it's 47 friends? It's so true.

SPEAKER_02 37:25

They're gonna miss it. They're pack animals, clothes on the floor, pack animals. And here's another thing I'm bad at like doing laundry. I think I might have some Chinese laundry in my blood. Because doing laundry for me, it feels like folding it, it only makes it to the basket. The basket makes it to upstairs, and then I live out of the basket.

SPEAKER_00 37:43

Me too. Me too. I actually have yeah, I have a basket right now and in my laundry.

SPEAKER_02 37:48

And then I'll put it on the bed. Of clothes. I'm like, I'm gonna sort it and I'm gonna, you know, whatever. And then I'm so tired when I go to bed, and I just I put it on the dresser, so it goes from like the floor to the laundry room to the bed to the dresser to wrinkled to back in the dryer to get some.

SPEAKER_00 38:05

It's a vicious damn cycle. I know. And also another thing that's that I'm really bad at too is when I have my clothes in the washer. Transferring them to the dryer.

SPEAKER_02 38:18

How many times have you had to relo run the because you're like that shit is sour.

SPEAKER_00 38:22

A billion times. It's sour. Sometimes it just like you'll open the washer like, what is going on? Sometimes I open up like it and I'll be like, uh oh, it's it's been a couple hours. It's been a couple hours. I've left shit in there for days.

SPEAKER_02 38:38

Yeah, me too. And it's so because my husband is like, how long's that been in there? I'm like, from this morning. Like I just follow out lie about it because it's such a and as soon as I bring the laundry up, he puts his away like it's like his job. Yeah. And I'm like trying to match if you could see me, you gotta come to Philly. You gotta come to Philly with hope, and you can experience a packing day with Deb. Okay. Because you're gonna be like, I don't even care what it costs the airport. I'm like, just give me the extra hundred bucks. I can't. I can't even. It's just so funny. And we're stuffed. Are you a stuff girl? Like, are you a product girl? Yeah. Product who are love meets some products. Yep. And Aleia is with me and she's a product girl. Yeah. So between the two of us, we have enough to like get a runway fashion show and modeling.

SPEAKER_00 39:23

I know, Sam. I actually just did like, I I like to call it my first big girl purchase, which is crazy because I I don't know, I don't really spend a lot of money on like makeup or clothes. I kind of just like see what I have. Absolutely. You know, and like that's my main reason why I love thrifting.

SPEAKER_01 39:43

Like you do you know how to mix people. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 39:45

That's also like one of the main reasons why I love thrifting is because you can find so many good finds you normally would get in retail for so much.

SPEAKER_02 39:54

Quite honestly, everything has become so insanely expensive.

SPEAKER_00 39:58

So true. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 39:59

I don't know how you do it. So what was your big girl buy?

SPEAKER_00 40:02

My big girl buy, I got the Dyson Air Wrap. Girl, I love your hair looks bangin'. I so I used it today, actually. It looks banging. And I the main reason why I decided to do this was because that's an investment piece, like legitimately. It really is. Fill out the warning, making it. It's an investment because the thing is, is my hair, I feel like, was just getting so damaged. Totally.

SPEAKER_02 40:28

I cut mine short. It used to be to here. I cut it short because it was so color treating and spraying and yeah.

SPEAKER_00 40:35

And for shows, a lot of the time I would have to curl my hair, and it's like, okay, and blondes need good hair. Yeah, and you play every day.

SPEAKER_02 40:44

Every day.

SPEAKER_00 40:45

And so it's like you're curling your hair every day, and it's just you're frying it all off. Totally, you know. I know. So I I finally decided I was like, all right, Melanie, you're gonna invest in this because this will help you in the future. And um, I feel like my hair has just felt so much healthier, totally, which is really nice. And another great thing about it, Dyson, if you want to sponsor, we're shouting out to you.

SPEAKER_02 41:10

If you want to sponsor us, and quite honestly, you should sponsor this beautiful girl. Look at how she's repping your product for God's sakes.

SPEAKER_00 41:17

Um if you want to if you want to sponsor us, let us know. But yeah, it's really fast. Oh, I know.

SPEAKER_02 41:23

I totally I used it last year um for my hair was really long, not the CRS, something else before that. And I literally and it like doesn't look curled like a curling iron curl. It looks natural.

SPEAKER_00 41:35

It's natural, it's totally natural.

SPEAKER_02 41:38

It does look really, really good.

SPEAKER_00 41:40

Yeah, I'm so happy that I did it.

SPEAKER_02 41:42

Oh, I'm sure I'm like, Joe, sometimes you have to pull the plug and just invest in you. I agree, and it's something that you'll have.

SPEAKER_00 41:48

And in the career, you know? Absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 41:50

You gotta look good to be up there. You can't be a rock star that's not a cutie. I mean, that's insane. That's totally insane. Tell me what 2026 is gonna look like for you.

SPEAKER_00 41:59

Well, 2026, I am hoping to just really grow my social media, and also I have a couple of new things coming out soon, so keep an eye out for that. Um, Melanie Murray, it's on Spotify.

SPEAKER_01 42:13

She's gonna say, Where can the audience follow you?

SPEAKER_00 42:15

Uh, you can follow me anywhere at Melanie Murray Music. Anywhere. Yeah, sorry, Spotify, Apple Music, it's just Melanie Murray, but uh TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, all that jazz, Melanie Murray Music. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 42:29

Follow her. She's gold, she's solid gold. But I do, I think it's great. I really do. So we'll gonna you'll come back on the show for sure. Oh, yeah. Maybe come co-host one day. Yeah, and you I would love that. We're super excited to have you're such a sunshine. Oh, thank you. I'm so happy you came in today. And you gotta come back because whatever people leave, I'm like, this is not the end of the relationship, this is the beginning of the relationship. So true. Because I love to follow all you guys, I love to see the amazing stuff you're doing. It makes my heart so happy to see all of the guests that have been on the show thriving.

SPEAKER_00 43:04

And I love what you're doing, too. Thank you so much. Yeah, I think it's super cool. Thank you.

SPEAKER_02 43:08

It's really um it's kind of a wacky story how we got here, but I mean, this job has become a a vision of love for me. Yeah, it's really inspirational. It's totally inspirational, right? And it's such a good show. I mean, by nature, I'm just a a very happy, positive person.

SPEAKER_00 43:25

I can tell that.

SPEAKER_02 43:26

Thank you so much. Thank you. There's days, trust me, I'm about to kick the shell, this gnat that's flying around here. But um, there, you know, there's so many reasons to not feel good that we have to start finding reasons to feel good and see, you know, search those things out and be around people that are positive and authentic and that lift you up. You know, I think for every young artist, I'm like be very selective who's in your world, you know, because you don't want a Karen. No, no, I was called a Karen, but uh That's crazy. I know you are not like this is how you know you know now. Not a Karen. And I'm like, well, thanks for tuning into the show. I know I'm not a Karen. But I think it's really important to know, you know, I wish somebody would have given me this advice when I was your age. Like, some people are here for a short time, some people are for a long time. It doesn't matter, but it's the people who will cheer for you. Always in your darkest days and in your brightest moments. Surround yourself with those people. So true. And Nashville's got the best. I'm so happy you're working with my hope and my Mitch. Yeah, they're amazing. Jared, the best damn media team in Nashville. So true. I love working with them. It's amazing. So you'll come back. Definitely. We'll get some coffee first. Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 44:44

I'll make you coffee.

SPEAKER_02 44:45

Oh, I would love for you to make me coffee. I'm eyeballing up the like pumpkin roll with the frosting on over there. And I'm like, dad. That's to die for it. It's too much, girl. Like, no, it just is a cigarette. It's the first time I flew without candy. I'm sitting there like shaking in the airport. I'm like, it's crazy. I know you're not old enough to drink.

SPEAKER_00 45:05

No.

SPEAKER_02 45:06

Freedom Brew is with us today, and they are this wonderful guy, Alan, and he left his corporate job, and he started this to give money back to veterans and to give a chance for suicide prevention and housing and perfect medical care and stuff like that. So when you're the day of your when you're turning 20, I went, Call me.

SPEAKER_00 45:25

I will.

SPEAKER_02 45:25

We're gonna drink some beer together. Oh yeah. We're gonna totally sing. Yeah. Not a good singer, but I'll hang and sing with you. Oh, I bet you're a good singer. Let's go to the karaoke bar. Oh, yeah. Let's do it. That would be so. I think there's nothing better. Wait, how many bachelorette parties have you seen?

unknown 45:39

Millions.

SPEAKER_02 45:40

Hundreds of things.

SPEAKER_00 45:40

Millions. I call them the pop woohoo girls. The woo-what? Pop woo-hoo girls.

SPEAKER_02 45:45

They are the pop woo-hoo girls.

SPEAKER_00 45:46

They really are.

SPEAKER_02 45:47

It's really funny. Last time I was here, um, I was okay. I was somebody literally like threw up my shoes. She's like, I'm getting married. I'm like, everybody is. Keep your vomit to yourself.

SPEAKER_01 45:57

So true. Thank you for being here. Happy home. I can't wait till you're back. Oh, I can't wait to get you.

SPEAKER_02 46:02

We're cheering you on. We're cheering you on. Thank you so much. Oh, it's my honor to have you.