Melissa is ‘hooked’ on music

Press, 23 November 1988, Page 17

Melissa is ‘hooked’ on music

By

SUZANNE KEEN

Melissa Burrows is hooked on music. Not only does she sing in the shower, she also plays her guitar while watching television. Once tired of that, she is likely to be found relaxing in her living room listening to the “Phantom of the Opera” record, or practising a spot of piano playing. Melissa’s love of music began at the age of four, when she started singing and tap dancing. She won her first talent quest at Spencer Park when she was eight, but decided a year later to devote all her energy to singing.

Now 14, she has won 52 country music awards, along with about $3OOO in prize money and five guitars. Her most recent success was at the South Island Country Music Awards, where she scooped the intermediate section and the duet section (with Niki Barrett), and was named the over al! winner of the juniorintermediate section. Melissa and her parents agree that her music career has nearly reached saturation point in New Zealand and the time has come to test the waters overseas. The family is planning to move to Brisbane just before Christmas. “We have retired now so it is her future that

counts,” says her Dad, Miles Burrows. “There are just no opportunities here in New Zealand.” Melissa had tried to get on to a New Zealand television talent quest show, but had been unable to get an audition because she had no professional backing. Visiting entertainers from Australia have told the family there is a lot of opportunity across the Tasman for young singers.

There is no doubt in Melissa’s mind that she t wants a career in music, although she says she has not yet decided what form it will take. She would like to get into a music college in Australia. "I also enjoy acting, so something where I could combine that and singing would be good. I like stage productions like the "Phantom of the Opera,” Melissa says. The most recent items on her busy musical agenda are lessons in classical singing and learning to play the piano. “Country and western and classical music are complete opposites. Singing country and western can damage your voice, and learning classical teaches you to sing properly without causing any damage,” she says.

Melissa has the rare talent of being able to pick up almost any musical instrument and play a tune on it within about 10 minutes. She recently decided to try her skills on the violin, but admits her mother was not too keen on the “screeching” noise. “If I get an instrument, I will just play it for hours on end until I get sick of it,” Melissa says.

Her music tastes extend to jazz and blues, although she admits she finds some modern pop music a little hard to swallow.

Melissa says her friends generally accept her interest in country and western music and adds that there is no shortage of enthusiasts in Christchurch.

A few years ago, the Burrows started a country and western club in New Brighton and this now has 200 members. They say it is about the only type of singing where children can learn microphone skills from an early age. “You ask some people if they like country and western and they imagine some old foggy on a guitar,” says Melissa. “We sometimes invite my friends to shows not thinking they will like it, but they do.”