Overview

Hello world! My name is Melanie Daniels and I'm a singer-songwriter here in the beautiful city of Los Angeles, CA.

Music has been the heartbeat of my life for as long as I can remember. From childhood days immersed in The Sound of Music to early mornings in choir before school, to voice lessons and musical theater, every step of my journey has been shaped by song.

Performing across Oahu and now bringing my passion to LA, I’m diving deeper into my music career, writing and sharing pieces of my soul through melody and lyrics. Music isn’t just something I do—it’s who I am. It connects me to people, tells my stories, and fills my life with purpose and joy. I can’t wait to see where this next chapter takes me.

The material is ready, and the musicians are waiting -- this Plaid Dog campaign is the final step toward creating my first ever, professionally produced studio album.

This campaign is raising funds for my professionally recorded album with Carter Sanders  in Boston, MA. Carter is a seasoned Boston-based producer and engineer with experience working with both established and up-and-coming musicians. Together,  and I are digging into my original material, writing arrangements, and reaching out to local musicians to bring the songs to life. 

We’ve been able to cover the costs of recording and producing one song, which is ready for you to check out right here on this page. This first song is called “Drunk Girl,” and you can check it out below!

While I’ve been able to fund the recording process for "Drunk Girl” on my own, to create an album of songs of this quality, studio costs add up quickly. With that said, this campaign can give us a unique opportunity to collaborate and make great art together. Your donation will cover the following costs of my project:

1. Pre-Production: This is where everything starts.  and I will start crafting the arrangements for each song slated for the album. We’ll hold rehearsals to fine-tune the songs and arrangements and talk through new and exciting ideas for how to approach the recording process.

2. Recording: This is when we enter the studio and start capturing the music and where the songs become what you'll hear on this album. This campaign will play a huge role in making sure we have enough time to capture great performances for every member of the band.

3. Mixing & Mastering: Each track will get mixed to create the right balance between instruments, texture and color that make up a track. As a final step, the album will be mastered from beginning to end so that the listening experience is cohesive and carefully choreographed from start to finish.

And what will you get for your generosity and support? So many awesome things!

I am so appreciative and grateful for any support you can lend to this campaign. In exchange for your generosity, I've put together a really exciting group of gifts that are available exclusively through your participation in this campaign.

Check out some examples below and a full list to the right!

It’s hard to put into words just how much this project means to me. 

Music has the power to heal, to connect, and to express emotions in ways that words alone can’t. For the first time in my life, I feel ready to share my music with the world—not just as something personal, but as something that can be part of a bigger story, a shared experience with my community.

Music has always been a collective journey for me. From my earliest performances in choir and musical theater to the incredible musicians I’ve collaborated with, every step has been shaped by the people around me. My family exposed me to so many different styles of music, and my time performing in Hawaii taught me how music can bring people together in the most unexpected ways. Now, I’m stepping into a new chapter—one where I hope to not only share my music but also find new collaborators and create something meaningful together.

While I’ve never recorded a project of this scale before, my whole life has been about bringing creative visions to life—whether in the kitchen as a chef, on stage as a performer, or through the connections I’ve built along the way. I’ve poured everything into this, practicing, refining, and pushing myself to grow. With your support, I can take this next step and create something beautiful—something that we’ve built together.

If you're ready to contribute, just click the "Back This Project" button on the top right of this page! Every little bit counts, and I’m so grateful for all your support

If you have folks in your network that would be interested in supporting me, please feel free to share this page with them.

Thank you so much for checking out my campaign page. I can't wait to share this music with you.