SPOTLIGHT: ANDREW MELO

Meet Andrew Melo and tune into his new single “Love is Freedom”

What inspired you to write “Love Is Freedom,” and how did you decide to embrace the central theme?

I wrote “Love Is Freedom” in a songwriting class during a week spent at Berklee College of Music, in response to the freewriting prompt “What is freedom to you?”. Through cherry picking the mess on my page to find pieces of a song, “Love Is Freedom” stood out as the clear thesis statement to what I was trying to say.

The song challenges “a cynical system” in its opening verse. What does that phrase mean to you personally?

To me, the cynical system is a way of deflecting blame from the singular people who have hurt me and “shackled my wrists”, but towards the ways in which the world selfishly functions and teaches regarding acceptance and love towards those who are different.

How did you approach balancing poetic imagery like “Skin is pale but my eyes are wide” with a clear, empowering message? 

The majority of my writing across all genres finds a home, in poetic and flowery imagery. I love exploring concepts through metaphor and unique perspectives– that being said, I find it important to have a balance so that the message doesn’t get lost. I’m really proud of the way this song builds and grows through the verses, ultimately returning to the straightforward and bluntness in the chorus that sort of grounds the whole thing.

You repeat the phrase “Love Is Freedom” throughout the track. What does that mantra mean in your own life? 

When reflecting on what freedom is to myself, every path I ran through led to love, in its simplest form.

The lyric “Who declared the sky to be blue and the grass to itch?” has such a curious tone. How did that line come to you? 

Before delving into the heart of the verses which ponders the darkness and cruelty of the world, I wanted to begin with a genuine submission to not knowing all the answers. I’m really happy that sense of curiosity stood out, because I feel like it makes the message of the song hit harder. Like, “I don't understand why anything is the way that it is, or why the world chooses to discriminate, but what I do know for certain is that love is the most important thing in life”.

The song moves between social commentary and intimate emotion. Was that contrast intentional from the start? 

It was not. For me, writing from an emotional and vulnerable place is something I have developed from using writing as a coping mechanism my whole life, so it naturally bleeds through. I try to always be upfront and honest, even if it feels scary and intimate. 

As a 17-year-old songwriter, how do you navigate writing about such universal themes while keeping them personal? 

I have a lot of life to live still, but feelings are so innately human that they transcend age and experience. I may be dealing with high school, crushes, and homework instead of divorce, work, and parenting— but the fact is that we all feel deeply. Every day. I try to write from a place that embraces that shared wavelength of humanity.

How did you decide on the song’s musical style and production to match its message? 

“Love Is Freedom” began on the keys. I sat at a piano in a small Berklee practice room that I snuck into, and just started playing. Anyone who knows me knows that I am not the greatest pianist, but this song felt so natural and effortless to me. The same went when I got home and began producing it. I wanted to explore that curiosity of the universe through the synthdriven, tumultuous instrumental.

Are there particular artists or songs that inspired the way you crafted “Love Is Freedom”? 

Music is everything to me, so I am constantly listening to and studying artists that I admire. Conan Gray, Ethel Cain, and Gracie Abrams have impacted me the most I would say, as of recent years. During that week in Boston, I do recall listening a lot to Kevin Atwater’s debut album “Achilles”. 

What do you hope listeners feel or take away after hearing this track for the first time? 

I hope listeners feel something. And then I hope they aren’t afraid of what they feel, but instead they embrace it. Ultimately, I wish that they leave instilled with the confidence, curiosity, and boldness needed to love freely.

Listen to “Love Is Freedom” here.