Q&A: Mel Denisse Channels Inner Chaos on Electrifying New Single “Like a Fiend”
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
☆ BY KIMBERLY KAPELA ☆
DELIVERING RAW, GENRE-DEFIANT MUSIC — Nashville-based artist and producer Mel Denisse has always leaned into duality. Whether she’s blending left-field pop with jagged alt-rock or threading delicate vocals through dissonant, distorted production, Denisse is drawn to the clash. With her newest genre-defiant single “Like A Fiend,” the song whiplashes between vulnerability and volatility, mirroring the internal war of a creature split between two selves.
Inspired by archetypes like Gollum from The Lord of the Rings, “Like a Fiend” tells the tale of a creature torn between two selves—one desperate for control, the other slipping into obsession.
Denisse’s influences range from the hard-hitting alt-rock of Failure and Deftones to the haunting introspection of Tori Amos—artists unafraid to explore emotional extremes and sonic experimentation.
At the heart of it all is Denisse’s signature ethos: the controlled collision. “I like to ‘frankenstein’ a track,” she says. “If a heavy riff and a delicate melody look wrong together on paper, that’s exactly what pulls me in.” That philosophy breathes life into “Like a Fiend,” a song that doesn’t just straddle contradiction—it thrives in it.
But even in its chaos, “Like a Fiend” never loses its emotional center and captures that push‑pull in a creature split between two selves, flipping from fragile confession to manic euphoria in a heartbeat.
LUNA: Thank you for sitting down and talking to Luna. Our readers would love to get to know you and your music more. For any readers who aren’t familiar yet, what inspires your artistic style and creative persona?
MEL: I'm heavily influenced by music from the late 90s and early 2000s, especially the shoegaze and alternative rock scenes. Bands like Failure, Deftones, Sunny Day Real Estate, as well as artists like Tori Amos and Alanis Morissette, have all played a big role in shaping my sound. My influences definitely jump around a bit, but there's something about that specific era—the textures, the emotional depth, the rawness—that really speaks to me and has had a huge impact on my songwriting and overall musical style. I'd say that's the core of where my inspiration comes from.
LUNA: Say if someone hasn’t heard of your music yet, which song would you introduce to them that best encapsulates your sound and artistic maturity?
MEL: This is still a fairly new project, with just one single currently out on Spotify, so I think the music that’s set to release over the next year will really start to define the sound. Each song brings something a little different, which makes the upcoming EP or album feel especially dynamic and interesting. In a way, it’s a question that’s still unfolding—I almost wish I could fast forward 12 months to see how it all comes together.
That said, even from the first single that dropped a couple of years ago, people have noted a sort of genre-bending quality—blending alternative rock with touches of left-field pop. So right now, it feels like I’m navigating uncharted territory, but I’m excited to see how each track resonates as the full body of work starts to take shape.
LUNA: What kind of atmosphere or emotional space do you aim to create for your listeners?
MEL: A lot of the elements in my music blend atmospheric tones with raw, gritty and heavier moments. One of my biggest influences is Tori Amos—I’ve always loved the idea of pairing a delicate, emotive vocal with instrumentation that feels rough around the edges, almost like two opposing forces meeting in the same space. That contrast really fascinates me. I think listeners will start to notice that kind of interplay, especially with the single coming out tomorrow. So overall, I’d say the sound is about mixing different worlds and seeing what happens when they collide.
LUNA: You just released your newest single “Like a Fiend” and I adore the genre bending elements to your music. What is the inspiration behind the single and what themes or emotions do you explore?
MEL: The theme of the song centers around a creature grappling with its own duality—caught in a constant battle between two sides of itself. Think of a character like Gollum from Lord of the Rings, or any figure who’s torn between conflicting identities. That internal push and pull—hating and loving different parts of oneself—is what the song explores. The narrative weaves between these two voices, blurring the lines of which side is speaking, and gradually builds toward a sense of internal chaos and frustration. That concept became the visual and emotional palette we worked from, and it opened up so many creative possibilities. It was a really exciting and dynamic foundation to build the song on.
LUNA: You’ve previously mentioned loving to “frankenstein” tracks—was there a moment during “Like a Fiend” when you deliberately put two seemingly clashing ideas together, and it just clicked?
MEL: I think the whole song carries that sense of unpredictability and transformation. When we first started, the track was originally meant to be a simple, piano-led piece—very stripped down. I even imagined adding some congas underneath for a more organic, rhythmic feel. But the final version ended up in a completely different place.
Each section of the song evolved on its own, almost like a Frankenstein creation. The pre-choruses, in particular, took on a life of their own—especially thanks to our drummer, who comes from a jazz background. He brought this really bombastic, almost industrial energy to the track, and in the second pre-chorus, there's this wild, unexpected burst that totally flips the mood. We made a conscious effort to avoid repetition—so the second verse sounds nothing like the first. It was really about exploring how each moment could feel unique and dynamic, and I think we ended up blending a lot of different textures and ideas into something really unexpected.
LUNA: What can listeners expect from this new era of music?
MEL: Listeners may not hear the same thing twice on this project—there's a lot of experimentation throughout. I think people who grew up in the '90s and early 2000s, especially during the pop-rock era, will probably feel a strong sense of nostalgia in these songs.
At the same time, I hope it feels refreshing in the context of today’s music landscape. There’s so much innovation happening right now, but I’ve always been drawn to a particular sound, and I’ve wanted to find a way to keep it alive—presenting it in a new light. I'm really excited to see how that resonates, and how this blend of past and present stacks up alongside what’s current.
LUNA: What is something you absolutely need in your space when you’re feeling a creative spark hitting you?
MEL: One of the things we’ve been doing lately that’s been really fun and inspiring is using a projector during sessions. We’ll fill an entire wall with visuals—sometimes it’s a film scene, other times it’s something more abstract like vintage runway footage. I’m a big fan of Alexander McQueen, and some of his older shows are just breathtaking. I’ll often pull those up, and somehow the visuals help shape the sonic atmosphere we’re building.
It might sound a bit unconventional, but having that imagery playing while we work creates this immersive dynamic. It’s similar to scoring a film—you’re responding emotionally to what you’re seeing. We try to emulate the world we feel the song belongs in and surround ourselves with visuals that match that energy. It’s been a really creative way to let the songs take shape more intuitively.
LUNA: What is the ideal environment to experience your music? Is there a particular setting, mood, or time of day that enhances the listening experience?
MEL: I always imagine someone listening to the song somewhere dramatic—like on a cliffside in Scotland or wandering through an old castle. But I know most people will probably be hearing it in their car or at the grocery store, and that totally works too. Still, if you can carve out a quiet moment for yourself—some solitude where you can really zone out and immerse yourself in the music—I think it enhances the experience. The song is a bit of a journey, and while it can definitely be a car jam, there’s something special about letting it wash over you in the right setting.
LUNA: How are you feeling in this current era of your career and what does the rest of the year look like for you that you would like to share with Luna?
MEL: I'm super excited. The last few years were just constant writing and honing in on a lot more producing this time around. The rest of the year will just be a lot of new music.
