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MTV Meets… Melissa Steel

Talking Kisses For Breakfast, Mrs Fernandez-Versini and ’90s R&B with our new hair icon…

By Jennifer Lynn

Melissa Steel is the girl behind this summer’s most infectious new track, Kisses For Breakfast. Best listened to in an open top vehicle, on the beach or in your best mate’s back garden, even Cheryl Fernandez-Versini is a fan of the song.

Debuting at number 10 in the UK Singles Chart, we gave Melissa a call to find out what she really eats for breakfast, and just what she’s going to do next.


MTV UK: Hey Melissa, how are you?

Melissa Steel: I’m good, how are you?

MTV UK: We’re great thanks, what are you up to today?

Melissa: I’m currently outside of 1Xtra, about to go back in for another interview, and I’ve literally just had breakfast!

MTV UK: Speaking of breakfast, your single Kisses For Breakfast has just surpassed one million views on YouTube, congratulations! Tell us about filming the video…

Melissa: We filmed the video in Kingston, Jamaica, and it was so much fun. It’s literally been the highlight of my year so far. No one wanted to come home, I got my best friends out there with me, we met Popcaan a couple of days before and went to some parties. There were just such good vibes.

MTV UK: Amazing. How did Popcaan end up getting involved?

Melissa: When I heard the song Popcaan was already on the demo, so we didn’t actually meet up to record our parts together, but I was already a fan of him. That was more of a reason for me to want to be involved. He’s such a cool guy, he just brought a real nice edge to the song.

MTV UK: We saw that Cheryl Fernandez-Versini tweeted out lyrics to Kisses For Breakfast…

Melissa: Oh my God, yes, I can’t actually believe that. I love her so much, she’s beautiful as well, I was fangirling over that so much when I clicked on my Twitter app. It’s amazing to think that she’s a fan and is supporting it. Even to know she’s actually heard me singing is like, ‘Wow’.

Kisses for breakfast early in the morning ..

— Cheryl (@CherylOfficial) July 30, 2014

Ahhhh slyly fan girling that @cherylofficial tweeted kisses for breakfast.... im glad you like the song ♥

— Melissa Steel (@MelissaSteel) July 30, 2014

MTV UK: Kisses aside, what’s your favourite breakfast food?

Melissa: I love pancakes. Pancakes are the best and I also love a Jamaican breakfast. It’s the one.

MTV UK: You also feature on Kove’s Way We Are; how does it compare having your own track to being the featured artist?

Melissa: It was really cool with Kove. It wasn’t a pre-calculated thing, we met through his label because I know a couple of his label mates – a production duo called High Frequency - who I’ve been working with since I was around 14. We used to make music in their rooms before they got signed, and one of their A&Rs heard my voice, and asked who I was. They said they had a new artist called Kove who they had just signed and that they wanted to get us in the studio together. We didn’t think it was going to be a single; we just thought, ‘Let’s make a tune!’ I wrote the song and it ended up being a single. It’s had a really good response, so I can’t complain.

MTV UK: Who else are you working with or would you love to work with?

Melissa: I want to work with Drake, I want to get in the studio with Pharrell, I love this new American singer called August Alsina, he’s amazing. There’s too many people!

MTV UK: When you were making music at 14, who was your big inspiration?

Melissa: I grew up in the nineties, so I used to listen to people like Aaliyah, who was my main inspiration. Destiny’s Child, Mariah, Whitney; I used to perform Alicia Keys’ songs all the time. I just love nineties R&B.

MTV UK: What about style inspiration? We’re obsessed with your hair!

Melissa: Ah thank you! I think fashion is another way to express yourself, so I’ll dress depending on my mood, and I’m very eclectic. Right now I’m doing all black with the purple lipstick and midi rings, but at the same time I’ll go into a really girlie phase, where I’ll be in dresses and platform heels. Right now I’m on edgy, cool, with a hint of sassiness.

MTV UK: Sassy is always a winner. Do you have any plans coming up for some live dates?

Melissa: Yeah, I’m starting to do some London shows, and the next one is in Shoreditch on August 16th. I’m doing Notting Hill Carnival too and I actually can’t wait! If you follow me on Twitter, that’s the best place to keep up with my live dates, as I post everything I’m doing on there.

MTV UK: We noticed! Our favourite was, ‘I’ve done everything I needed to do today so I’m going back to bed. Don’t judge me’.

Melissa: YES! Oh my gosh it’s so true, I was so tired, I got in bed at like 3pm and woke up the next day.

Basically I've done everything I needed to do today so I'm getting back in bed. Don't judge me

— Melissa Steel (@MelissaSteel) July 29, 2014

MTV UK: Has to be done. What do you do on your rare days off?

Melissa: I go back home to Bradford, I get in bed and I just eat my mum’s food.

Kisses For Breakfast is available to download from iTunes now.

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