Life & Work with Melanie Hernandez

Today we’d like to introduce you to Melanie Hernandez.

Hi Melanie, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story? 
My name is Melanie. Getting on the TV Show, “LEGO Masters,” was a long time coming. I started off playing music and singing. My parents inspired me to sing and play. My mother had a career as a professional singer in the Philippines, and my dad has been in rock bands since he was 12. Naturally I was drawn to music and ended up going to school for performing arts. I went to Van Nuys High School’s performing arts magnet program and then to Los Angeles Valley College, where I was a music major for part of my college life. It was here that I met Allyson, my LEGO Masters teammate, in college choir. We were both in the alto section, and we realized we sounded good together. I would go to her house, and we would jam and play covers of popular songs and we would post our covers on social media. Allyson had been doing LEGO since she was a kid, and it was something other than music that she was passionate about. When auditions for the TV shows “LEGO Masters” came about, she asked if I could audition with her. I was new to LEGO, but she taught me a few things, and I had to quickly learn from her and learn LEGO techniques myself in order for us to better compete. The show liked the fact that we sang and played music together, and it became our niche on the show, and we were able to sing and play and show our musical talent on TV! We came up with songs on the show where we would both sing, and I would play my ukulele. While we were auditioning, the show also noticed my fashion style and wanted me to dress similarly on the show. I am currently a brand ambassador for multiple brands for their websites and on social media, such as Hot Topic, Her Universe, Box Lunch, and many small businesses, mostly having to do with fandom-based fashion. Other than music and LEGO, I am very passionate about fashion, and the fact that the show noticed us for our music and my colorful, fun style, we decided to emulate these passions in our LEGO builds. My current Instagram, the_petite_geek, is based on geek fashion , music and LEGO, and I like to combine these interests by dressing up and playing a song having to do with that fandom or building LEGO that has to do with my interests, such as musical instruments and building things having to do with my favorite fandoms. As our style and personalities were very colorful, so were our builds. We were known as the colorful team on the TV show. We also decided to incorporate musical elements into our LEGO builds. Having multiple passions helped us have an edge in the competition, as the judges loved our colorful, musical style to match our passions and personalities. If there is anything I would encourage anyone to do is to try everything! No matter what you’re passionate about, don’t be afraid to dive into that and take opportunities because you never know where it could take you! LEGO Masters Season 4 is available to stream on Hulu. 

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Since I was new to LEGO, I had to learn quickly. As creatives, it was easy for me and Allyson to come up with fun ideas and great color schemes for our builds. But neither of us knew how to do LEGO technic before auditioning for the show. Allyson is already a great LEGO sculptor, so we decided that I should focus on the technical side and figure out how to put LEGO into motion, which is also critical for the show. Not only did our builds have to tell a story and look beautiful, but there were times when it also had to be put into motion and bring our build to life. We are proud that we were able to pull it off. 

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a singer, musician, and brand ambassador model. I am proud to be able to tie these all together, sing and play about my passions, and really wear my heart on my sleeve by wearing what I love. Since I found a newfound passion in LEGO, I can now build my interests as well! 

Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I grew up in a musical family. My parents are both professional entertainers. Music and musical instruments were always available in my house. And I was also inspired by my mom to sing, as she had a singing career in the Philippines. When my parents met, they started a band and have been gigging for as long as I can remember. I now sing and play 5 instruments. My dad is also a gamer, and I started playing video games at a young age, which really sparked my interest in gaming and fandoms. When I was a kid, I went to a Catholic school where we were always in uniform. Every now and then, we would have free dress days, and I would dress as funky, fun, and sparkly as I possibly could to express myself, but I really wanted to sport my interests as well. Back then, there was not really any fashion for girls who were into things that boys are normally interested in, like video games and superheroes. It wasn’t until my adult life that geek fashion for girls and women was more available. I wanted to flaunt my interests and eventually became a brand ambassador for multiple geek fashion brands. When it comes to LEGO, I wanted to dive into that world when I was a kid, but I wasn’t given much LEGO to play with. Again, it was seen as more of a boy thing. It wasn’t until Allyson introduced me to LEGO that I now have my own collection and gained that knowledge on how to build. I am generally an artsy person, and LEGO came a bit more naturally to me because it is also an art form. After being a music major, I dabbled in art and eventually majored in art history. LEGO is definitely an art. You deal with shape, form, and color. Color theory can definitely play a part in LEGO builds. There is often a story behind your artwork, especially if it is an original creation. And it is your job to bring this story to life in one beautiful build. 

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_petite_geek?igsh=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100069735637332&mibextid=ZbWKwL
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@thepetitegeek?_t=8lmsht6qieU&_r=1

Image Credits
FOX