Daily Inspiration: Meet Melody Tajalli

Today we’d like to introduce you to Melody Tajalli.

Hi Melody, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Music has always been an integral part of my life. It all started with my dad, who is involved in music in the Persian music industry. His love for music even inspired my name (Melody)! I’ve always been surrounded by music, especially because of my Persian background. This form of art is something that our culture utilizes as a means of connection, emphasizing its ability to bring people together, regardless of the occasion.

My love for music started at a very early age. I started piano lessons at age four, which ultimately led to my ability to teach myself other instruments like the guitar, ukulele, drums, etc. One of my earliest memories of performing was when I sang a cover of The Climb by Miley Cyrus in my fifth-grade talent show.

Eighth grade was when I started making my own music, using it primarily as an outlet and a source of comfort and energy. When I was in high school, I started to take music more seriously after I was presented with the opportunities to work with both America’s Got Talent and The Voice. This eventually led to my voice gaining some traction as I finished out my senior year.

In college, I continued making music, but I took myself out of the public eye in order to focus on my education. I used those four years to practice and really fine-tune my skills as an artist, continuing to learn more about composing and the production process. College was where I started to learn about producing and composing. Learning all that I could about the music-making process and music in general is what I steered towards the most.

Last year, in my senior year of college was when I fell in love with Electronic/Techno? House music inspiring me to start mixing. Most of which I attribute to seeing a Rufus du Sol concert in 2022. I remember feeling so incredibly moved by the music, and I knew I wanted to be able to create music and art that emulated this feeling into the lives of others. When I began DJ-ing literally in my bedroom, I began realizing how much fun I was having exposing myself to new experimental styles of music, and I eventually began to mix parties and even small gigs at private events, restaurants, etc. Over the course of the past year or so, I’ve been very fortunate to have mixed at some really cool places!

Currently, I am expanding into multiple genres of music, with a special focus on my electronic music and mixing. My ultimate goal is just to make music that all kinds of people can resonate with. Music makes me feel so many things, and I hope I can do that for other people, which was ultimately what inspired me to rebrand as Big Sur.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Coming to terms with my identity as a queer, brown woman was one of the main struggles I faced, which relayed heavily in my art, and ultimately led to me taking that break from the public eye. My music became very reflective of this, and I began to use it as a shield to hide who I truly was in hopes that it could be used to deflect some of the things I was feeling. There was a lot of fear that I associated with my identity due to various factors, including fear of rejection and not knowing where to turn to for support. These emotions I was experiencing allowed me to realize that I had begun to create music for others and not myself, which was difficult as it originally started as a catharsis for me.

As previously mentioned, that was the main reason I took a break and rebranded myself. I wanted to make sure that Big Sur was and is delivering music coming from a place of authenticity and not a place of guilt or shame for being who I am. Growing through that struggle and taking time from the public eye allowed for me to ensure that I was doing good for myself, and my art became reflective of that growth. I am so thankful for the outpour of support I have received and continue to receive.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am an artist that enjoys producing, composing, mixing, and just creating in general. I specialize in producing and creating music of all different genres, which is what I am most known for, along with my work as a DJ. I love to make music that makes people dance and feel good!

I think that not holding myself to the confines of one genre is what sets me apart from others. By expanding from Indie to Alt, to EDM/House/Techno, I feel like I am able to reach such a large audience, which is so exciting and fun to be able to do. I also produce and master all of my own music, which features my own vocals as well.

I’m most proud of the fact that I have been able to prioritize being authentic and raw with my music because it hasn’t always been easy to do so. In addition, I’m so grateful and proud that the work I’ve created has been able to be received by so many different people in so many different places and has created a little community that I look forward to expanding. This is what I was always taught to be the purpose of music, human connection, and I am so lucky to be able to achieve that, even on a small scale. Impacting even one person with my work means so incredibly much to me.

What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I love that I live so close to the beach because the beach has been a safe haven and a creative outlet to me. Moving away in college meant no beach and that was also incredibly difficult. I’ve always felt that I do my best work by the water, as it allows me to escape and be fully immersed in my art. I’m so thankful to live in a town that allows me to be so close to something so special to me.

I do, however, wish there was a bit more of an accessible art scene in Orange County to provide smaller artists outlets to make their music and art in this area. I would love to be able to connect and collaborate with other artists in order to make this happen!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melodytajalli/
• SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/melody-tajalli