Nottingham connected
Arts & Culture
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A MULTI-TALENTED BLACK WOMEN IN THE ARTS By Mellonie Page
Hi, I’m Mellonie Page; I am an established singer/songwriter, recording artist and newly qualified hypnotherapist. Some of you may have attended my performing arts workshops over the years at various schools, colleges, youth clubs, community centres, arts organisations, theatres and churches.
Singing and teaching singing is my first love, and I am passionate about harmonies and working with groups – the larger the better. The biggest group I had the pleasure of working with was a choir of 150 children and young people, for the Millennium Gospel Concert, held at the Royal Concert Hall in 1999. I was part of a team who organised the event which was the biggest Gospel concert in the East Midlands at the time. We also established the Windrush Awards in Nottingham. One of my personal highlights was singing at Malta’s biggest festival. Drama and dance are also a wonderful way to help people express themselves. I have had the pleasure of working with some super companies as a freelancer. I danced with the young people from a theatre school at the 02 Arena in London, sang in a choir with over 1000 members; got them show ready and chaperoned them at some prestigious West End Theatres. Black Mime Theatre was one of the biggest black theatre companies in Europe. I became part of the BMT family whilst studying Contemporary Arts at Nottingham Trent University. On tour in a show called Dirty Reality, I honed my skills as an actress, workshop leader, writer and director. The Artistic Director, Denise Wong taught me skills that would last a lifetime. It was a trial by fire but an experience I treasure and take with me everywhere I go. She was a lioness, a great leader with high expectations and standards who knew how to get the best out of every player and help you face and slay your performance demons. One day I will tell you about Tallulah and how she helped me overcome mine. Music has been more than putting pen to paper and striving to record the next big hit. I have found the arts and music, to be cathartic. My process of healing from a tumultuous and traumatic past. As a people, we have had to navigate through overt and subtle racism, erasure of large parts of our culture and history, inconsistent opportunities to assist generational financial growth, microaggressions and misogynoir.
There is also more for me to deal with on an individual basis. We all have our own personal challenges. This sexist, ageist and often racist industry I find myself in, can be soul destroying. One must constantly prove oneself. You are only as good as your last performance or recording. You are expected to come up with interesting and diverse material daily, thanks to the ever-hungry machine that is social media. This kind of pressure can take its toll on your mental health. I choose to write songs about what I see, experience and hope for. Sometimes I write so that you will question how you treat others. My journey has by no means been plain sailing. There have been some turbulent seas and rocky paths. I often find myself walking through molasses and crying out for help when it feels like quicksand will suck me under. I know what it is like to take cover and disappear for months or even years. I have had my cave experiences and sat in dark tunnels, until I realised that I am the light. The light is in me, and I will shine. I try to be that teacher who pops in for a day or a few sessions who injects joy, challenges unhelpful thought processes, dares you to dream big dreams and see yourself as the child with a rich heritage. I want to bring a little light into your tunnel, if that’s where you are, and help you see that ‘this too shall pass’, and YOU CAN achieve greatness. At present, I am a newly qualified hypnotherapist, parttime student counsellor, performing arts and mental wealth workshop facilitator, writer and I perform old school reggae with the Mellonie Page Band. Instagram / Facebook: melloniepage
@melloniepagemusic
@
Email: melloniepagemusic@outlook.com Web: https:// sites.google.com/view/mellonie-page Mellonie Page BA Hons, Cert Hyp CS
