Mell grew up in a very musical family. Mell’s great grandfather & grandmother (Father’s side) played vaudeville shows. Her grandmother (Mother’s side) in her younger years was a very talented classical vocalist and organist. Her mother sang in various musicals in her younger years and her Father played trumpet and small amounts of piano.
In 1992, Mell was encouraged to learn piano and recorder by her school music teacher (Victoria Von Bertouch, currently in the Blue Bush band and Top Dead Centre) and her skills in musicianship began to blossom.
At the age of 11, she decided that she would like to learn another musical instrument and took up guitar, 6 months later she wrote her first song- about the tragic passing of a family friend.
Mell started taking singing lessons when she was 12, and her Mother would travel to the Barossa Valley every Thursday for two- half hour lessons in Voice and Guitar.
Mell’s parents decided that to further her musical abilities she would need to go to a private school in the Barossa Valley. She was involved in three musicals during High school, Les Miserables, West Side Story and played the understudy for Anna in the King and I. Mell was also involved in performances for various community groups (including performing at Château Tanunda, during the vintage festival, 2003) and volunteered for BBB fm (89.1fm) in Tanunda for two years.
After High school, Mell took some time off to think about her future in music and get married.
She decided to begin performing again at the beginning of 2009.
The first performance since returning to the stage saw her receive the Leafy Sea Dragon festival’s Award for “Most promising artist under 25” which earned her a place in 2009’s Champion of Champion’s competition.
A month after receiving “Most promising artist” she was invited to perform at the Blanchetown Country Music Campout, in support of the Royal Flying Doctor Service, she is honoured to be part of such a wonderful event (which happens to be 15km’s from the town she grew up in).
Mell aka ‘Gypsy’ is a regular performer at ThreeD (93.7fm) Radio’s “Hillbilly Hoot”, which is a live to air community program which encourages local talent to perform every Monday night from 8pm to 9pm.
Over the last year Mell has become a passionate and enthusiastic performer & songwiter.
Mell’s voice and style has been compared to artists such as Jewel, Michelle Branch and Australia’s own Angela Hayden- all three are massive influences on her music and attitude to life.
There are more pictures of Mell here and also in the SACCM results of the Leafy SeaDragaon Festival
In March of 2010 Mell won the Herbie Collins Memorial Award. See full results and photo here
If you would like to hear her music online please visit;
