As a child, The Voice Australia hopeful Melanie Cowmeadow spent Friday nights belting out her favourite songs at karaoke with her dad, Paul.
He loved music more than anything, and he always beamed with pride the pub was filled with woops and whistles every time she performed.
“I loved it so much. It was our thing,” Melanie, 23, tells TV WEEK.
Melanie is performing a song that she holds close to her heart; Florence and the Machine’s smash hit Never Let You Go.
(Image: Seven)“There were always specific songs he’d always make me sing, even if I didn’t want to; Born to Try by Delta Goodrem and Hopelessly Devoted to You from Grease.”
It wasn’t long before her parents put her into singing lessons. But although singing was always a part of Melanie’s life, as she got older, life got in the way she stopped performing.
While singing remained a dream for the hairdresser, It wasn’t until her dad was in a tragic workplace accident, which resulted in a head injury that ended his life, that she decided it was time to do whatever it takes to follow her singing dreams.
Melanie’s dad was in a tragic workplace accident, which resulted in a head injury that ended his life.
(Image: Supplied)“Losing dad was terrible and something I never thought would happen. It just came out of nowhere,” she says emotionally.
“But it just made me realise that you can’t settle for things. You have to go out and do what makes you happy because I know that’s what my dad did.
“He made the most of his life and I felt stuck for so long not doing what I love.”
This week, Melanie is performing a song that she holds close to her heart; Florence and the Machine’s smash hit Never Let You Go.
“When I was about 16, I did a recording of it. My dad had it burnt onto a CD and he’d always play it. When we were deciding what songs to play for his funeral, my siblings came up with the idea to play that song, “she explains.
“I remember when I was at the funeral, I heard it thought ‘I’m never going to be able to sing this song again because it’ll make me too emotional’.
“But then I decided to do it for my blind audition. It was so hard and I didn’t think I could do it but I found the strength to sing it and it felt amazing.”
Melanie is hoping to make her dad proud, but will her performance be enough for the judges to turn their chairs?
