The big break

Published Feb. 13, 2015
By Senior Airman Stephanie Morris
Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs

MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- At only 11 years old, a young girl crept into her mother's room and borrowed her guitar, unaware that doing so would change her life.

Vanessa Melvin -- then Vanessa Montandon -- took the first step in what would become a lifelong career in music.

Originally, she made the expedition into her mother's room to try to pick up a few chords and write a song for a boy she was fawning over in school.

"He came to school with his guitar and serenaded some girls in my grade, and I completely fell in love with him," Vanessa said. "I ended up ditching the boy and keeping the guitar."

As she grew, Vanessa explained that music became a release for her, offering her an avenue to express herself that she had never considered before.

Years later, she met her husband, an Airman now stationed at Minot Air Force Base, after he came back from Iraq. She recognized him from school, and he had no idea who she was, though he pretended he did.

After inviting him to lunch with her, Vanessa said she found herself falling in love again; sparks were definitely flying.

"He loved my music from the get go. He was obsessed with me and I was obsessed with him," Vanessa said.

Vanessa and her boyfriend at the time, Staff Sgt. Jeremy Melvin, 791st Missile Security Forces Squadron support flight chief, moved to Las Vegas where she played six nights a week and had music deals with stations and casinos.

Jeremy worked during the day, and when Vanessa played her gigs at night he watched over their children.

"He has always been super supportive of my music. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't have been able to do this stuff," Vanessa said.

After moving to Minot, Vanessa felt like her career in music might come to a standstill. However, this would be the place she was recognized by a major, music-centric television show.

"The producers for 'American Idol' found me on Youtube," Vanessa explained. "They emailed me, and I thought it was a joke."

The particular video the producers saw was super cheesy, Vanessa said. She described having a big gap in her teeth at the time, which she felt made the video more comical than audition worthy. But regardless, her video was sent to the executive producers.

"I skyped my audition out of my room on the computer, and it was pure chaos," Vanessa said recalling the producers laughing hysterically at her antics. "I was giggling non-stop because I was so excited then my guitar strap broke; my guitar fell on my foot, and I was jumping around in pain."

Rather than focusing on the setbacks of her interview, the producers loved her cheerful disposition and optimistic attitude, Vanessa explained.

"They were like, 'you are awesome we want you' and that's what got me," She said. "It was my personality.

"I got recognized by the executive producers, but it was up to me to do all the rest," Vanessa said.

Vanessa expressed her doubt that this opportunity would turn out any different than when she was casted for "The Voice" - two seasons in a row.

"I said to myself, 'I just had a baby. I don't know if I can do this'," Vanessa said. "It just took the right situation for our family and the right amount in my bank account -- down to the dollar."

After only living in Minot for eight months, she began her eight hour drive to Minneapolis unsure of what awaited her. Making that long trip alone, on a pitch black night, without any idea of where she was going was one of the scariest things she had ever done.

She reached her destination in the morning with just enough time to register.

"The audition process was really draining," Vanessa said. "To not only be away from my three children but to be separated from my three-month-old for the first time was nerve-wracking.

"I was pretty confident though going in," Vanessa said. "I felt like that was the opportunity that I needed. I just needed to be in front of them and be able to rock out."

Her husband expressed that, though the process was intimidating, he had no doubt his wife would excel, and the fact she was chosen to audition for Idol came as no surprise.

"I was excited for her, but I wasn't surprised, because I know how talented she is," Jeremy said. "It was very exciting to have celebrity judges hear her sing. If she is able to win, it would be a dream come true for our family to see her reach her goals."

Vanessa auditioned two songs for the judges. The first was on a piano, but she was overcome by thoughts of her family and was unable to make it through the song.

"When they gave me the opportunity to sing the second song, I knew that that was it," Vanessa said.

Before the judges gave her the results from her audition, they allowed her to call Jeremy and her children. Keith Urban took the phone from her and told Jeremy that his answer was yes. After two more yeses, Vanessa had done it, she was going to move on to Hollywood week.

"After I got back home, I went to the Pizza Hut on North hill to watch my episode, and the news crew was there watching us watch it," Vanessa said. "Immediately after the episode, my phone started blowing up. I was getting notifications from Facebook and Instagram. My thumb was hurting for like three days."

Vanessa explained that, whether she wins or loses, she has been exposed on a national level.

For now, she said she is focusing on being a mom and a wife. She still writes every day and plays music for her children.

"Being a musician is more than just performing and entertainment. It has to do with soothing my soul, and that's something I can do every day, whether I'm on stage or not," Vanessa said.