There really is no place like home – even for exceptional singers like Erica Melancon Fox. The songwriter is no stranger to playing in different cities and performing at new venues, but if you ask about her fondest memory she’ll quickly tell you that it took place in Lafayette’s Cajundome.
The reason for this is simple: it’s right around the corner from where she grew up. It’s a place that conjures up many happy memories of home and family. In many ways, this tells you everything you need to know about this talented musician from Southwest Louisiana.
Erica is still connected with the nearest and dearest who she grew up with, as well as the sights and sounds she experienced in her youth. This includes the Cajundome, where she – after watching her favourite artists perform during her formative years – played on a leg of a recent tour.
She reflected:
“To experience that stage from the opposite side was surreal and to have other people cheer me on felt like I had come full circle.”
Erica was just 10 when she realised she wanted to be a professional singer. In actual fact, she’d already been writing songs since the age of four. She was fortunate in the sense that she had a family who were happy to nurture this talent and turn her into the thriving artist that we see today.
Whether it was her dad taking her to the record store or her mum setting the stage for her to perform in front of relatives, Erica knew that she had her parents’ backing. This instilled in her the belief that she could use her voice and it would be celebrated.
Erica explained:
“From my house to the church house I was always singing or dancing. To say my family encouraged me is an understatement.”
Today Erica writes and sings blues and R&B. The dream started to become a reality when she was just a teenager and began competing in local talent shows, which eventually led to opportunities in places like Los Angeles, California. The most noteworthy of which was as a contestant on MTV’s The Cut.
While that name might not resonate with too many people in 2021, The Cut – hosted by Left Eye from TLC – was considered to be the precursor for American Idol. It’s just one example of the twists and turns often experienced in the career of a musician.
While many artists start off on their journey with the aim of chasing the bright lights of stardom, this certainly wasn’t the case for Erica. Instead, as a youngster she would sing as a way to practise her faith and connect with God. It was her belief that God blessed her with her gift in order to encourage others and make them happy. In singing in front of people, she was therefore glorifying Him.
When explaining about the songs she would make up in God’s honour, Erica said: “Singing was a prayer and our conversation. People started listening and enjoying that dialogue as time when on.”
There have, of course, been other influences along the way. According to Erica, the man who stands out the most is Stevie Wonder. She cites his 1976 album Songs in the Key of Life for inspiring her to pursue her own career in music. She refers to him as ‘the ultimate singer and musician’ – as well as the man who led her to the stage.
Thankfully the stage is a place where Erica isn’t just able to express her artistic side and entertain an audience, but also one where she feels comfortable. It’s not always a given that a performer will feel at ease in such a position, but for Erica it’s not a problem – that’s unless there are people she knows in attendance.
“I used to get nervous as a kid being put on the spot to sing,” she revealed. “However, I can sing in front of thousands of strangers and not get nervous, but sometimes still do for people I know like friends and family. It’s weird.”
This is a rather honest revelation from a woman who’s not afraid to admit that she’s not yet the full package when it comes to what she can bring to the stage. In particular, she’s humble about her experience with instruments. From dabbling with the likes of guitars and trumpets, Erica has only gained a greater appreciation for those who have mastered these tools.
She said:
“When it comes to playing instruments, I have so much respect for musicians who truly have honed their musical chops. I’ll just say I’m a work in progress!”
There’s every reason to believe that Erica will just keep getting better and better though. After all, she’s established a great sound – one that she describes as ‘soulful, uplifting, Southern, conscious and inspiring’. For Erica, the best part of her job is crafting each song and making it resonate.
She explained:
“My favourite part is to take an idea or thought and to turn it into a tangible, living thing that other people can hear and feel.”
There will always be a place for artists like Erica. She has so much to bring to the table as she continues to navigate her way through the music industry and enlighten even more people to her sound. There will no doubt be more songs, more gigs and generally just more to look forward to.
But for Erica – like so many people around the world – she’s got her sights set on making up for lost time with family. Things are beginning to turn a positive corner when it comes to the pandemic and this will give her the opportunity to reconnect with those relatives who have supported her since day one.
“I got a lot of kisses and hugs to give!” she said. “In our Creole family, getting together, cooking and spending time with each other are some of the most precious things we can do.”
It’s safe to assume that whatever is next for Erica, she’ll continue to cherish her faith, family and her hometown of Lafayette, Louisiana.