After a childhood of moving too often for seeds to catch root, singer-songwriter Melissa Mary Ahern has called New York City home longer than anywhere else. Sweetness and sorrow go hand in hand in Melissa’s music. Her honeyed vocals deliver melancholic lyrics with a precision that in one breath can cut you open and stitch you right back up again.

Her songs explore her experiences with substance abuse, a struggle that was heightened by her various work in nightlife, starting at the early age of 19. The tragic loss of her oldest brother to cancer led to a series of revelatory experiences that eventually helped Melissa achieve sobriety. She reflects on these themes of struggle, love and loss through her characteristically soft vocalizations and dream-like melodies.

Having already collaborated with Sufjan Stevens, being a constant around New York City music venues, and previously releasing two singles with FatCat ('Hard Luck In Love' and 'Made Of Stone'), Melissa has now shared 'Happy', the first single from her forthcoming debut Lp which is due to be released also on FatCat in early 2025.

Blending playful imagery with a catchy beat, 'Happy' delivers a poignant message for deeper self-love, trust in a higher power’s guidance, and the simple enjoyment in letting go of desired expectations. Produced by Rubblebucket’s co-founder Alex Toth, this track’s energetic trumpet and synth arrangements alongside Ahern’s hypnotic vocal will catch fire and spread across your mind in the most welcomed way. The chorus repeats the phrase “I’m happy on my own”– not to block-out the world or its much-needed interpersonal relationships, but to reinforce the belief that all healing starts from within. All ability to love deeply starts from within.