>>FROM THE SECOND FLOOR OF THE ORLANDO PUBLIC LIBRARY, WELCOME TO "MELROSE IN THE MIX", OUR SERIES OF LIVE RECORDING SESSIONS IN THE AUDIO STUDIO HERE AT THE MELROSE CENTER.

HI EVERYONE.

I'M JIM MYERS.

TODAY'S SESSION FEATURES SINGER-SONGWRTIER VIVIANA CLARY.

VIVIANA FIRST CAME TO OUR ATTENTION AS A PERFORMER AT ONE OF OUR "VOICE OF MELROSE" OPEN MIC SHOWS WHERE HER VOICE MADE AN IMMEDIATE IMPACT ON ATTENDEES.

SHE SUBSEQUENTLY PERFORMED AS A "VOICE OF MELROSE" FEATURED ARTIST AT MULTIPLE IMMERSE ORLANDO SHOWS, AND JUST LAST YEAR, AT TIM MCGRAW WHITE HOUSE FOR THE RELEASE OF HER NEW ALBUM, "BRUISED".

WE HAD A CHANCE TO TALK TO VIVIANA BEFORE THE SESSION ABOUT HER START IN MUSIC, HER SONGWRITING PROCESS, HER CONNECTION TO THE MELROSE CENTER, AND MORE.

♪ MUSIC PLAYS ♪ >>HE SAID DRINK IT DOWN SLOWLY SO IT WON'T BURN YOUR THOAT JUST LIKE THE FIRST FROST OF WINTER AND YOU DON'T HAVE A COAT.

MILLIONS OF PEOPLE KEEP PRAYING FOR THAT TRAIN TO COME.

I THINK I'LL SIT HERE AND KEEP PLAYING TILL I STOP FEELING NUMB.

KEEP ON KEEPING ON.

I SAID, KEEP ON KEEPING ON.

I SAID, KEEP ON KEEPING ON.

TILL THAT TRAIN COMES BY, YEAH.

SHE SAID THINK IT DOWN SLOWLY SO IT WON'T BURN YOUR BRAIN JUST LIKE THAT FIRST TASTE OF WHISKEY, JUST ENOUGH TO KILL THE PAIN.

MILLIONS OF PEOPLE KEEP PRAYING FOR THAT TRAIN TO COME.

I THINK I'LL JUST SIT HERE AND KEEP PLAYING TILL I STOP FEELING NUMB.

KEEP ON KEEPING ON.

I SAID, KEEP ON KEEPING ON.

I SAID, KEEP ON KEEPING ON.

TILL THAT TRAIN COMES BY, YEAH.

♪ INSTRUMENTAL ♪ >>I SAID, KEEP ON KEEPING ON.

I SAID, KEEP ON KEEPING ON.

I SAID, KEEP ON KEEPING ON.

TILL THAT TRAIN COMES BY, YEAH.

KEEP ON KEEPING ON.

>>MY NAME IS MARCO, AND I'M THE HOST OF THE "VOICE OF MELROSE" OPEN MIC HERE AT THE MELROSE CENTER.

TODAY, WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT THE ONE, THE ONLY, THE LOVELY MISS VIVANA CLARY WHO ACTUALLY CAME TO OUR VERY FIRST "VOICE OF MELROSE" OPEN MIC.

I'VE BEEN DOING OPEN MICS FOR YEARS IN THE ORLANDO COMMUNITY.

AND EVERY TIME YOU START A NEW SHOW, IT'S A LITTLE NERVE-WRACKING.

VIVIANA, THOUGH, CAME IN, AND SHE WAS SO CUTE.

SHE WAS LIKE A LITTLE BIT NERVOUS.

SHE WAS LIKE "I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS GONNA BE GOOD".

LIKE, TOTALLY SANDBAGGING HERSELF SAYING, "I'M NOT SURE HOW THIS IS GONNA GO.

I DON'T KNOW.

I'M JUST A CUTE LADY WITH A GUITAR."

AND THEN, SHE GOES UP THERE, SITS DOWN, AND WOWS US.

WHAT'S REALLY COOL ABOUT VIVIANA IS THAT SHE'S BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD IN THE ORLANDO MUSIC COMMUNITY.

IT'S SO GREAT TO SEE HER OUT AND ABOUT.

SHE'S COME BACK TO VISIT US SEVERAL TIMES THOUGHOUT THE YEARS TO PERFORM.

SHE WAS ONE OF OUR FEATURED ARTISTS AT THE "VOICE OF MELROSE" OPEN MIC.

I'M SUPER EXCITED FOR HER TO HAVE HER VERY OWN BIG, BEAUTIFUL SHOW HERE AT "MELROSE IN THE MIX".

♪ MUSIC PLAYS ♪ >>YOU SAID YOU'D MEET ME HERE BY THE RIVER.

YOU SAID YOU'D WAIT FOR ME A LONG TIME AGO.

WHERE DID YOU GO?

WHERE DID YOU GO?

DOWN BY THE RIVER.

HER NAME WAS JULIE, I RECALL.

FOLKS SAID SHE WAS BEAUTIFUL, MORE THAN ALL.

WHERE DID YOU GO?

WHERE DID YOU GO?

DOWN BY THE RIVER.

♪ INSTRUMENTAL ♪ >>I SEE THE ROAD THERE BEFORE ME.

I SEE PEOPLE PASSING BY ONLY REMIND ME.

WHERE DID YOU GO?

WHERE DID YOU GO?

DOWN BY THE RIVER.

DOWN BY THE RIVER.

I STARTED SINGING AND WRITING AROUND 11 YEARS OLD.

AND I REMEMBER, ACTUALLY MY FIRST INSTRUMENT WAS A PIANO.

AND I WAS WORKING WITH A FRIEND, AND SHE WAS HELPING ME TO WRITE SONGS.

SO, I STARTED PRETTY YOUNG.

MY INFLUENCE DEFINITELY, CAUSE I CONSIDER MYSELF A JAZZ SINGER, BILLIE HOLLIDAY.

I ALSO HAVE DIFFERENT INFLUENCES THAT HAVE CREATED THE WORK THAT I'VE DONE.

SO, THEY'RE VERY DIVERSE.

TOM YORK, BARBRA STREISAND, DAVE MATTHEWS.

MUSICAL THEATRE AS WELL, CAMELOT.

SO, ALL OF THOSE PIECES CONNECTED TOGETHER, AND I JUST USE THEM WHEN I'M WRITING AND WITH MY MELODIES AND WHEN I'M COMPOSING.

♪ MUSIC PLAYS ♪ >>OH I WANNA WALK WITH YOU.

OH I WANNA TALK WITH YOU.

I WANNA MAKE LOVE TO YOU ALL NIGHT LONG.

OH I WANNA STAY WITH YOU.

IN THE DEEP WATERS, PLAY WITH YOU.

I WANNA HOLD YOUR HAND UNTIL THE END OF TIME WITH YOU.

LALALALALALALALALALALA.

LALALALALALALALALALA.

♪ VOCALIZING ♪ >>OH I WANNA DANCE WITH YOU.

FLY AWAY TO FRANCE WITH YOU.

I WANNA HOLD YOUR HAND TILL THE END OF TIME WITH YOU.

LALALALALALALALALALALA.

LALALALALALA.

♪ VOCALIZING ♪ >>QUIERO SENTIR TUS LABIOS TUS BRAZOS.

ABRAZONDOME QUIERO QUEDARME CONTIGO HASTE EL FINAL.

LALALALALALALALALALA.

LALALALALALALALALALA.

♪ VOCALIZING ♪ ♪ INSTRUMENTAL ♪ >>LALALALALALALALALALA.

LALALALALALALALALALA.

♪ VOCALIZING ♪ >>SO, I REMEMBER WALKING TOWARDS MY REALLY GOOD FRIEND, JUAN COVAS.

AND I SAID TO HIM, "I AM READY TO MAKE AN ALBUM".

AND HE SAID, "OKAY, LET'S GO".

AND FROM THAT MOMENT ON, THE FIRST PROCESS WAS, FOR ME ACTUALLY, TO LEARN ABOUT WHO I AM AS AN ARTIST.

AND WITH THAT, I WAS ENCOURAGED TO LOOK AT WHO I AM AS A PERSON.

SO THAT WHEN I'M WRITING, THAT WHAT I MEAN HAS SUBSTANCE.

AND THE WORDS AND THE LYRICS AND THE MELODIES STEM FROM AN EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE.

AND SO, IT TOOK ME QUITE A FEW YEARS, TWO OR THREE YEARS, TO KIND OF FIGURE THAT OUT.

NOT NECESSARILY AS A PERFORMING ARTIST, BUT AS A COMPOSING ARTIST, SOMEONE WHO WAS GONNA BE WRITING FROM MY OWN LIFE EXPERIENCE.

THAT'S WHAT THE ALBUM "BRUISED" IS ABOUT.

IT'S ABOUT THE TRAGEDIES IN MY LIFE AND THEN COMING TO TODAY WOULD BE THE HOPE AND THE HEALING.

AND "BRUSIED", I LOVE THE WORD "BRUISED" FOR THE ALBUM BECAUSE YOU CAN GET A BRUISE AND THEN HEAL.

IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT CAN BE...

IT IS VERY PAINFUL, BUT IT CAN HEAL.

♪ MUSIC PLAYING ♪ >>OH I'VE BEEN CLIMBING MOUNTAINS.

I'VE BEEN CLIMBING MOUNTAINS ALL MY LIFE.

OH I'VE BEEN CRYING.

I'VE BEEN CRYING ALL MY LIFE.

OH MY MIND'S BEEN TAKING ALL MY TIME.

MY DADDY SAYS I'M DOING FINE.

LIFE KEEPS ON MOVING ME ALONG.

HELPS ME HEAL, KEEPS ME KEEPING ON.

OH I'VE BEEN SEARCHING.

I'VE BEEN SEARCHING ALL MY LIFE.

OH I'VE BEEN PRAYING.

I'VE BEEN PRAYING ALL MY LIFE.

OH MY MIND'S BEEN TAKING ALL MY TIME.

MY DADDY SAYS I'M DOING FINE.

LIFE KEEPS ON MOVING ME ALONG.

HELPS ME HEAL, KEEPS ME KEEPING ON.

♪ INSTRUMENTAL ♪ OH MY MIND'S TAKING ALL MY TIME.

MY DADDY SAYS I'M DOING FINE.

LIFE KEEPS ON MOVING ME ALONG.

HELPS ME HEAL, KEEPS ME KEEPING ON.

WELL FIRST, I EXPERIENCED CO-WRITING WHEN I WAS WITH OTHER ARTISTS BEFORE I BEGAN MY ALBUM.

AND I WOULD WATCH THEM COME INTO THE STUDIO, AND I WAS ACTUALLY A BACKGROUND VOCAL OR ONE OF THE LEAD VOCALS FOR THEIR ALBUM.

AND THEY'D SAY, "VIVIANA, WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS?".

AND I'M LIKE, "LET'S CHANGE THIS A LITTLE".

AND SO, MAYBE EVEN ONE OR TWO WORDS COULD MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE.

MAYBE SHORTENING A SENTENCE MAKES A DIFFERENCE AS WELL.

FOR THE PERSON TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE EXPANSIVE IDEA OF BEING ABLE TO BE A PART OF THE SONG ITSELF.

SO FROM THERE, IN THE STUDIO WITH CO-WRITING AND ARRANGEMENTS, SOME OF THE MUSICIANS WOULD SAY, "HEY, WHY DON'T YOU TRY THIS WORD?".

AND I WAS, FIRST AND FOREMOST, I THOUGHT, "WELL, IT'S MY SONG".

SO, I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO MESS WITH MY SONG.

AND YET AT THE SAME TIME, IT REALLY TAKES A VILLAGE TO CREATE AN ALBUM.

IT TAKES SO MANY WILLING PARTICIPANTS.

AND FOR SOMEONE TO SAY, "LET'S CHANGE THIS A LITTLE", IT TOOK SOME STRESS OFF OF ME ALWAYS HAVING TO HAVE THE ANSWER WHEN I'M WRITING LYRICALLY, AND INCLUDING ARRANGEMENTS AS WELL.

I ARRANGED THINGS WITH MY GUITAR, MOVED INTO THE STUDIO, AND SOMEONE WOULD SAY, "WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS?

LET'S JUST REMOVE THAT, PUT THAT THERE.

MAYBE USE A DIFFERENT INSTRUMENT."

AND I HAD NEVER REALLY EXPERIENCED THAT FIRSTHAND.

SO, ARRANGING IS REALLY IMPORTANT TOO.

AND REALLY UNDERSTANDING THAT WHAT I LEARNED WITH THE ALBUM IS NOT STAYING SO DEAD SET ON A CERTAIN WAY OF DOING SOMETHING.

I LEARNED TO BE MORE OPEN-MINDED AND TO LISTEN TO OTHERS, TO TAKE EVERYTHING INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN MAKING THE ALBUM.

♪ MUSIC PLAYING ♪ >>NOBODY KNOWS WHERE ARE YOU AT TODAY.

YOU KNOW I KNOW YOU KNOW I WOULDN'T TELL A SOUL.

SHE WALKS ALONG TWICE THAT WAY BY NOON.

I SEE HER CRYING ALL THE WAY UP TO THE MOON.

THERE SHE GOES DOWN THE ROAD.

I SEEN HER HEART'S BEEN BRUISED A MILLION TIMES BEFORE.

PROMISED HER DREAMS, UNLEASHED HER SEAMS, SO RAVISHLY LIVING OUT HIS SCHEMES.

♪ VOCALIZING ♪ >>THERE SHE GOES DOWN THE ROAD.

I SEEN HER HEART'S BEEN BRUISED A MILLION TIMES BEFORE.

PROMISED HER DREAMS, UNLEASHED HER SEAMS, SO RAVISHLY LIVING..

HE PROMISED HER DREAMS, UNLEASHED HER SEAMS, SO RAVISHLY LIVING OUT HIS SCHEMES.

♪ VOCALIZING ♪ >>I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE MELROSE CENTER.

I SAY THAT WITHIN MY HEART.

EVERYONE WHO HAS BEEN A PART OF THIS HAS BEEN EXTRAORDINARY.

AND I DO REMEMBER IT WAS MY FIRST OPEN MIC, AND I WAS SO SCARED.

IT WAS ACTUALLY THE FIRST TIME THAT I HAD PERFORMED WITH MY GUITAR AND A SONG THAT I HAD WRITTEN.

AND I WAS LOOKING AT ONE OF THE FOOTAGES FROM, I THINK, ALMOST FOUR YEARS AGO.

AND I MESSED UP AND I SAID, "I'M GONNA START AGAIN".

SO, MELROSE REALLY OPENED THAT DOOR FOR ME TO JUST GET ON STAGE NOT JUST AS A VOCALIST, WHICH IS MY PRIMARY TALENT, BUT I REALLY WANTED TO BEGIN TO IMPLEMENT BEING A MUSICIAN AS WELL.

AND SO, MELROSE WAS WONDERFUL.

AND OPENING THAT DOOR AND SAYING, "COME ON IN", THAT WAS LIKE EVERYTHING TO ME CAUSE IT WAS THE FIRST MOMENTS WHERE I WAS PRETTY MUCH VERY FEARFUL OF WHAT IT WAS GONNA SOUND LIKE.

AND EDWARD PORTILLO ACTUALLY WAS SOMEONE WHO IS VERY TALENTED.

HE'S DOING WELL, BY THE WAY.

AND I HAD ASKED HIM TO COME IN AND PLAY WITH ME AND TO USE SOME OF HIS GUITAR TALENT.

AND SINCE THEN, WE'VE ACTUALLY REALLY SPENT TIME TOGETHER, GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER AS MUSICIANS.

I KNOW WE BOTH WERE ON THE IMMERSE STAGE, ON DIFFERENT STAGES BUT WE WERE PART OF THE IMMERSE 2021.

SO, I AM VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE MELROSE CENTER AND EVERYTHING THAT IT HAS TO OFFER ARTISTS, THE IDEA AND THE STORY BEHIND ALL THE STORIES THAT WE HAVE AS ARTISTS, AND TO GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THAT WITH OTHERS.

>>THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR THIS EPISODE OF "MELROSE IN THE MIX" FEATURING VIVIANA CLARY.

WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN SOON WITH ANOTHER LIVE RECORDING SESSION HERE IN THE MELROSE CENTER AT THE ORLANDO PUBLIC LIBRARY.