Today we’d like to introduce you to Mela Sarajane Dailey.
Hi Mela Sarajane, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up in Jacksonville, Texas, a small East Texas town where big dreams were often bigger than the stage. From a very young age, I knew I wanted to be a performer. I took every piano, dance, and music lesson my parents and grandparents could afford—never missing a chance to learn, create, or express myself through music.
That little girl from Jacksonville went on to win local music competitions, and by 8th grade my talent caught the attention of recruiters from the prestigious Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Dallas. My family made the life-changing decision to move so I could attend—and it was there, surrounded by gifted peers like Norah Jones and Erykah Badu, that my professional career began at just 15 years old.
But behind the curtain, my family was facing enormous challenges—mental illness, cancer, and bankruptcy. In the midst of hardship, music was my refuge, a place of hope and purpose. It carried me to college, where I earned scholarships to both NYU and Texas State University (then Southwest Texas State), and later into a master’s program at the University of Texas.
During grad school, when money was tight and opportunities seemed out of reach my voice teacher Martha Deatherage recognized my potential—and my struggle. Martha introduced me to a remarkable woman named Bonnie Fielder, a patron of the arts who became my champion. Bonnie paid for lessons, audition fees, recordings, travel, and even clothes—taking me shopping to SteinMart on Walsh Tarlton to make sure I looked “as professional as she sounded.” I became one of “Bonnie’s Girls,” a group of young artists whose careers were launched by her incredible generosity.
And that spirit of giving never left me.
During my undergraduate years and Inspired by my grandparents, who served as the longest-standing ombudsmen in the state of Texas, I began a concert series in nursing homes across San Marcos and created a scholarship program for music students at Texas State. I made it my mission to give back in every way music had given to me.
Today, I am a Grammy Award-winning soprano, radio host, event producer, and CEO of both Merick Strategies and the American Artists Project (AAP)—a nonprofit I founded to replicate the kind of life-changing support I once received. AAP creates opportunities for underrepresented artists, funds arts education initiatives, and brings performances to communities that need them most. Programs like Variations, the Greg Easley-Bryant Young Artist Program, Broadway Brunch, Sing Joy, FreeSoul, and Somos are all about opening doors.
I have sung on some of the world’s most iconic stages—from Carnegie Hall to Ravinia, performed with major symphony orchestras and opera companies around the world, and appeared on award-winning recordings. I have also recorded film soundtracks at Skywalker Ranch, toured internationally, and co-hosted the radio show ICONS of Broadway with Gregory Durham.
But through it all, my purpose has remained rooted in my story:
“How can you know where you came from, know how many people stepped up to help you—and not help others? Isn’t it our job to take the advantages we’ve been blessed with and make a path for others to experience the same?”
That’s why AAP exists. To pass the baton. To ensure that the next generation of artists—especially those from underserved communities—experience the joy, hope, and opportunity that music brings.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Growing up, most people didn’t know the difficulty I was facing at home. My family struggled—deeply—with mental illness and financial instability. There were times when I didn’t know if the lights would stay on, if we could afford gas to get to lessons, or if I’d be pulled from school because of bills we couldn’t pay. I never had the kind of parental support I saw other kids have—the kind where someone is in the front row cheering, paying for headshots, helping you pick your audition song, etc.
Instead, I had my grandparents, doing everything they could. I had my teachers, who saw something in me. And I had music. Music was my safe place, my escape, my voice when I didn’t know how to speak.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
If I had to name something that sets me apart it would be genre-defying versatility.
I don’t see myself as just a classical soprano—I get to be a vocal chameleon. I can move seamlessly between opera, oratorio, jazz, gospel, musical theater, country, and art song, bringing the same emotional depth and vocal precision to every style. Very few artists can authentically perform Verdi one minute and Broadway the next, but I can.
Deep Emotional Connection
I love telling a story and I’m honored audiences and critics are drawn in. I’m very grateful for my vocal technique, but it’s the emotional connection, the vulnerability, warmth, and raw honesty—that I hope make the performances unforgettable.
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Artist & Advocate
Beyond the stage, I am fiercely committed to equity in the arts. As CEO of the American Artists Project (AAP), I am dedicated to championing underrepresented voices, building platforms for emerging talent, and creating experiences that blend artistic excellence with community impact.
Legacy of Uplift
I am actively replicating the support systems that changed my life. Through scholarships, mentorship, and paid performance opportunities, my team and I get to create an arts ecosystem that uplifts underserved and overlooked communities.
What matters most to you?
Fairness is a word we learn early—usually on the playground, when someone cuts in line or doesn’t play by the rules. But as we grow, the idea of fairness gets more complicated. It’s not always about who gets the last turn on the swing. It’s about opportunity. It’s about access. It’s about whether the world sees you, or whether you’re left to figure it all out on your own.
Growing up, there were many moments I felt invisible—like the world had already decided what my future would be before I even had a chance to speak.
But I had one thing: music.
Music gave me something no one could take away. It was the one place I felt whole.
I wasn’t looking for handouts or shortcuts. I just needed someone to level the playing field enough so my gifts can meet my grit. So I could run the race I was meant to run.
Now, I’m on stages across the country. I’m a Grammy winner. I perform with world-class orchestras, sing in iconic venues, and lead productions that reach thousands. But none of it would mean anything if I didn’t turn around and lift others the way I was lifted.
That’s the legacy I want to leave.
Through the American Artists Project, the incredible staff of Staci McIntyre, Celeste Hubert, Maureen Papovich and the board are building platforms for artists who’ve been historically overlooked— who just need someone to say, “I see you.” We’re creating scholarships, mentorship programs, and paid performance opportunities that say: your story matters, your voice matters, and we’re going to make room for you.
Because real fairness isn’t about everyone having the same—it’s about everyone having enough. Enough to stand on. Enough to grow from. Enough to thrive.
The legacy I want isn’t measured in accolades or applause. I want to be remembered for giving others a way forward. For being someone’s “Bonnie.” For holding the door open. Because someone once held it open for me.
Pricing:
- A $25 donation to AAP Underwrites a student ticket to an arts performances.
- A $50 donation to AAP Provides a 30 minute lesson for a student in the Greg Easley-Bryant Young Artists Program.
- A $100 donation to AAP Provides a 1 hour lesson for a student in the Greg Easley-Bryant Young Artists Program.
- A $500 donation to AAP Provides one grant for a local performing artist for Broadway Brunch.
- A $325 donation provides a scholarship for a student on the Autism Spectrum to receive free music lessons.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://americanartistsproject.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meladailey?igsh=MjdtNmYwYW1vYWU3&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mela.dailey
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mela-dailey?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@americanartistsproject?feature=shared
- Other: http://www.meladailey.com
Image Credits
Joseph Moran
John Gutierrez
Kevin Garner
