MELVV is a Brooklyn-based electronic music producer, originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His work revolves around modular synthesizers, analog drum machines, warped samples, and twinkly piano melodies.
Past live performances include Lollapalooza, Coachella, and Bonnaroo. His music has been streamed over one hundred million times worldwide.
Inquiries: hi@melvv.xyz
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In Cedarburg, Wisconsin - a suburb of Milwaukee - it isn't normal for kids to seek a career in music. While he had taken piano and drum lessons sporadically throughout his childhood, Jeffrey Melvin had thought that his musical pursuits would only be a hobby. It wasn't until his sister showed him a Daft Punk concert DVD that music became more than leisure.
After watching that Alive 2007 video, Melvin dove into production. As a high schooler, he began to combine ideas from jazz piano lessons with electronic music. Melvin had no connections in the industry, so he released his early songs on the streaming website SoundCloud; his moniker online was MELVV. His music's reception and global reach on the site came as a complete surprise.
Upon finishing his first year at the University of Wisconsin in 2016, Melvin dropped out to pursue music full time. Before completing his second semester, however, he went on his first tour with Big Gigantic and Louis The Child, culminating with a solo performance at the famed DoLab stage at Coachella. MELVV kept quietly working on his music in the meantime, developing his sound and curating collaborations as he continued to grow artistically.
Following the release of singles "Not Me" and "Lifeline" under indie label Majestic Casual, MELVV caught the attention of Atlantic Records, with whom he signed in 2017. Several songs were released under Atlantic, including "Heatwave" with More Giraffes and "Nectarines" with Royal & The Serpent. A few tours accompanied the tracks, with MELVV opening for Petit Biscuit as well as headlining his own North American tour "Stress Relief." He also performed at several festivals; among these were Lollapalooza, Electric Forest, Bonnaroo, Firefly, and Coachella a second time.
When touring halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Melvin turned to artist production work. His landed first executive production role on Jordana’s second album “Something to Say to You,” recorded predominately at Studio G in Brooklyn.
In 2021, MELVV became an independent artist again. Upon the return of live shows during the COVID pandemic, he made occasional DJ appearances with Jai Wolf and Pluko. Soon after, MELVV joined forces with independent distributor Stem, releasing his debut EP, “Shift in Momentum.”
With the following year came another EP, “Polychrome,” defined by distorted saw waves, crunchy machine drums, and vivid melodies. The first single, “Crossing Fingers,” featured vocals from Cayenne, lead singer of the Singapore-based band Sobs. The rest of the project remained instrumental, aside from vocoded vocals from MELVV himself on the final track, “I’ll Be There for You.”