Melina, who’s full name is Melina Vlachos, is a rising artist whose music transcends borders and genres. With roots in Greece and France, and a sound shaped by the wider Mediterranean and Oriental musical worlds, she describes her style as neo-traditional pop. A heartfelt blend of tradition, classical oud and modern pop culture. We sat down with Melina to talk about her musical journey, cultural fusion, and the stories behind her sound.
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Introduction
Where does your artist name come from?
Melina is my real name, and also my artist name. It’s a Greek name, also used in Italy and other Mediterranean countries, and it means “honey,”. I’ve always liked my name, so it felt natural to keep it as part of my identity as a musician.
How would you describe your music to someone who’s never heard you before?
I often call it neo-traditional pop. It’s not an official genre, but it captures the essence: pop music deeply influenced by traditional Greek, Turkish, Balkan, and Oriental sounds.
What are your songs about?
My lyrics are personal, sometimes like letters to someone. My songs often reflect themes of love, longing, and the search for meaning. One of my first songs, Kano Traka, is about embracing this search for purpose with joy, through music and dance. There’s also a recurring sense of feeling a bit lost in the world, but being okay with that.
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Roots
How does your heritage shape your music?
My family has had a huge influence. I’m half Greek and half French. My parents met in France, but both are musicians who teach and perform Greek traditional music. They were my first teachers and we listen to Greek music together a lot. I was homeschooled during high school so I could spend more time in Greece and study traditional music. That foundation, Greek modal music mixed with Turkish and Oriental sounds, became the base of my artistic language.
Which artists have influenced you most?
I grew up listening to Rebetiko and early 1900s Greek music, artists like Marika Papagika and Marika Ninou. I also absorbed Arabic pop growing up in France, especially the Egyptian string-heavy pop that I adored. Later came Western pop influences, like Rihanna, Shakira and I even had a Pink Floyd phase. My taste changes with my mood, but there’s always been a strong connection to Oriental pop and traditional music.
Having the different influences, what does fusion mean to you in music?
Fusion is tricky, it’s easy to lean too far into either the traditional or the modern. For me, the goal is to respect all the influences and blend them so naturally that the result doesn’t feel like a “mix,” but like something whole. Something original that stands on its own.
What traditional instruments do you use in your music?
I started with the violin, but now my main instrument is the oud. I love it because it’s both melodic and rhythmic. It lets me accompany myself while playing complex microtonal scales like the maqams, thanks to its fretless neck. It’s such a rich and expressive instrument.
Do you see a role for yourself in bridging cultures through your music?
I hope so. Especially as a Greek artist, I hope to help reconcile Greece’s often complicated relationship with its Oriental and Ottoman history. Some Greeks say my music sounds “too Turkish,” but to me, these sounds are shared and interconnected. I also feel the French audience may not understand every lyric, but they connect emotionally. My music reflects all parts of me, Greek, French, even a bit of Chilean influence through a producer I work with. I hope that creates something meaningful.
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Live
What kind of experience do you want to give your audience?
I really want people to leave feeling better than when they came. I sing emotional, sometimes sad songs, but I always follow them with danceable ones. I aim for catharsis: to move people deeply and then lift them up again.
Is there a live moment that stayed with you?
Definitely. When I played in Athens recently, it was the first time a large Greek audience sang my lyrics back to me. That never happens in France, people don’t usually know the words. But in Athens, it was deeply emotional. It felt like a homecoming.
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Inspires
What’s does 2026 hold for you?
I’m playing at Eurosonic in January and was selected for the Music Moves Europe Award, representing Greece. That’s a big milestone. I’m also writing new songs that include more of the French language, but I want to do it in a way that feels authentic. I’m not a fan of recording, I much prefer being on stage, but to perform, you have to release. So I’m focusing on shaping what my next album will be.