Chicago blues
Chicago, Illinois
Photo: Jason Rosewarne
Dubbed “the future of the blues” by the Chicago Reader newspaper, Melody Angel is a powerhouse vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter born and raised on the South Side of Chicago. With strong, no-nonsense vocals and thoughtful lyrics that reflect her passion for racial and gender justice, Angel’s singular sound draws upon elements of R&B, rock, and funk, all layered on a strong bed of Chicago blues.
At first glance this kinetic 32-year-old guitarist whose blistering chops on her purple Fender Stratocaster call to mind two of her idols, Prince and Jimi Hendrix, might seem an unlikely heir to the legacy of Chicago blues. She points out, however, that “traditionalists are always saying they want you to sound exactly like Muddy or Koko … but nobody else sounded like Muddy or Koko. I think they forget how innovative the blues was back then, how everybody had their own style.” In fact, Angel’s relative, Otis Rush, became a legendary figure for creating the “West Side Sound” in the 1950s, weaving the popular R&B sounds into Chicago blues. Melody’s uncompromising music builds on this legacy of innovation with such verve that the Chicago Sun-Times hailed her as “Chicago’s next blues star.”
Growing up on the South Side, Melody Angel was raised by women who were great soul and gospel singers. Melody remembers clearly the day her mother, a talented vocalist who had recorded commercial jingles, heard her singing and complemented her voice: “That,” she says, “was the day I stopped being afraid I couldn’t sing.” Their connection remains vital: Stephanie Crystal will sing backing vocals for her daughter at Richmond as she does on every tour.
Yet, Melody’s obsession was the guitar. Money was too tight to ask for her own, so she spent hours each day watching videos of her favorite guitarists, analyzing their styles and dreaming up her own licks. By the time she was 15 and her mother bought her that purple Fender at a local pawnshop, in mere months she was winning open mic nights and forming her own band. Angel never got to play with Rush, her famous cousin; his health failed just as she launched her career. But she proudly carries on his innovative legacy, and makes a point to play one of his songs in each set in his honor.
In 2014, Melody scored a regular gig at Chicago’s legendary Rosa’s Lounge, and since 2016 she’s been a headliner at the world-famous Chicago Blues Festival. Although today she performs more in rock venues and on international stages than in her city’s blues clubs, she declares Chicago blues “is my legacy … it runs through my veins.” Her virtuosity and charisma are bringing new fans to the genre who appreciate her grounded yet capacious brand of blues. Her songwriting, too, speaks directly to the moment, from the perceptive social protest of 2021’s She Black to the joyful self-expression of this summer’s Indie Blues Girl. By making music that so boldly explores the human condition, Melody Angel brings us right back to the true power of the blues.