By Virginia Garner
From the age of two, Melina Kennelly spent her childhood days in a Carnegie dance studio learning strict ballet technique; but now she’s overcoming conforming to rigid boundaries and letting herself go in music.
As the audience settled in at the Mr. Roboto Project in Friendship after being in the frigid January cold, the 23-year-old Kennelly performed vocals for the third time with her newly formed band, Princess. The quartet began, in her words, “awkwardly, in a bar.”
Although musicians nonchalantly talking about making music while at a bar isn’t a farfetched sight, none knew the extent of what Princess would become on that September evening in 2022.
The band’s guitarist, Noah Sommers, 23, sent a demo to the others, and the group hit the ground running. Only having its third show just a few weeks into 2023, the Pittsburgh hardcore punk band has already accumulated over 400 followers on Instagram and is booking shows out of state for the coming months, with Kennelly thriving as the frontwoman. Other than Kennelly and Sommers, the band consists of Pittsburgh natives Jordan Braverman, 21, energetically drumming, and Zach Bird, 20, keeping the rhythm for the whole band with the bass.
“I’ve always wanted to do vocals,” Kennelly said. “My favorite thing about being in a band is getting my creativity and thoughts out. Putting my thoughts into a song is something I really enjoy, because I can touch on points that need to be said.”
“Mel has the ability to command a crowd,” Braverman, Kennelly’s boyfriend of a little over two years, commented on her overall performance style. “She’s been performing in different ways, shapes and forms since she was a kid. So, to go from ballet dancing to singing in a hardcore band, those are two different mediums, so the fact that she is able to pull them off pretty perfectly is really impressive. I’m really proud of her for that.”
This intense performance was worlds away from the dainty elegance of ballet dancing. Princess played seven songs during the set, with Kennelly passionately performing screaming vocals off stage, intermingling with the crowd. All but one song was original, originating from Sommer’s demos and Kennelly’s lyrics.
The band also included a cover of California punk band Ceremony’s “Kersed,” which Pittsburgh native and local musician Owen Traynor, 22, thought was a positive addition.
“Since they’re a newer band, playing a cover that’s adjacent to their style fits really well with their set,” Traynor said. “I thought it was pretty sick.”
Besides using her voice as a personal creative outlet, Kennelly wants her words to serve another role, one that’s for the community that she deeply cares about. Drawing from personal experience and seeing various oppressions around the world, Kennelly wants to educate Princess’s audience while working towards her personal, and widespread goals.
Noah Sommers, Melina Kennelly, and Jordan Braverman. Photo by Virginia Garner
“Our songs are about the police and genocide, things that need to be talked about now,” Kennelly said. “There’s always something political, police related or racist going on at all times. So, I like to tell people about these things but with songs. For sure Princess fights social injustices.”
Princess has an upcoming performance on Feb. 10 at the Mr. Roboto Project, in a benefit for Pittsburgh Action Against Rape, an organization aiding victims of sexual violence, according to their website paar.net.
“The first song that I ever wrote for Princess took me 30 minutes because I just had so much to say,” and Kennelly plans to continue speaking her words for justice.
