Song Premiere: Melis on her new single Waves and returning to her Czech roots

“And I guess I should have known,
what´s made of glass will break
´cause it takes two to love someone.”

“Waves is a very personal song about a love/hate relationship with someone.” introduces singer and songwriter Melis her new single Waves to us, the first taste of her upcoming, second EP Undercurrent. In the beautiful video which was shot on 16mm film by Greta Stocklassa and cinematographer Tomas Frkal, Melis revisits nostalgic places in her hometown Prague, depicting her memories of growing up. “The lyrics came from my heart and I felt quite vulnerable during the writing process. It was born from a simple melody I played on a small keyboard in my bedroom. I realised that I felt the same way about my hometown Prague and I wanted to translate this feeling into the video. Having now established my life in Berlin, I wanted to go back to Prague to explore my roots and really embrace the city for what it truly is.” The gorgeous track and video have already won over our heart.

“I’ve come to the conclusion that real love is something that you can only experience when you are already complete by yourself and happy on your own.”

What did you learn from this difficult love/hate relationship that this track is about? Did it change your view on love in general and what do you now think real love means for you?

The relationship definitely taught me about my own personal values and what is truly important to me. I learned some of the most valuable lessons and I don’t regret any of it. I’ve come to the conclusion that real love is something that you can only experience when you are already complete by yourself and happy on your own. When you don’t need someone to fulfill you. Then if you meet someone you feel completely happy with, and they accept you the way you are, it’s more like a cherry on top.

I love this contrast of youth and elderly in your video. It evokes a lot of feelings. What feeling or meaning did you want to portray with adding the story of this old ladies to the video?

I wanted the video to be free flowing in form, not to have a proper narrative, but rather like flashbacks or memories. I knew I had to shoot it in my hometown Prague. The director of photography Tomas Frkal suggested that we revisit the places where I grew up. The mini-stories that we created in the video feel like distant memories of my childhood.
The old ladies are identical twins who live together in the apartment which you can see in the video, and they never leave each others sight. I love that the directors Greta Stocklassa and Tomas Frkal took the line “it takes two to love someone” from the song and applied it to the twins’ story.
I think grandmas are adorable and amazing and they definitely evoke a nostalgic feeling in me as I used to spend a lot of time with my incredible grandma when I was a kid. Grandma’s are the best.

image by Magdalena-Vojtekova

“I love the Prague for what it is, it can be pretty and it can be gritty.”

What did you realise for yourself going back to your roots in Prague?

That I love going back as much as I love leaving! laughs
I’ve definitely embraced my Czech roots and I wanted to show where I come from, without putting a filter on it. I love the city for what it is, it can be pretty and it can be gritty. Most of my family and friends still live there so I go back all the time. I’ve realised how many talented filmmakers there are and I felt privileged working with fellow creatives.

What did you learn from your relocation to Berlin and do you wanna grow old here?

I’ve been in Berlin for 3 years. Before then I lived in Brighton for 3 years. I definitely went through a phase where I fell out of love with Berlin for a minute, but I think most people here do! It can be a wonderful city and I think no matter where you’re from and your lifestyle choices, Berlin accepts everyone. I’ve met some amazing people and couldn’t be happier living here at the moment. I’m still drawn to the UK but with all the Brexit stuff happening, who knows what the future holds.