Melissa Cross
Melissa Cross | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1957 (age 67–68)[1] |
| Other names | Scream Queen[2] |
| Education | Bristol Old Vic Theatre School |
| Occupation | Vocal coach |
| Notable work | The Zen of Screaming |
| Website | melissacross |
Melissa Cross is an American vocal coach known for her technical improvements in screaming.[1][3][2][4] She has worked with actors and musicians across genres, mainly in heavy metal and its subgenres, and also in grunge.[1]
Early life and education
[edit]Cross grew up in Texas, where she enjoyed participating in ballet, piano, and choir. She graduated from Bristol Old Vic Theatre School,[5] where she focused on singing for theatre and traditional opera.[6]
Career
[edit]After graduating, she initially moved to California, eventually settling in New York in the 1980s. In New York, she worked for record companies and music-business lawyers. She also played in punk bands.[5] Cross damaged her vocal cords trying to achieve the sounds she wanted, causing her to research speech pathology, speech therapy, and the mechanisms of speaking in an effort to heal herself.[3] She also found ways to scream without hurting herself as a result. In the mid-1990s, Cross was asked by a friend to train vocalists of bands he was producing music for, noticing that those vocalists were also damaging their voices.[3] Her association with those bands allowed Cross to use her classical voice training in combination with the new techniques she discovered.[5]
Cross's first student was going to be Jamey Jasta of Hatebreed, although he never appeared for his lesson.[3]
In 2005, Cross released an instructional DVD, which taught viewers the basics of screaming vocal techniques, titled The Zen of Screaming: Vocal Instruction for a New Breed.[2] The tutorial became a cult classic amongst peers in the metal scene.[1]
In 2008, it was reported in The Seattle Times that Cross had taught a master's class at Columbia University, focusing on screaming techniques.[5]
Through her career, Cross has worked with prominent musicians and bands, including Jonathan Davis of Korn, Courtney Love of Hole,[1] Angela Gossow of Arch Enemy,[5] Jesse Leach of Killswitch Engage,[7] Randy Blythe of Lamb of God, Andrew W.K., Melissa Auf der Maur, Slipknot, Sick of It All, Thursday, Shadows Fall,[3] Slayer,[8] Cradle of Filth,[4] Unearth,[9] Maroon 5, The Bravery, Ben Lee, Shinedown, Coheed and Cambria, Stone Sour,[7] Megadeth, Sara Bareilles,[10] A Day To Remember, Beartooth, Bring Me The Horizon, Chiodos, The Devil Wears Prada, Disturbed, Every Time I Die, Falling In Reverse, Halestorm, Taking Back Sunday, Trivium, and Volbeat.[6] She has also worked with actors, such as Kevin Bacon.[1]
Filmography
[edit]| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 2005 | The Zen of Screaming: Vocal Instruction for a New Breed |
| 2007 | The Zen of Screaming 2 |
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f Bindman, Ariana (7 April 2025). "She experienced California's 1970s rock revolution. Now she has an empire". SFGate.
- ^ a b c "'Scream Queen' Melissa Cross". Fresh Air. NPR. 8 December 2005.
- ^ a b c d e Goldberg, Michael Alan (26 January 2006). "I Scream, You Scream". Houston Press.
- ^ a b "Queen of the Scream: Vocal Coach Melissa Cross". All Things Considered. NPR. 21 March 2006.
- ^ a b c d e Farnsworth, Amy (18 August 2008). "Melissa Cross will have you screaming like a rock star". The Seattle Times.
- ^ a b Sanchez, Lisa (11 August 2017). "Meet Woman That Teaches Metal Bands How To Scream, Melissa Cross". KBAT.
- ^ a b Goetz, Rick (8 June 2018). "The Zen of Screaming". Music Consultant.
- ^ Vincent, Melissa (18 February 2022). "How Metal Heals". Elle Canada.
- ^ Castillo, Arielle (5 August 2008). "How to Sing Like Alice in Chains". Seattle Weekly.
- ^ McCabe, Allyson (23 May 2014). "Sound & Vision: Melissa Cross". The Rumpus.