Voice
Meloney Burns is a singer, songwriter, pianist, and guitarist, and a native New Yorker. Born into a musical family, her mother was a gospel recording artist and one of the first female co-pastors; her father, an activist, pastored a vibrant congregation. Among Meloney's earliest musical memories are touring with her musical siblings, serving as the local and regional church choir director, and being a worship leader and musician. Some of her earliest musical experiences included performances on renowned stages—one of which was New York's famed Carnegie Hall, where she, her siblings, and church youths joined her mother in concert.
As Meloney and her siblings grew, they began doing backup recording sessions for their mother and brought cultural and educational performances to U.S. colleges and HBCUs. She performed with the Mercer Ellington Orchestra and similar ensembles, and during that time, shared the stage with arranger Nat Adderly Jr., songwriter Abbey Lincoln, and Good Times TV star Esther Rolle. Even as a child in elementary school, she was a featured soloist in theater, drama, and musical performances. She often held front-line roles in dance clubs and continued to do so throughout middle and high school.
In college, Diamond Melody—her stage name in the music industry—began performing with girl groups, frequently singing lead vocals. She also sang with her multi-talented siblings, known in the gospel world as 'Family Burns.' Eventually, she started performing at club dates and corporate wedding gigs throughout the New York Tri-State area and beyond. It was during this time that Diamond began receiving calls to perform backup recording sessions for artists at studios such as Sony NYC and SIR, where she lent her vocals to tracks for artists including Mariah Carey and Jessica Simpson.
Meloney has toured extensively, offering her exceptional backup vocals to gospel legends such as The Clark Sisters, Donnie McClurkin, Shirley Caesar, and others. In the secular world, she has toured with renowned artists such as Don Henley of the Eagles, Jason Mraz, Joey McIntyre (NKOTB), Charles Kelley, famed guitarist Carlos Santana, and many others. For over a decade, she toured with solo artist Rob Thomas, formerly the frontman of Matchbox 20. Her performance credits also include sharing the stage with the pop band Plain White T's, singer Nat Townsley Jr., Cheryl Pepsii Riley, multi-instrumentalist Korel Tunador of the Goo Goo Dolls, and the band Vinyl Station.
Having studied music, piano, and theory, Meloney worked as a vocal instructor, where her students adored her. A gifted vocal coach, she offers private lessons and has also trained choral groups. Not just a pretty face, Diamond attended New York City College, where she majored in psychology.
A lover of singing, dancing, traveling, and exploring the science of the mind, Meloney also enjoys interior decorating and finds joy in nature. A self-proclaimed cat person, she stands out in an often cutthroat industry as a truly eclectic, talented, and serene soul.