Dubliner Melanie McCabe will be familiar to many from her appearances on The X Factor, on which she appeared four times, to great acclaim. But her remarkable vocal performances notwithstanding – which drew extravagant praise from Louis Walsh, Garry Barlow. Mel B and Cheryl Cole, amongst others – she never won. Now she has decided to move on from the reality TV scene and is looking to make major waves in her own right.
Melanie has been signed to a management deal by Pat Egan – who has been at the heart of the music industry in Ireland over the past forty years. A hugely experienced promoter and manager, Egan is enormously enthusiastic about his new protege. “Pat Egan Management is over the moon to have signed a management deal with one of the greatest vocal talents ever to emerge in the Irish music scene,” it says on the homepage of Melanie’s spanking new website, under the heading: “You ain’t heard nothing yet."
That was the build-up to a special, intimate showcase event last night in The Sugar Club, in Dublin. Before a packed house of well-known industry figures, media, friends and family, and some lucky fans who had got their hands on the very limited number of tickets that were on public sale, Melanie set out her stall in a very impressive style indeed.
It was an occasion for demonstrating Melanie McCabe’ exceptional powers as a vocalist: she really does have the most extraordinary voice, as well as the ability to read and deliver song. On the night, we were treated to performances of everything from classics by Dionne Warwick (‘Walk On By’) and Nina Simone to modern hits by Jennifer Hudson, Faith Hill (’There You’ll Be’) and Ed Sheeran (’Thinking Out Loud’). While her backing band The Sugarcubes, led by producer Eugene McCarthy, expertly provided the foundation, McCabe was the focus throughout: her powerful, soulful voice was showcased perfectly.
At the end of the evening, it was revealed that Melanie's first single will be a cover of The Stylistics' ‘You Make Me Feel Brand New’, which will include contributions from the band themselves. It is a measure of the increasing esteem in which Melanie is held that she can attract the support of soul legends of that calibre.
The question now is: will Melanie McCabe leave an enduring mark on music to match that of the Philadelphia soul legends? From the reaction of the audience last night – which included luminaries like Phil Coulter – the signs are very good indeed. She has the pipes. She has the determination. She looks the part. And she has a strong management team behind her. The next few years should be very interesting indeed for Melanie McCabe...