Petite Meller on Music, Philosophy, and Her New Orchestral Pop

Singer Petite Meller discusses her evolution from the 2015 debut single 'Baby Love' to her upcoming second album, previewed by 'Dying Out of Love' (2020). The new work marks a shift toward orchestral pop (OrkPop), recorded with a 42-piece live orchestra in Moscow, inspired by Vivaldi and the Royal Orchestra of Moscow. Meller holds a philosophy degree from the Sorbonne and is pursuing a PhD at UCLA, focusing on the concept of pleasure derived from pain in Freud and Kant. Her personal motto is 'Wear your trauma with pride,' reflected in her aesthetic choices such as makeup referencing a childhood accident and arm bandages in videos. She cites David Bowie, Commedia dell'Arte characters Pierrot and Harlequin, and directors Michelangelo Antonioni, Alfred Hitchcock, and Luchino Visconti as influences. Meller has lived in Paris, Tel Aviv, London, and Los Angeles, and expresses interest in moving to Calabria or Sicily for the cuisine. She dreams of becoming a philosophy professor and a classical music conductor.