Interview: Melanie Penny Chats About Her New Album Childhood Trauma Club

What inspired the theme or concept behind this album?

There were quite a few conversations with friends ranging in different topics, but childhood trauma is one we kept coming back to. I realized when I went to go write for the album, I wanted a different song to relate to things we might've experienced growing up.  

Were there any particular events or emotions that shaped the songwriting?

There were quite a few different events shaping the album. Pills is one of my favorites off the album and it's my own experience and friends about trying medication for mental health and the downsides of the process.

There are a few songs shaped by the experience of going no contact with parents both by me and a close friend of mine.

I wrote in a different light this album instead of being angry about issues, it felt more like closure.  

Which track was the most fun to create, and why?

Horror of being happy for sure! A close friend of mine, Isabella helped come up with the title track and that sparked a fire in me. I was like that is a sick title I need to write something surrounding that. I didn't have the intention of it being so dark but we were both not in an amazing place in our life. It's a very honest song but I'm very proud of it.  

Did you experiment with any new techniques, instruments, or styles on this record?

I played around with a lot of synth sounds for the record. I grew up loving artists like Imogen heap and owl city so experimenting with synths was a really fun process.  

How do you feel this album represents your evolution as a band?

It represents the future of my vision. I've always wanted to create a community and when the idea of a Childhood Trauma Club came to life I knew this was just the starting point. It explores deep topics but it's a reclamation album at the end of the day.  

What do you hope your fans take away from this album?

Take away that you can do anything. You can have the hard conversations, you can take back your life, you can have hope again.

That's what I took away from writing it and I hope it gets heard the same way. It was a muddy start at first but after I wrote a few songs I realized it's easy to take one step out of the dark and let others in. There's no judgement for true friends.  

If you could describe this album in three words, what would they be?

1. Community

2. Authenticity

3. Ambition 

Is there a specific moment during the album’s creation that you’ll always remember?

I almost didn't put "His Daughter" on the album. I was showing a friend the lyrics and was explaining like "I don't know It just doesn't feel right".

Her reaction stuck with me because she said it felt like the lyrics were written just for her. That's when I realized, I had my therapy writing the song but the more vulnerable it is to me, the more someone else might relate to it. Which means the one thing that scared me is the one thing I needed to do the most.  

Childhood Trauma Club by Melanie Penny - DistroKid