Without Love... It Aint Much

With a picture like this you'd think that this woman would give us some great pop music!
There's a good chance you may not have heard of this famous Australian, Melissa Tkautz, but she's actually been around since the early 80's!

Like most famous Australians she started her career acting in a soap opera. She immediately became one of the most popular characters in the show. Due to her popularity, the producers had Melissa record a song that would be used as part of a dream sequence for her character. They decided that they would use the show to launch a singing career for Melissa in real life. The idea was a hit and the single - Read My Lips, shot straight to number one in Australia. It didn't take long for Melissa to leave the show to focus on her new found singing career.

After leaving the show Melissa went on tour to promote her debut album, but her futher singles failed to impress fans. In December 1992, after her last single only managed to hit top 20... her final single from her debut album failed to chart at all.

Luckily for Melissa the show "E-Street" took her back with open arms. In 1993 Melissa returned to the show and was a main focus of the season. Despite it's popularity and overall good ratings the network cancelled the show that year.

The poor girl didn't have an acting job or a singing career. After E-Street was cancelled Melissa continued to do guest roles in various television shows and even decided to give singing another chance. She released a single with a new look and a funkier edge but although critics were impressed, the single peaked at a dissapointing #39.

For the next 10 years Melissa worked in various television shows until finally in 2005 she re-launched a career in music with a cover of "The Glamorous Life." The song was destined to be a huge pop hit! Until the worst thing that could happen happened. Another version of the song was released at the exact same time! Despite the fact that there were 2 versions of the song competing for airplay, Melissa's version had some success and she released her first album in 15 years! Despite the success of 'Glamorous Life' her next single charted at #72.

She gave it one more shot in 2006 after recording material in Sweden. 'Easily Affected' was released and was supposed to be the first single from a new album. The song was extremely bland and the vocals were weak... there was nothing really to it. When it peaked at #86 the album was shelved indefinitely.

For someone who has been famous for 20 years it seems Melissa hasn't really had any real success since her first single back in 1991. That doesn't seem to have stopped her though! It all seems a little too "Lisa Scott-Lee" for me. At some point you just have to say enough is enough already. How many bombs does she have to release before she realises people don't want to
hear her sing!?

I haven't been impressed with any of her songs besides "The Glamorous Life" which has a great beat and is easily her best single, although probably not worthy of anything better than top 20. If you haven't heard of Melissa Tkautz before then this is the one and only song you need to hear.
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Melissa Tkautz - The Glamorous Life
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