Bio

Sensual. Intuitive. Intellectual. Spiritual.

Melinda Joy is a singer-songwriter/bass player whose songs interweave poetic lyrics (many originally written as stand-alone poems) with bass and melody lines that draw from a variety of genres. Soulful, jazzy, and lush, her sound has been described as "southern gothic." She currently writes, performs, and teaches both solo and with HoneyBones (a new duo project with Juro Kosec), Ravens 5 and Son of Cormack. She has released two full-length studio albums, Beautiful Illusions  (2020) and Unbound (2004) with her debut band, M.J. Baby & The Last Word. Check out the MUSIC page to hear those tunes. 

Singing and making music is a calling for MJ. She was a very shy and introspective kid, yet her desire to sing was so strong that when she began performing in elementary school, her legs would shake and her face would turn bright red from nervousness. But something drove her to continue. She's come a long way as a musician and performer since then, from classical and operatic training to a cappella to writing and playing her own original music. 

In addition to her musical endeavors, Melinda holds a Ph.D. in psychology / creativity studies. She is the host and creator of the podcast Syncreate: Empowering Creativity, which explores the intersections between creativity, psychology, and creativity and expands the boundaries of what it means to be creative with guests working in a wide range of fields and media. She's also the author of two bestselling books: A Mindful Approach to Team Creativity and Collaboration: Creating a Culture of Innovation, published in 2020 from Palgrave Macmillan, and the co-author of the Silver Nautilus Award-winning Syncreate: A Guide to Navigating the Creative Process for Individuals, Teams, and Communities, published in 2021 from Mandorla Books.

Professionally, she works as a creativity, career and leadership coach, consultant, facilitator and educator, helping individuals and organizations tap into their innate creativity for greater insight, collaboration, and innovation, allowing them to bring their creative dreams and visions to life. She is also a longtime mindfulness practitioner, a photographer, and she leads workshops and retreats on mindfulness and creativity, both in the U.S. and internationally. 

Melinda was also a founding member of with the Austin-based bands Green-Eyed Cat and Girl at the Window. Green-Eyed Cat was a collaborative venture with songstress Kim Llewellyn, the inimitable J.T. Martin (of Chasca), and drummer Johnny Gasyna. It's a night at the cabaret, a traveling vaudeville act, and a jazzy romp, featuring piano, bass, percussion, and tight, three-part harmonies. Girl at the Window featured the lush vocal stylings and songwriting chops of MJ, Kim Llewellyn, and Kaia Tingley.

During the fall of 2010, Melinda performed the role of Columbia in Chasca's Rocky Horror Revue Central Texas Tour, which included five performances at several venues in Austin, San Marcos, and San Antonio, TX. Follow the link for a video montage and live recording of our rendition of The Time Warp.

Melinda recorded and released her debut CD, Unbound, in New Orleans during the summer of 2004 and toured extensively with her former band, M.J. Baby & The Last Word. Listen to clips of the CD and check out fan reviews at CD Baby.

Performance Highlights:

  • 2025 Old School Artist Residency for Songwriting, Hrisey Island, Iceland, June 2025
  • 2024 Featured Speaker for Creative Mornings Austin on Creativity and Ritual, Austin, TX (August 2024)
  • 2024 Concert Series: The Colors of Love and Spaces & Places of Soul with Randy Langford, Son of Cormack, Jason Hendrix & Alisa Carr
  • 2024 SXSW Music Gorilla Showcase with Son of Cormack at The Lucky Duck, Austin, TX
  • 2023 Presentation & Performance “Songwriters & Storytellers,” Story Parlor, Asheville, NC
  • 2022 Oregon Creativity Conference, "Creativity in Songwriting: A Process Talk and Performance," Ashland, OR
  • 2021 Oregon Creativity Conference, "The Call to Create": Presentation & Performance, Ashland, OR
  • 2019 Jung Society of Austin, "The Call to Create," Presentation & Performance
  • 2016 Melinda Joy & The Beautiful Illusion residency at Sahara Lounge, Austin, TX
  • 2014 Green-Eyed Cat Unofficial SXSW Showcase @ Uncorked, Austin, TX
  • 2013 Green-Eyed Cat residency at The Butterfly Bar @ The Vortex Theater, Austin, TX
  • 2010 Chasca Rocky Horror Revue Central Texas Tour
  • 2010 Austin Jams @ Austin Java - Unofficial SXSW Showcase, Austin, TX
  • 2009 Art Actualized Showcase, Austin, TX
  • 2007 M.J. Baby & The Last Word @ Hyperactive Music Festival, Albuquerque, NM
  • 2007 M.J. Baby & The Last Word @ "Invasion of the GoGirls," Austin, TX
  • 2007 M.J. Baby & The Last Word @ Folk Alliance Conference (GoGirls Showcase), Memphis, TN
  • 2006 M.J. Baby & The Last Word @ GoGirls Music Fest, Austin, TX
  • 2006 M.J. Baby & The Last Word @ Cutting Edge Music Conference Showcase, New Orleans, LA