Damara Melissa – Beginnings (EP)

Damara Melissa
Beginnings (EP)
(release date: February 24, 2022)
www.damaramelissa.com

By Robert M. Marovich

From Whitby, Ontario, singer-songwriter Damara Melissa evokes CCM singers Jamie Grace, Tori Kelly, and Nicole C. Mullins. Following a few recent singles, Beginnings is her first EP.

Commencing her writing career to channel her emotions after the passing of her father, Damara expresses in the pop-flavored songs on Beginnings the intimacy of a soul transitioning from hurting to healing, from vulnerability to victory.

The prayerful and self-empowering “Brave” is the current streaming favorite, but to my ears, “Invisible” is the EP’s highlight. This ballad about a God who knows us better than anyone else, knows us for who we really are, and cares about us when we feel forgotten, is melodic, delicate, and well-sung. There’s a touch of Celtic in Damara’s crystalline voice, no doubt channeled through influences from her Canadian upbringing.

Referencing Luke 22:42 (“not my will, but yours be done”), the thrumming “Where I Wanna Be” is a selfless expression of all-in discipleship. In arrangement and lyrics, “Rise Above” is Damara’s victory call. She has made it over the rough side of the mountain and sees life ahead. “And it’s beautiful,” she sings.

Beginnings is beautiful, too. The songs are somewhat similar in tone and arrangement, but the EP does what EPs should do – introduce the artist to a wider audience and leaving them wanting more.

Four of Five Stars

Picks: “Invisible”