Melvo Baptiste (GB)
DJing and selecting is in Melvo Baptiste’s blood. An established broadcaster, tastemaker and label head, West London born Melvo has shared his musical DNA of soul, rare groove, funk, disco and house with enthusiasts around the world, while making connections with contemporary artists on the peripheries of these genres in his quest to become the next indie champion.
Born into a family of dancers, record collectors and music enthusiasts, his musical upbringing was a strict diet of soul, rare groove, funk and disco. Inspired by visiting his uncle Norman Jay’s Sunday night BBC Radio London show, Melvo picked up DJing organically and found himself tapping into the family vocation. When KISS FM founder Gordon Mac returned to radio to create new station Mi-Soul, Melvo was one of the first to be signed up for his own weekly show and presented on Saturday mornings from 2012 until early 2018.
After an encounter with Defected founder Simon Dunmore in 2017, when Melvo played at Ministry of Sound for the brand’s Glitterbox party, the pair decided to set up the Glitterbox radio show with Melvo as the presenter. Originally an online show, it is now syndicated on over 60 stations globally and regularly frequents iTunes UK’s #1 spot for podcasts. Becoming the voice of Glitterbox, interviewing the likes of Jocelyn Brown, Jazzy Jeff and David Morales for the show, Melvo has been instrumental in taking Defected Record’s Glitterbox to the next level. As well as hosting the Glitterbox show and more recently The Remedy Project’s monthly radio output, Melvo has proved himself as a natural presenter on-camera. Presenting gigs for Defected’s 6-part TV series recorded at Defected Croatia (in partnership with Toshiba) and the label’s virtual event for international car brand Opel, Melvo demonstrated a comfortability on camera as an adept interviewer and storyteller. Melvo also hosted a number of the Defected and Glitterbox Virtual Festivals, which drew in over 60+ million views and raised €1.2 million for the WHO’s Covid-19 Response Fund and £89,000 for Mind.
A fan favourite of the Glitterbox roster, Melvo has become the face of the brand, touring across the globe at sold-out parties and festivals, and acting as A&R for the label. In 2020 Melvo released his debut single on the label ‘Bad Company’ featuring Phebe Edwards, a sublime slice of modern disco that drew inspiration from the genre’s golden era. Supported by legends of the game like Louie Vega, Dave Lee and Horse Meat Disco and on major radio stations like BBC 6 Music, BBC Radio 2, Triple J (AU) and added to the Mi-Soul playlist, ‘Bad Company’ marked a turning point in Melvo’s career as a musician.
Setting up his own label The Remedy Project under the Defected family of labels in 2021, Melvo’s new imprint demonstrates his dedication to discovering new talent and developing forward-thinking, genre-bending and ambitious musicians. The label’s founding principles were to offer a home and a platform to these like-minded artists, and launched with the debut single from budding Atlanta songwriter Hadiya George whose feature on Honey Dijon’s BBC Radio 1 playlisted ‘Not About You’. Now preparing to release its second single, this time from acclaimed producers Jitwam and Cosmo’s Midnight ‘Feel Good’, Melvo continues to develop his ambitious plans for the label.
With his organic knowledge and passion for rare groove, golden era soul and disco as well as classic house, contemporary soulful house and nu-disco, Melvo’s reputation as the ultimate good-time selector continues to secure him gigs at the most in-demand venues in the world, from London’s Printworks and Ministry of Sound, to Hï Ibiza and House of Yes NYC.