MELODY DeBRAUX Releases “YOU DO YOU”

by Skope • March 4, 2025

Melody DeBraux (Artist/Musician)

Born in Nairobi, Kenya & having grown up all over the world, Melody DeBraux spent her formative years in the DC area where she taught herself to play piano by ear while being trained in classical voice. She began writing and performing her own music at the age of 10 but her love of songwriting flourished during her college years while singing and touring with several local bands out of Nairobi, Kenya. She also began recording her music in studio at around the same time. Once back in the US, Melody spent several years singing and playing guitar and piano in a duo and a few years later started performing solo around her native Houston, TX.

In 2021, Melody released her first solo album, Blue Skies, recorded during the pandemic, when many artists were unable to perform and tour due to the pandemic. While the album has a definite country/pop flare, some songs do reflect an international upbringing with heartfelt ballads expressing a life full of ups and downs. Melody’s combination of sass, strength, and vulnerability are something we all can relate to. Melody currently resides in Tulsa Oklahoma.

Rafael “Raffi” Suarez (Director)

Born on the tiny Dutch Caribbean island of Bonaire, sunlight and sea air were Rafael Suarez’s first inspirations. When Raffi was just five years old, his family immigrated to America, eventually settling in frigid Chicago and then Madison, Wisconsin.

When his family moved to the States, finding comfort in new hometowns meant joining the AV club and cable access channel. A borrowed video camera became a passport to adventure, capturing life through a lens. By age16, Raffi was creating award-winning shorts with childhood friends, foreshadowing future success.

As soon as he was able, Rafael headed west to sunny California, graduating from the renowned New York Film Academy. After 15 years of honing his craft, he worked his way up through the ranks. He cut his teeth in Hollywood working on major productions like “Iron Man” and hit TV shows such as “Pushing Daisies.” But beyond these credentials, the most valuable lesson was a dedication to the craft of visual storytelling.

Now based in Houston, Raffi runs his own video production company, bringing his wealth of experience to projects big and small. Now a proud father, Raffi has come full circle, running his own video production company and working at a local church. His roots taught him that sharing compelling stories is life’s greatest gift. Rafael looks forward to bringing his unique perspective to audiences who crave authenticity on screen.

Randal Lerner (Executive Producer)

Randy is from the small town of LaMarque, Texas and attended The University of Texas undergrad and law school. Randy is a practicing real estate attorney in Houston, and an avid writer, film producer, DJ and music junkie. I love the challenge of telling a story that starts with a verse or lyric and bringing it to life through film. It is an art of self-expression. I am so lucky to be able to collaborate with so many talented people. Each project is a unique journey which is often more important than the final destination. I believe that I would still make films even if no one watched.

BEHIND “YOU DO YOU” – MELODY DeBRAUX

“You Do You” is an ode and dedication to people that go through a difficult relationship. The music video portrays my reflections on a past romance. I often thumb through pages in my notebook as an outlet of expression. in doing so, the lines I had written “Sun rises moon sets days go by so slow…” seemed to capture my feelings. These lines inspired my composition of the lyrics for the song. Beautiful music can come out of hardship and hearbreak.

The music video captures the raw moments of writing and performing the song “You Do You”. The guitar and the faded snapshot suddenly discovered in the guitar case in the music video serve to remind me of the romance years ago. As I reminisced, flashbacks unfold to reveal and re-live the heartfelt and nostalgic moments of the relationship. I am transported back into whirlwind scenes of the romance. Although the connection seems unbreakable, it is also proved to be fragile.

I always want someone to get something out of my songs, whether funny or sad. I think that from a universal standpoint songs about breakup actually help people heal and move on. The line “and maybe.. I can still call you baby” reflects the glimmer of hope that things might somehow work out. These moments form the love story that inspire the original song “You Do You.”

MAKING OF THE MUSIC VIDEO:

When we set out to make our music video “You Do You,” we came together as passionate artists from a variety of backgrounds. This project was a chance for emerging voices to carve out space to share an intensely personal story through music and film. We attempted to capture the raw elements of the heartfelt song in an authentic manner in an urban setting. Fueled by grit and love, we watched in awe as our labor of love took on a life of its own. Our talented cast embodied nuanced characters with both empathy and honesty. Our crew of fellow dreamers gave everything to ring true human emotion from each scene. Our goal now is to connect with audiences who crave poignant, human stories.