Melody Holt is not your typical artist, and when she went searching for a place to express herself, she needed a home that was not a typical town. She found her niche in Nashville, Tennessee.

Raised in a fundamentalist, conservative home, Holt wasn't allowed to wear short skirts or even pants; instead she was forced to don clothing that covered the entire body. She was not allowed to cut her hair or wear makeup or jewelry. When her friends were allowed to go on dates, she was made to stay home alone. Although she loved and respected her parents, Holt felt she could never be herself and moved out of the house at 18. Living in a town of 6,000 limited her social life and artistic ability. “So when I moved to Nashville I really started to feel like I had the opportunity to spread my wings,” She says.

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