We’re looking forward to introducing you to Marina Nuñez Melvin . Check out our conversation below.
Marina, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What’s more important to you—intelligence, energy, or integrity?
All three are essential, but if I had to choose, I’d say integrity. Intelligence gives ideas shape, and energy gives them motion. However, integrity is what gives them meaning. Without it, you might succeed outwardly, but you’ll feel unaligned inwardly. I think the best work and life happens when what you do reflects who you truly are.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi, my name is Marina Nuñez Melvin and I am a multi-hyphenate artist- an opera singer, teaching artist, and most recently, co-founder of Ever & Embers, a non-toxic candle company I began with my husband, Chris. Creativity has always been the through line in everything I do. Whether I’m performing onstage or hand pouring candles, each outlet allows me to express something different – to connect, create beauty, and to bring a bit more light into the world. Balancing both performing, teaching, and candle making has been incredibly fulfilling. Opera allows me to tell stories through sound and emotion, teaching allows me to share that passion with others, and candle making brings that same sense of beauty and intention into everyday life. All are about presence, emotion, and creating something that lingers – something that reminds people to slow down, breathe, and feel.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
As a child, I believed I had to to please everyone around me – that I needed permission or approval to take up space. Over time, I’ve learned that true fulfillment doesn’t come from seeking approval, but from trusting myself. Now, I give myself the freedom to simply be, creating and showing up from a place of authenticity.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Yes – there was a time I almost gave up. Well actually I did. I felt like I wasn’t growing as an artist and wasn’t progressing the way I wanted to, I was running around constantly and got burnt out by the industry. I even tried stepping away completely and took an 8-5 job. That lasted about three months before I realized how much my soul missed singing and creating. Finding great teachers and mentors, Peter and Phyllis Drackley, and Beth Roberts helped me rediscover my voice both literally and figuratively. I started to see real progress and began getting cast by more opera companies. I let go of the pressure to be perfect and started singing simply for the joy of it – and that’s when things started to fall into place. That, along with the constant support and love of my husband, mother, and sister has allowed me to continue to do what I need to live my dreams. Now, having my candle business as another creative outlet keeps me grounded. It allows me to express myself in a different way, and in turn helps me be a better performer. I’ve learned that the less pressure I put on myself, the better I perform – both in music and life.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What’s a belief you used to hold tightly but now think was naive or wrong?
For a long time, I believed that to be considered a true professional opera singer, you had to devote yourself exclusively to performing – that doing anything else somehow diluted your artistry or meant you weren’t serious enough. It’s a belief that’s subtly and not so subtly ingrained in some training programs and in the culture of the opera world itself. But over time, I began to understand how limiting that mindset really was. I worked with a great life coach and soprano, Katrina Galka, on changing those limited beliefs. She helped me realize that everything you love, every creative pursuit and experience informs who you are as an artist. My candle business, for example, gives me a completely different outlet for expression and balance. Now I see that being multifaceted does not make you less of an artist – it makes you a richer one. The more fully you allow yourself to live and create, the more authentic and compelling your artistry becomes.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people will say that I was kind – that I led with compassion and made those around me feel seen and valued. I want to be remembered as someone who cherished her family above all else, who pursued her dreams wholeheartedly but never at the expense of her integrity or the well being of others. If people say that I brought a bit of sunshine into their day – that I made them smile when they were struggling or that they felt safe and at peace in my presence- that would mean everything to me. At the heart of it, I hope my story is one of love, creativity, and authenticity. That I showed it’s possible to chase your ambitions fiercely while still staying soft, kind, and true to yourself.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://marina-nunez.com
- Instagram: marinareneenunez
- Facebook: Marina Nuñez, soprano
- Other: Candle Business Instagram: @everandembers
Tik Tok: @everandembers
Image Credits
Martina Root
Efthimi Matsamakis
