Melody Holt Talks Reality TV, Divorce And Her New Music Career With BOSSIP

This week has been quite a roller coaster for Melody Holt but she tells BOSSIP she’s excited for what lies ahead.

Source: Blair Devereaux / Courtesy

We spoke with the “Love & Marriage: Huntsville” star about the release of her new single “Tell Tale Signs,” Martell’s accusations that she was also unfaithful and why she decided to end her 12 year marriage.[Editor’s Note: News of Holt’s divorce being finalized actually broke shortly after we completed this interview.]

Check out our Q & A below:

BOSSIP: Congrats on the release of your new single “Tell Tale Signs.” Is this the single we saw you performing a few episodes back on “Love & Marriage: Huntsville”?

Melody Holt: About two episodes ago, I was able to be captured recording my new single that drops March 20th “Tell Tale Signs.” It’s been amazing getting back to my first love and that’s really anything that deals with the arts. When you think of music and acting that has been amazing and a great healing piece for me as well, being able to express and work through the pain that I had to endure and just really putting energy into my music.

How long has music been a passion for you?

I started out at a very young age dancing, acting, singing and my mom always had me in a lot of activities. I sang in the church choir, played the piano, anything that involved the arts I tried to play a part in it. I kind of got away from my first love after college. I graduated, married Martell, we got married right away. I started teaching and shortly after we started a business. From there we started our family. I don’t regret any of those experiences. It definitely prepared me for the music game. I would tell anyone that it is not as easy as anyone thinks and as easy as it looks. It’s a big grind that goes into it. I’m just enjoying the ride. I’m glad that I have the work ethic that it takes to endure the grind that it takes. I’m grateful to have support from my family, my team and my fans.

How are you releasing the music?

I am releasing it independently, I had a few distributors come to me, believe it or not, wanting to get me to do a distribution deal with them. I thought long and hard about it but ended up deciding that I wanted to release it independently but I had an opportunity to work with some amazing people. The fact that my first song out the gate is with a Grammy Award winning producer, Bob Robinson from Tim & Bob. I also had a chance to work with 1500 or Nothin and some dope writers from Atlanta as well so it has just been great out the gate to have an amazing project where I was able to work with people who have a lot of history and notoriety behind their name.

How do you deal with haters? Have you had naysayers telling you to stick to real estate? How do you deal with people who don’t see your vision?

I haven’t gotten a lot of that. I really try to, I’m very particular about who I have in my circle, in my life and who I allow to be in my entire life experience. I haven’t had a lot of that. I can really only count a handful that I’ve seen. Not saying they’re not around — but from what I’ve seen — I like to stay in the eagle view honey so the little stuff going down below, I don’t see much about it. One thing that was said to me was, ‘Well you have children so I don’t know if you’re going to have the time that it will take.’ Someone said, ‘Well you’re 35 and a lot of people get into the game when they’re in their early 20’s.’ That was something that was stated to me and honestly I kind of let it go right in one ear and out the other. Honestly I don’ think there should be an age limit or a limit on what you can do because you have children. If you feel that you have been gifted with a talent and you want to work that talent there is nothing wrong with that. So I just continue to work and continue to put my best foot forward.

I’ll be honest, the first time I went in the studio after about 30 minutes I was like, ‘Forget this, I’m ready to go. I don’t want to do this. No ma’am.’ It is challenging, like I said it’s more challenging than people think it is. Being in a studio recording is different from you being at home or being at events and performing and singing. It’s totally different. I overcame it though, I stuck it out and by the time we were done we were able to have an amazing base of a masterpiece that we were able to put together. So I say no matter what it is you want to do in life don’t allow anyone to hinder you from what it is you want to do.

For the folks wondering, how far back did the events we’re seeing on the show actually happen?

What’s airing right now was filmed in the Fall of 2020 — about four or five months ago.

There’s a scene on “Love & Marriage: Huntsville” this season where Martell was talking to his friends where he admits he messed up by continuing to mess with his one-person over an extended period of time — how long were you aware he was unfaithful?

I found out three years ago in 20217.

Were you guys doing the show at that time?

No we were not. 2017 found out about it, 2018 we were filming. At the time we started filming as far as I was aware the affair was done and over, so there was never a point in my marriage where I was aware my husband was cheating on me. I’m not that chick. I’m not like an ‘Okay you do you it’s fine’. No.

This season Martell has insisted on multiple occasions that there were wrongs done on both sides. Can you address his insinuations and clarify?

I kind of addressed this as well in the last couple of episodes in my confessionals and my green screen interviews, but in the days when Martell and I were together, when I was with my husband, I was with my husband. Unfortunately sometimes people try to deflect when there is no where else for them to turn and so it becomes a finger pointing thing and trying to figure out who did what as far as whose fault it is so I don’t have to take responsibility right? That’s kind of what, unfortunately, what the viewers have witnessed this entire season. Almost every scene Martell is dogging me to whoever will listen.

Nevertheless, it is what it is, at the end of the day like I shared in the show, there was a point where I moved out and I moved out and got an apartment for six months and I entertained or talked to someone for three or four weeks and it was nothing more than that. You can call it what you what to call it. Was it trying to live a double life or cheating? Not to me, especially considering we didn’t have sexual intercourse, so not to me. But at the same time I wasn’t planning ever to move back with him [Martell]. I was planning to file for divorce, hence why I moved out. That’s that. Since then I’ve been gone and I moved out almost a year ago now and filed for a divorce shortly after I moved out, everyone has been trying to live their life and get closure. I think unfortunately it’s one of those situation where deflection has happened and I really don’t address. I really don’t talk about it.

A big part of the storyline this season has been Martell having a child outside of your marriage. Was that the final straw for you? Was that when you felt like there’s no going back at this point?

What a lot of people don’t realize is when I left April 4th, I didn’t have any idea about another child whatsoever, that wasn’t the end game for me. I already had decided that the marriage was no longer working for me before I found that out. To the people who like to find a reason to hate Mel I know they would love to say, ‘Oh the only reason she left was because somebody was pregnant,’ no I left before I knew that. Even though it was told to me in May, I filed for my divorce in June but I was already trying to have a divorce settlement agreement in May. Actually when I left in April, I had someone putting together a settlement agreement in April. So it was not one of those things where I left because someone was pregnant. Truth be told in May I was told the rumor was true, I was then told in June, July and August that it wasn’t. But it didn’t change my mind about what I wanted to do, which was to step away from this marriage because it had just become a marriage that was no longer working for me and I knew I was no longer getting what I deserved.

What kind of responses have you been receiving from your audience? Are you getting a lot of support from women who see you as a role model for walking away, especially considering it seems clear Martell would prefer to reconcile?

If I wanted to be with Martell right now I could be. He asks everyday almost. Let me break this down. I feel that we as women sometimes are conditioned to go with what we feel the man wants. I’ve had people say to me, ‘Please Mel don’t give up on your marriage, I can see that he still loves you.’ ‘I can see in his eyes that he wants his family.’

Why is it so much about what he wants? After he done did X, Y and Z? Why is it that I’m supposed to be excited that he still wants me? How about you want yourself more? And you want respect for yourself more, rather than going back to something that is toxic or not good for you. I don’t get that. I promise I don’t, but I can tell you my DM’s stay flooded with mostly women trying to convince me to go back into this marriage. First, it’s kind of sad to be quite honest that we as women, it’s almost like we are conditioned to be where the person wants us vs. doing what’s best for us. So I started telling them, ‘I’m sure he’s taking applications, you go over there and fill one out! If you think he’s that great…’

On the flip side I do have a lot of women who are like ‘Mel, your strength! I’ve been able to see myself and my situation through your situation and pull from your strength and I’ve been able to walk away from this situation that wasn’t good for me or benefitting me or had me depressed.’ So many different stories like that as well, so it’s definitely been an interesting ride seeing how my platform and now me being a public figure and people being able to see my life on television, the good, bad and the ugly.

How has your faith and spirituality carried you through this difficult time?

Your faith and your spirituality and you intuition is so important in your life, especially when you’re going through things. That can be what really helps you get through those dark moments. I can say without a shadow of a doubt, my upbringing and having that spiritual foundation has helped me on the days I didn’t feel so good to remind me not only of who I am, but whose I am.

How long were you and Martell together?

Martell and I got together in 2007 and we got married in 2008. We got married about a year and a half after we started dating.

Do you see yourself working with Martell again ever in the future, outside of the show?

There’s not any reason for us to honestly. So I’d say no.

There’s been a lot of reference to you leaving Huntsville, do you plan to stay in Huntsville?

I’m bicoastal. I go between Atlanta, Huntsville and I’m also looking for a place in L.A. The time that I have my kiddos I’m in Huntsville.

How are your kids dealing with your divorce and how important was it for you that your daughters by example see that you would not accept disrespect in your marriage?

The fact that I have three girls, it was super important for me too knowing that they’re watching and that one day they will be their own woman. I need them to know that it doesn’t matter how convenient something may seem, just that you don’t have to remain in something that does not work for you — where you and the person have totally different viewpoints on marriage. It’s okay to walk away and there’s going to always remember and know that ‘Wow, my mom had four of us and despite her having four children she still chose to walk away from something that was not good for her.’ I know that as they grow into their own sense of womanhood one day they’ll know that they don’t have to take anything from anybody. Just knowing to have that strength as a woman to be able to get out on your own, walk away from the toxicity and still thrive and still be your own woman and still own your own purpose, that’s something they’ll continue to see and that will be a part of them. Even for my son, I need my son to know, ‘Hey if you treat a woman like this, this and this, you may lose that woman. Don’t ever think you have her tied down because you have children and businesses together that she won’t walk away from you because Son, if you ain’t treating her right, you saw Mommy walked away, she can walk away. ‘

So these are some things I know they’re seeing but overall they are doing alright. They are having to adapt to this change because all they’ve known is Mom and Dad being together under the same roof so now they are having to learn, ‘Okay sometimes we’re with Mom and sometimes we’re with Dad.’ But even in that I believe in leaving communication open and letting them know it’s okay to express how they feel and letting them know ‘You know your friend such and such? They go to Mommy’s house sometimes and their Dad’s house sometimes,’ so they know it’s not just them. We have those kind of conversations but all in all I feel my kids are doing well and I am so happy that they are able to see me happy. We’re just truly enjoying and spending time together and doing fun things together.

I think sometimes when we’re going through things you forget how it affects everyone around you because you’re feeling hurt, you’re feeling betrayed, you’re feeling angry and when you walk away from whatever is giving you those negative vibes and walking into a positive space, everyone around you feels that positive energy as well. When it comes to my children I know they see the positive energy from me and they feel the difference and the change in a positive way.

Such incredible strength from Melody! Check out her new single “Tell Tale Signs” below.

Melody’s song “Tell Tale Signs” is currently available on all streaming platforms. What did you think? Those lyrics definitely hit hard.