Today we’d like to introduce you to Melanie King.
Hi Melanie, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
From the very beginning, life presented a unique tapestry. Born with a hole in my heart, my earliest months were marked by the quiet hum of a hospital, culminating in open-heart surgery at just six months old. Yet, this early challenge, rather than limiting me, seemed to ignite a quiet determination. I never hesitated to dive into experiences others pursued, driven by an almost unconscious search for a sense of “normalcy.” This pursuit often manifested as a rebellious spirit, primarily directed at my family, a rebellion that paradoxically forged my confidence. It was here I learned to stand firm, to advocate for myself, particularly concerning my hearing disability in my right ear, transforming a vulnerability into a source of inner strength. It was also at a young age that I discovered a profound kinship with the alternative world – a sanctuary found in dressing differently, decorating my bedroom with unconventional flair, and attending concerts my parents questioned, but my grandmother fiercely championed. This world, infused with the artistry of SPFX makeup and the comforting embrace of horror and Halloween, became a calm in life’s often turbulent storm.
My love for music, a constant presence, found new direction at 15 when I started dating DJ Slice. Though the relationship proved toxic, he unknowingly ignited a passion for DJing (where I now call myself Scratch Kittie x) that had always simmered beneath the surface. This newfound path merged beautifully with my earlier musical foundation; from sixth to eighth grade, I was classically trained as a clarinet player, even aiding our band to a national win in eighth grade, with our jazz ensemble also taking top honors. Celebrating that victory at Busch Gardens remains a cherished memory, a testament to dedication and collective joy.
Throughout these years, my grandmother, Susan Pope Weaver, was my unwavering confidante. I’d rather spend hours with her than with any friend, save for my best friend Stephanie, who lived next door and even fronted her own band, Dumpster, for a long period of time time. My grandmother not only stood up for my unconventional musical tastes, from metal to rock and horrorcore, but she genuinely tried to understand them, fostering a unique bond built on unconditional acceptance. The end of my high school career, however, brought unforeseen turmoil; bullying led to my dropping out in my senior year and a difficult court case which I ultimately won, allowing me to pursue my GED. Then, as we faced the devastating news of her Stage 4 Non-Small Cell Cancer diagnosis and her prognosis of just six months, I made the heartbreaking decision to leave my beloved job as a Milkshake Artist at Cook-Out to live with her, cherishing every precious moment.
The period following her loss plunged me into a profound darkness. My addiction to painkillers, which had begun at age nine, escalated dramatically, and I found myself entangled with a toxic partner whose abuse – sexual assault along with the abuse our own son, and later, stalking and disrupting my life – utterly shattered my mental health. At just 18 in 2008, I discovered I was pregnant with my first son. This life-altering news spurred an immediate and unwavering commitment to sobriety, determined to ensure his health despite battling pre-eclampsia. Though the delivery at 19 on my grandmother’s birthday, August 19, 2009, led to heart failure that could have claimed my life, my son’s arrival changed my entire outlook. He became my beacon, even through the harrowing struggles with his birth father – the trauma of being drugged, gang-raped, sexually assaulted, and witnessing my own child enduring abuse.
Seeking refuge and a new beginning, I moved to Colorado with my son and a man I believed could be the right partner to raise him with – a belief that stands, as we remain friends today. Our journey together was fraught with challenges: relentless court battles in North Carolina for sole custody of my son, and his own personal legal struggles which, combined with my past trauma, triggered such severe PTSD that I had to leave my full-time job with benefits and Cosmetology school to support him. We faced constant displacement after the unnecessary court battles instigated by a truly horrible detective, Debra Funston (who was recently promoted in Rifle, Colorado), and ultimately lost all our belongings to storage, overwhelmed by our collective mental battles.
Yet, amidst these trials, we carved out significant triumphs. We welcomed two more children, who became the indisputable lights of our lives. His music with his best friend Jordan Bundy, under the moniker Sin7ul with his stage name as David Hellish, gained traction for years before COVID-19, earning recognition from major artists like Insane Clown Posse and Mayday, as well as a multitude of underground artists. They even secured permission from Outkast themselves to create a spin on “So Fresh, So Clean” with the name of “Ain’t So Fresh or Clean,” alongside “My Sweet Elana,” named after our daughter, “Masks,” and “My World (Way of the Pirate).” Being able to help him and give purpose to those around me through the A Dying Breed Entertainment music label with them alongside our friends allowed me to see the world differently, to cherish life, and to find inner happiness and the magic in simply being blessed to breathe.
While our romantic relationship eventually ended, and I finally achieved full sobriety from painkillers at 30, shortly after our divorce, I embarked on a journey to rediscover my childlike self. I re-engaged with passions that fueled my soul: painting, music, interior design, cosmetology, roller skating, and revisiting the beloved beach of my youth, a place I cherished because of my grandmother. This period solidified my appreciation for life’s fleeting nature and ignited a deep desire to help others. I understand the profound depths of pain, heartache, and overwhelming challenges. I know what it’s like to listen to an inner saboteur, to feed demons instead of nurturing life with what I loved, to face near-death experiences multiple times, and to live with disability and countless other struggles common to the human experience.
Over the past few years, this understanding has culminated in the creation of two vital initiatives: the Jolly Holliday Foundation, established in honor of my late friend Doc Elijah Holliday – a member of the Screenwriters Guild of Hollywood West, a Vietnam veteran, and a Holocaust survivor. This foundation is dedicated to developing comprehensive strategies to address homelessness, providing pathways to stable housing, employment, education, and support services to break cycles and foster self-sufficiency. And then there is Enjoy The Little Things, a tribute to my late grandmother, Susan Pope Weaver, celebrating her enduring legacy and her beautiful mission to find joy in the “little things,” and endlessly create childhood wonder and magic, even through hardship.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No, the path has been anything but smooth; in fact, it has been a landscape carved by significant adversity. From the tender age of six months, life presented its first major hurdle: a congenital heart defect necessitating open-heart surgery. This early battle set a tone, fostering a persistent internal struggle to attain a sense of “normalcy” amidst health and a hearing disability, a quest that paradoxically spurred a rebellious streak and a fierce drive to self-advocate. High school brought its own set of trials, including severe bullying that ultimately led to dropping out in my senior year, culminating in a taxing legal battle for my GED – a battle I ultimately won.
The weight of these early struggles was compounded by profound personal losses and escalating challenges. The most devastating blow came with the diagnosis and subsequent passing of my beloved grandmother, a guiding light whose final months I spent by her side. Her loss contributed to the worsening of a painkiller addiction that had quietly taken root when I was just nine years old. This period spiraled further into a highly toxic and abusive relationship with the father of my first son (who is now in prison for 24 years), marked by stalking, sexual abuse, and horrifyingly, the abuse of our child, leaving deep scars on my mental health. The birth of my son, while a transformative moment, was itself fraught with peril, including pre-eclampsia during pregnancy and a near-fatal heart failure post-delivery, compounding the trauma.
The years that followed continued to present a gauntlet of trials. Relocating was an attempt at a fresh start, but persistent legal battles for my son’s sole custody in North Carolina, coupled with the PTSD triggered by my second partner’s own complex court cases, led to the loss of my full-time job and the disruption of my cosmetology education, along with the normalcy we tried to create for all three of our children to set their future in the right direction. This period was characterized by financial and residential instability, including constant moves and the heartbreaking loss of all our belongings to storage, all under the shadow of relentless mental health battles. The fight against addiction was a prolonged one, stretching until I finally achieved sobriety at the age of 30, marking a hard-won victory on a deeply challenging journey.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My work is a deeply personal exploration of creativity and support, primarily expressed through DJing as Scratch Kittie x and acrylic painting. While these are what I do and specialize in, I must admit I hold a quiet ambition to be more widely recognized for them, despite a natural inclination to remain “away from the limelight and scared to show.” These aren’t just hobbies; they are integral parts of how I process the world, craft narratives, and find my unique voice.
What I am most profoundly proud of are two distinct endeavors: the unwavering support I provided to my ex-husband in the development and growth of his current musical career thru Sin7ul, and the creation of Beats & Treats, an ice cream trike business. Aiding Sin7ul was about pouring my energy into a shared vision, fostering artistic expression, and seeing his music recognized by both major and underground artists – a testament to collaborative spirit and perseverance. Beats & Treats, on the other hand, was our innovative venture, marrying the evocative power of music with the comforting joy of cold treast on a hot day both for humans and animals.
What truly sets me apart is this unique blend of quiet passion and impactful support. I’m someone who thrives behind the scenes, yet my creative contributions, whether through the beats I mix or the canvases I paint, carry a raw authenticity. This dedication extends to uplifting others, like with Sin7ul, where my behind-the-scenes efforts helped bring a vision to life. It’s about finding strength in vulnerability, expressing artistry for its own sake, and building connections through shared creative experiences, even if my own spotlight remains somewhat dimmed.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
Throughout my extraordinary and often tumultuous journey, the most important lesson I’ve learned is the profound and transformative power of finding happiness and motivation in the “little things,” even through the darkest and most challenging moments life can throw at you.
This wisdom, initially imparted by my beloved grandmother, proved not just a comforting philosophy but a crucial survival mechanism. From enduring life-threatening health issues as an infant, navigating the complexities of disability and bullying, and battling severe addiction and deeply abusive relationships, to facing the agonizing loss of loved ones and relentless legal and financial instability – there were countless times when the urge to give up was overwhelming. Yet, each time, the core principle of appreciating the small, simple, and sweet elements of existence provided a flicker of light, a reason to persist, and the will to keep moving forward. It taught me that joy isn’t solely found in grand triumphs, but in the quiet comforts, the brief moments of beauty, a cherished memory, or the simple act of creating.
This lesson has been my anchor, transforming my perspective from merely surviving to actively seeking the hidden magic in the everyday. It’s the understanding that even when shattered, the human spirit can find fragmented pieces of happiness and resilience, and that these “little things” are not just fleeting pleasures, but essential building blocks for inner peace and continued motivation, regardless of external circumstances. It’s this deep-seated belief that now fuels my desire to help others, allowing them to uncover this same profound truth within their own lives.
Pricing:
- While we don’t have a traditional product price list ready for launch yet, there are several ways readers can connect with, support, and engage with the various facets of my work and our upcoming initiatives. We encourage everyone to join us as we grow:
- You can follow my personal journey and stay updated on all my endeavors through my social media channels. Find me on Instagram at @scratchkittiex and connect on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/scratchxkittiex. Make sure to stay in the loop for the highly anticipated launch of Enjoy The Little Things on August 19th, a date that holds special significance as it’s also my son’s 16th birthday! Every bit of support for this small business is deeply appreciated, as a portion of the proceeds will be dedicated to the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH), helping to ensure that individuals facing similar struggles know they are never alone and can access vital support. Additionally, you can follow along as I begin touring across the U.S., engaging with council members and mayors to advocate for and establish the Jolly Holliday Foundation in communities nationwide.
- For those who wish to offer direct support for my multifaceted projects and provide a crucial boost to my confidence as I step further into the public eye, you can contribute via CashApp: $xscratchxkittiex. Your generous contributions will directly aid in the initiation of the Jolly Holliday Foundation’s outreach, enabling us to connect with local leaders and assist those less fortunate. Funds will also fuel my diverse artistic endeavors, including the creation of numerous paintings (as quality art supplies are an investment!), finance the ambitious “Final Girl” music video while supporting the talented musical artists I plan to collaborate with on this project, allow for upgrades to my DJ equipment, and bring to fruition many other exciting ventures that have been in the works for decades.
- Finally, for fans of compelling music, you can discover and immerse yourself in Sin7ul’s unique sound on Soundcloud. Connect directly with Sin7ul and stay updated on their latest releases and news by visiting their Facebook page at facebook.com/Sin7ul. To further support their artistry and own a piece of their creative work, official Sin7ul merchandise is available for purchase at sin7ul-2.creator-spring.com.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/scratchkittiex
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scratchkittiex
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/scratchxkittiex
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melanie-leann-king
- Soundcloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/ra4RqdKaqb3QKvAowZ
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@scratchkittiex
