Melinda Joy collaborates with Son of Cormack

Melinda Joy and Son of Cormack might come from different corners of the musical map but their collaboration finds a natural meeting point in storytelling, atmosphere and a knack for songs that feel bigger than their arrangements. Based between Austin, Texas and Mexico, Melinda Joy is a singer-songwriter and bass player whose poetic writing draws from soul, jazz and a Southern Gothic style. George McCormack, the British singer-songwriter behind Son of Cormack, brings his own history into the partnership, influenced by Irish and Scottish origins, English pubs and a decade spent living in London before making Austin his home.

Melinda Joy’s music has always existed alongside a wider fascination with creativity itself and many of her lyrics began life as standalone poems before finding their way into songs, while her bass playing and melodic writing allow her compositions to move between genres. Her creative practice extends beyond recording and performing, with a Ph.D. in psychology and creativity studies, a podcast exploring creativity, psychology and spirituality and two books on creativity adding further dimensions to her work.

Son of Cormack’s path has been similarly paved by storytelling and performance; growing up listening to jukeboxes in English pubs, his musical journey eventually took him to London before bringing him across the Atlantic. Over the years, he’s earned radio support from BBC Introducing, while also appearing on the BBC Introducing stage at Lakefest Festival and performing live on air with BBC Hereford & Worcester.

Their shared musical language now comes into focus with “Out of the Blue,” a collaborative single that turns the landscapes of South West Ireland into the setting for a whimsical meditation on romance, possibility and the magnetism of somewhere wilder. Originating as a poem written by Melinda Joy, the song began with the robust coastal landscapes of Ireland and a touch of romance before blooming into a full collaboration with Son of Cormack. “Out of the Blue” is as much about atmosphere as it is story, exploring the unknown sphere of new love alongside the imagination that can be unlocked by landscape.

Opened by the bright plucks of acoustic guitar, the rustle of shuffling drums and warm pulse of bass brings a lilting rhythmic sway before Melinda’s alluring voice enters to spin picture painting lyricism via delicate melodies. With George taking over the mic, he adds a charming contrast with his rich voice before the arrangement surges with the pair engaging in a spectacular duet as the swell of instrumentation brings a burst of folk rock energy as crunchy guitars and crashing drums collide beneath the singers. It’s a stunning jam that’s catchy, heartfelt and thoroughly transportive all at once, offering a magical musical moment full of stellar musicianship and incredible interplay between two talented artists.

The collaboration ultimately expanded beyond the recording studio and into film, where Melinda Joy and Son of Cormack produced, wrote and directed the accompanying music video themselves, transforming the song into the soundtrack for a short film shot across West Cork, Kerry, Wicklow and Dublin. Filmmaker and visual artist Juro Kosec contributed cinematography, editing and additional direction, helping shape a visual world that mirrors the song’s shifting relationship between romance, place and imagination.

That visual extension has proved particularly successful, with the video receiving numerous awards and recognitions from film festivals, including honours for Best Music Video, Best Original Song and Best Music. The collaboration follows a summer of live performances across the UK and Europe, including two appearances at StourJam, alongside shows in Dublin, Brussels and London and a visit to the Berlin Music Video Awards. “Out of the Blue” feels less like a meeting of two established artists and more like the natural continuation of two creative worlds converging. A poem became a song, a song became a film and a landscape became part of the story and in that sense, “Out of the Blue” captures the idea that sometimes the most interesting journeys begin when you simply follow an idea and see where it takes you.

Watch the music video for Out of the Blue below

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