Melanie Penn is a Nashville based songwriter at the crossroads of faith and culture. After studying classical voice in college, she moved to New York City and pursued musical theatre where she enjoyed several years as a mainstay in the theatre scene, most notably playing Sandy on the Broadway national tour of Grease! starring Frankie Avalon. 

After years in the Broadway scene Melanie transitioned to songwriting and started a collaboration with Nashville producer Ben Shive. Their first album together was called Wake Up Love (2010), and five more albums followed: Hope Tonight (2015); Immanuel (2017); Immanuel: The Folk Sessions (2019) and More Alive Vols. I and Vol. 2 (2020/2022). 

The Immanuel project, Melanie’s songwriting journey through the Christmas story, was called a songwriting tour de force by Christian and mainstream press. It reached No. 1 on Amazon’s Christian, Worship and Holiday Download charts. Melanie is also a worship leader and for many years served at Redeemer Presbyterian Church under the leadership of author and theologian Tim Keller. She has been called “a New York songwriter in the age of skepticism.” 

She is best known for her original album, IMMANUEL, a retelling of the Christmas story. In Spring 2025 Mel will release an original album that tells the story of the resurrection. You can get in touch at melpennsings@gmail.com