Melissa Zhao is a 10-year-old girl from Blacksburg, Virginia. She has had a passion for singing from a very young age. In the 2024 American Protégé International Vocal Competition, she won Second Place in Folk/Traditional Category and Third Place in Broadway/ Musical Theatre Category for her age group. She also won Second Place in the Children Group of Washington D.C. region of the 2024 Cultures of China – Water Cube Cup Chinese Songs Contest. Actively engaged in the community, she performs regularly at various music festivals and holiday events. Since 2022, she has been an active member of the Blacksburg Children’s Chorale and has performed in numerous concerts with them, singing solo and with the choir. Besides her passion for singing, Melissa also enjoys playing the piano.
Watch Melissa Zhao sing Vittoria mio core by Giacomo Carissimi for the 2025 Spring Music Competition as part of the Charleston International Music Competition.