The last time I saw Melinda Schneider perform was during her Doris Day tribute show in Brisbane 15 years ago. I still remember walking away completely captivated.
Now, the award-winning singer-songwriter is returning to the stage for an Australian tour with what she admits is her most ambitious production yet with The Way We Were: a concert celebrating the incomparable Barbra Streisand.
For Schneider, the connection to Streisand goes back almost as far as she can remember.
“My mum, who is also a singer, used to sing The Way We Were in her club shows, and I’d be falling asleep backstage listening to her,” she says. “She taught me the song on the ukulele when I was three years old, and I used to well up singing those lyrics, even then.”
Those early memories shaped not only her love of Streisand’s music, but her own career as a songwriter.
“I’ve always been drawn to emotional songs,” Schneider says. “That’s why I became a songwriter and why I write so many sad songs myself. I feel those stories so deeply.”
Audiences can expect favourites including The Way We Were, People, Woman in Love, Guilty, No More Tears and the haunting Papa, Can You Hear Me? from Yentl – all backed by a 10-piece band. But while Schneider has spent more than 40 years on stage and earned six Golden Guitar Awards, she admits this repertoire has pushed her like never before.
“Barbra has been the most challenging by far,” she laughs. “The Doris Day show was a walk in the park compared to these songs. The Broadway medleys are incredibly difficult, both lyrically and melodically, and Barbra’s songs have huge vocal ranges.”
Preparing for the two-hour performance has required weeks of vocal training and rehearsing the full setlist.
The challenge has also inspired something deeply personal. While watching an old interview with Streisand discussing why she took on directing films, Schneider was struck by one simple phrase: “Go further than my fear.”
“It hit me at exactly the right moment,” she says. “I sat down that night and wrote a brand-new song called Further Than My Fear. It’s about pushing through self-doubt and not letting fear stop you.”
She admits the song was also fuelled by criticism from people questioning why a country singer would take on Streisand: “It’s not an impersonation, it’s a celebration. Of course negative comments create self-doubt, but you can’t let them define you.”
That honesty is perhaps one of the reasons audiences have embraced Schneider throughout her career. Alongside her extraordinary voice is a warmth and vulnerability that makes every performance feel genuine.
For Sunshine Coast audiences, Schneider promises more than just a night of unforgettable music: “People will be transported back to a different time. There’ll be beautiful songs, stories, laughter, emotion and a chance to celebrate one of the greatest artists of all time.”
The Way We Were is on August 20 at 7.30pm at The Events Centre, Caloundra. Tickets from $89.90. Go to tickets.theeventscentre.com.au
