Meet Melanie Hernandez | Public Figure

We had the good fortune of connecting with Melanie Hernandez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Melanie, what inspires you?
There are definitely several things that inspired me to do what I do now. I grew up in a very musical family. My mother had a singing career in the Philippines and my father had been in rock bands since he was 12 years old. When they met here in the USA, they formed a few bands and have been doing music together ever since. Music and musical instruments were always around in my household and it was only natural for me to just start singing and playing. I always wanted to sing and play like my parents when I grew up.

When it comes to fashion, I was always inspired by my favorite fandoms. My first videogame system was the Nintendo NES when I was about 4 or 5 and ever since then, I fell in love with videogames. I also grew up with 90’s cartoons like the X-MEN, Spider-Man and Bat-Man Animated Series, which is when I fell in love with super heroes and from there came more and more fandoms of interest. These fandoms were not available in girl’s fashion when I was a kid, but with the advent of Geek Chic fashion, everything has become available to us and as a Millennial, it makes my heart so happy to now be able to sport my favorite fandoms however subtle or extra I want to style myself.

Similarly, when it comes to LEGO, my favorite builds are those that have to do with my favorite fandoms, such as Nintendo or videogames in general, Jurassic Park, Marvel, DC, Star Wars and so much more! I love how you can emulate 8-Bit retro games perfectly with LEGO bricks. But I appreciate LEGO for more than this. LEGO is an art. As someone who also went to school for art, I appreciate the endless possibilities of this medium. You can take your imagination as far as you would like it and you can build it and bring it to life.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
What sets me apart from others and what am I most excited about?

I am definitely a Jack of all trades. If you would like to add my Instagram, my handle is the_petite_geek and my TikTok is thepetitegeek. I sing and play guitar, ukulele, piano, bass and ocarina. You can find me singing and playing not only popular songs but also songs from my favorite fandoms. I was inspired to play the ocarina because of The Legend of Zelda, Ocarina of Time. Not only do I play Zelda songs on this instrument, but I also play songs from Star Wars, Disney, Anime and more!

For the most part, you’ll see me wearing my heart on my sleeve and see how I styled my favorite fandoms in cosplay photography and geek fashion, modeling as a brand ambassador for several brands and unboxing new collectibles!

Recently, I was on the hit TV Show, LEGO Masters! Since then, I have been building some of my favorite sets and and showing how I did it on my socials and I am excited to just keep building!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my best friend was visiting from another area, I would definitely take them to super Nintendo World at Universal Studios, Hollywood! Put on your favorite Nintendo outfit and take pictures with your favorite characters and take in the amazing scenery and delicious food at the Toadstool Cafe!

California is full of fun spots but I’d also have to take them to Disneyland, of course! Get your Mickey Ears on and your favorite Loungefly bag to go with your outfit! Of course we’d have to ride as many rides as we can in all the different areas but don’t forget to stop by Downtown Disney to check out their amazing LEGO Store!

Speaking of LEGO, LEGOLAND, is loads of fun! Let’s go feel like MiniFigs around giant LEGO buildings, rides and more!

Tired yet? Let’s sit and chill and maybe do some karaoke at Scum and Villainy Cantina in Hollywood! This little bar was made to replicate Mos Eisley Cantina, from Star Wars. You can go there in full cosplay and not even be judged as you sing your favorite songs!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Shout-out to my parents for my love of music and to some of my favorite brands that inspired me along the way. Working for Hot Topic for many years and now being affiliated as a brand ambassador for them as well as Box Lunch and Her Universe, allowed me to express myself inside and out and be my truest self. Also shout-out to my LEGO Masters teammate, Allyson, for sparking the joy of LEGO in me and showing me this amazing world where anything is possible. If you put your mind to it, you can create it. I’m very glad to have had the opportunity to work alongside her and many amazing cast members on LEGO Masters Season 4, now streaming on HULU.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_petite_geek?igsh=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100069735637332&mibextid=ZbWKwL

Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thepetitegeek?_t=8pD7iBbeKdj&_r=1

Image Credits
Yoshi Egg Photo: Bryan Dahl @dahl.memoirs

Chin-Li and Kitana Cosplay Photos: Aaron Ram @ram_entertainment

Zelda Ocarina of Time and D.Va Photos: Tim Santos @abadjay and @capturedl1ght

Star Wars Photo: Mack Murdock @mackmurdoc

Purple Guitar Photo: Stephanie Pressman @spressmanphotos