Melody Thornton

Thornton in 2009, image via Featureflash / Shutterstock.com

Place of Birth: Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.

Date of Birth: September 28, 1984

Ethnicity:
*African-American (father)
*Mexican (mother)

Melody Thornton is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and television personality. She is also known as Mel and Baby Doll. She was a main vocalist of The Pussycat Dolls, a girl group and dance ensemble whose members also included Carmit Bachar, Kaya Jones, Ashley Roberts, Nicole Scherzinger, Jessica Sutta, and Kimberly Wyatt, as well as Asia Nitollano. She has also released solo music, and appeared on reality shows Popstar to Operastar, Dancing on Ice, and Australia’s The Masked Singer.

Melody is the daughter of Elia Jaime and Theolph Thornton. She has stated:

A lot of people are not aware that I am 50% Mexican America[n] and my dad is African American. My mom was born in Sonora, however; I do not speak Spanish. I grew up on all the Mexican American cultures though and I embrace that part of me… At times I wish I did speak the language, because there are so many interviews and networks I could be talking to, to represent the Pussycat Dolls and my Latin descent. However, it is a goal of mine, before I have children, to learn Spanish.

Melody’s maternal grandmother was Antonia Campa (the daughter of Joaquin Campa Valenzuela and Gregoria Garcia). Antonia was born in Guisamopa, Sahuaripa, Sonora, Mexico. Joaquin was the son of Francisco Campa Castillo and Angela Valenzuela. Gregoria was the daughter of Apolonio Garcia and Antonia Garcia.

Sources: Birth record of Melody’s maternal grandmother, Antonia Campa – https://www.familysearch.org

Obituary of Melody’s maternal grandmother, Antonia (Campa) Jaime – https://www.dignitymemorial.com

Genealogies of Melody’s maternal great-grandparents, Joaquin Campa Valenzuela and Gregoria Garcia – https://www.familysearch.org