Melody Gardot is an American musician in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Born in New Jersey in 1985, she was disabled at 19, after being struck by a car while riding her bicycle.[1] This event, though tragic, led to her recognition as a remarkable musician.

Her musical beginning was prompted by a tending physician who was concerned with her cognitive impairment as a result of head injury sustained in the accident. He believed music would help her brain injury drastically improve, as it has been known to show remarkable results in improving people's cognitive ability after such trauma. It helps by rebuilding the pathways within the brain, which are necessary for recalling data. (Specifically in the areas of Memory, Calculating Data, Executive Functioning Skills, etc.)

Speaking from British Columbia, Katherine Wright of the Music Therapy Association explains, "Music enables a person to reminisce and reconnect with her sense of identity. Songwriting is an excellent tool to use when working on concentration and other cognitive issues."