Here at Playboy, we like to start the New Year with a bang, and there’s no one more bangin’ than Melissa Holliday. Born in Greenwood, a small town in South Carolina, blonde-haired Melissa’s had her eye on the spotlight from a young age. Armed with a mean Judy Garland impression, she worked her way up to the top, appearing in pageants and talent shows, and when she was older, in commercials and car shows. “I’m hardheaded,” admits Melissa. “I’ve wanted to be an entertainer for as long as I can remember. I started singing when I was old enough to talk!” Though she hadn’t exactly planned on becoming a Playmate, Melissa knows a good opportunity when she sees one – after a successful test, she became our Miss January 1995. Since her Playboy appearance, Melissa has been on Baywatch, in a Rembrandts video and on a CD-ROM as a space-age beauty contestant. "It's been so hectic lately that sometimes I long for peace and quiet," she says. “Right now, I want to kick back – but I get up in the middle of the night, and songs are just running through my head. My music is my escape!” When she’s not posing – or composing, for that matter – Melissa spends her time outdoors, and cites the Rocky Mountains, which can be seen behind her house, as her number-one natural attraction. “I like to be out in nature, and I love animals,” she says. “They don’t lie to you.” After she’s made it as a singer, Melissa’s dream is to own a sprawling ranch, perhaps in Aspen, where she can raise horses and a few children. “I love hopeless romantics and dreamers,” she says. “I believe the most exciting day in my life is yet to come. Maybe it’ll be when I sign my first record contract. Then I’m headed for the stars!” For the beautiful Melissa Holliday, the stars are most definitely aligned.