Perhaps as the side effect of stardom, actors sometimes grab the microphone, seemingly oblivious to the quality of what bleeds through the speakers.

Think Lindsay Lohan, Scarlett Johansson and Joaquin Phoenix.

Val Emmich did things the other way around, and it has paid off. He will showcase his musical talent tonight at the Melting Point.

“I always liked singing along to the radio and was attracted to melody,” Emmich said. “When the alternative music thing hit – Nirvana and all that – I was inspired to learn the guitar.”

Emmich’s sound is far-off from ’90s alternative, though. His take on indie pop relies on a flair for the dramatic.

“I like music that is full of drama, where it feels like things are happening or things are at stake,” Emmich said. “I write about things you can’t figure out. It seems general, but that could be anything … whatever’s keeping me up at night.”

His songwriting, sound and familiarity with human drama as an actor flow directly into Emmich’s live show.

“The performance is an exact extension of that – energy, passion, spontaneity,” Emmich said.

“30 Rock” and “Ugly Betty” viewers may recognize Emmich from his guest roles. For Emmich, acting and music go hand in hand.

“The acting thing, stepping in someone else’s shoes … that’s what I do when I write my songs,” Emmich said.

“Sometimes it’s my own personal story, but sometimes it’s people around me, and I adopt their story, which is the same in acting.”

Emmich began acting as a “side job for cash,” but has recently grown to better appreciate the craft.

It was a gradual love, he said, but the turning point came about a year ago. Last summer, Emmich landed his first lead role in an independent film called “Fighting Fish.”

“That allowed me to take a big chunk out of a character instead of walking on a show and being a guest star,” Emmich said.

“I want a challenge where I feel like I’m being asked to do a lot.”

Balancing acting and music is a challenge Emmich meets head on.

At the mercy of auditions and filming schedules, he still finds plenty of time for songwriting.

The 29-year-old performer has put out four full-length releases and an E.P., which he has released via himself, independent labels and Epic Records.

“The simple answer is: I find a way to make it work because it doesn’t feel like work,” he said.