Today we’d like to introduce you to Mayme Marshall.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Mayme. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I have been singing and dancing virtually since the time I could talk and walk. I was handful as a child- way too much energy, very precocious, and bizarrely obscene for a little kid. God knows where all that came from, as you couldn’t ask for a more wholesome, caring set of parents. If I hadn’t had music and singing to channel all that zaniness into, I would have spent most of my school years locked up in detention hall.
I love being able to convey my experience to other people through my music. I went through some turbulent times during my adolescence, and music definitely kept me grounded when the world seemed to be orbiting way out of control. If my talent can have a similar effect on even one person, it’s all worth it to me.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
For me, the biggest obstacles were internal ones. For a very long time, I had such a jaded, distorted perception of who I was and what my value was (just in terms of fundamental aspects of myself that far transcended my identity as a musician) that I very nearly failed at life. I mean, forget pursuing music. There was a point in my life when tying my shoelaces and getting through a day without massive amounts of alcohol was a monumental achievement.
As soon as I found some lucidity and symmetry in my overall relationship with the world, the career started to formulate of its accord. I’ve never battled too hard with the practicalities of a “music career”– wrangling gigs, dealing with egos in the business, etc. All that stuff seems trivial, and easy to navigate, once I’m right with myself, and my place in the universe. I still struggle with all that daily, but I have a formula now. You can call it spirituality, humility, or just keeping shit simple, that I can call on whenever I need to get through any obstacle.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
To the extent I can compartmentalize my sound, it’s a contemporary mix of soul and pop. I have been singing for as long as I can remember and will sing until the day I die. I most enjoy the essence of singing or any art, the transference of relatable experience, and the ability to transform the way someone else gets through a tough day. And you don’t have to have epic success to accomplish that; you don’t have to be Beyonce or Prince to change someone’s life, to yank them back from the edge of a cliff. And that’s a miracle if you stop and think about it.” Like I said, if someone listens to one of my records, and it makes their day incrementally better, then I’ve accomplished all I could ever hope for. Or maybe “better” is too simplistic. Perhaps I’ll make their day WORSE because my song is the catalyst for some sort of unpleasant introspection. But as long as their experience CHANGES, and ultimately brings them closer to some truth about themselves or the world around them… well, that’s quite an accomplishment, from where I sit.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
I want to showcase more of who I am as an individual artist, and as a creative purpose in general, especially as my music career progresses. If I can get my music out to the maximum number of listeners, connect with them, and do so with integrity and uncompromising belief in my talent, I know the more practical, professional successes and benchmarks will follow.
I have this longstanding theory that the world is ready for another Amy Winehouse (one of my heros), and yet she had such tremendous impact on the industry, I don’t think it’s wise or even plausible to attempt to reincarnate her in my own art. She had such pervasive influence, not just on how artists find and elevate their own unique voice, but also on how modern audiences gravitate to and intimately connect with artists they love. I want my brand to somehow traverse that bridge that connects “pop” music to the rampaging, unbridled sense of imperfect self that Amy brought to the business…. If that makes sense. I’ve seen a couple of artists since, come pretty close- Lady Gaga and Billy Eilish come to mind, though there’s some chunk of authenticity that is missing in each. Maybe that’s inevitable, and it’s why Amy couldn’t ultimately perceiver.
I am currently working on a debut EP and will be releasing it within a few months. The songs on my EP are snapshots of my life and convey some of the deeply personal joy, fear, anxiety, and confusion I’ve experienced. I intend for my music to be snapshots of my life, and convey some of the deeply personal joy, fear, anxiety, and confusion I’ve experienced. My hope is that the EP will offer listeners a way to be part of my journey.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mayme-marshall.com
- Phone: 323.447.9768
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maymecmarshall/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mayme.marshall
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/maymecmarshall
- Other: http://www.mayme-marshall.com/newsletter
Image Credit:
Creative direction, retouching, and hair by: Kristin Zancanelli, Shot by: Lara Frohlich, Makeup by: Israela Claro
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