We had the opportunity to interview up-and-coming indie artist Marlo the Barbarian! Check out our discussion of where it all began, inspiration, upcoming projects, and more!
1. How did you come to pursue music and how long have you been at it?
"Music has been a part of my life for nearly as long as I can remember, I’ve been playing piano and singing my whole life, but pursuing is a different story. I always kind of wanted to perform, and occasionally would sing self-written pieces for friends in high-school , but for the most part it was a private and therapeutic experience . Around 18 when I was living in New York , I mustered some courage and started playing at a variety of bars (even though I had to leave immediately following my set because I was underage, ha!) I ended up meeting/working with a few great people out there who encouraged me to step into my fear. Pretty promptly after, I jumped on a plane to LA and started the grind."
2. Could you walk us through your process of writing music?
"Chords and lyrics come to me fairly synonymously. I usually just sit down and write out my feelings like a journal entry and see where it takes me. Sometimes I try to tap into other people around me and write from their POV, but not most of the time. Often, I’ll bring half of a song to a session and let the creativity and direction of the session inspire the next iteration of lyrics."
3. What artists have inspired you in your career?
"Ha, always a tough one for me. Here are a few: Alanis Morissette, The Beatles, Lianne La Havas, Lily Allen, Patrick Watson, Lana Del Rey, K.Flay, Keaton Henson, Daughter, and an embarrassing amount of musical theater."
4. Do you have any favorite music gear (guitars, amps, effects pedals, keyboards, etc.) that you love to use? If so, what’s the story on them?
"I’ve been playing my Kawai ES7 for years, it’s probably time to upgrade to the ES8- after 6 long years together we’re finally starting to have some minor issues. I love this keyboard for playing at home, the weight in the keys is the closest to a real piano I’ve found. IT’S HEAVY, this thing was not easy to drag around on the subway, but I love it."
5. Can you describe the vibe at your live shows? Also, what do you enjoy most about a venue when you do a show?
"Too soon to tell, but hopefully it walks in tandem with the vibe of my upcoming release and music video. Release date TBD, but soon!"
6. What is one thing that you want the public to know about your music?
"That it’s okay to feel shitty and be blunt about it. It’s okay to do things you maybe wouldn’t do a few years from now. It’s okay to be truthful about life. I try to emulate this in my music for my own sanity and hopefully for others."
7. Do you have any upcoming projects you would like fans to know about?
"We’ll be dropping another two song EP in the coming weeks. More on that soon."