The rising NYC musician also discusses the power of collaboration & the importance of playing by your own rules
Artists are always striving to breach the cultural divide through any means necessary. Bringing people together is key. Most aim for a future medium fueled by empathy and compassion leading to the overall collective good. Whether that includes listeners, fellow contemporaries or creatives in other fields, it does not matter. The message and ambition is clear. Lyd Marie, multi-talented and a source of endless musical camaraderie, embodies this example in every way. Her warm kindness matches well with her ability to listen, learn and grow with others. With the release of her latest single and accompanying music video, “Holy,” Lyd champions her fellowship of creatives while attempting to reach that next achievable goal.
The track embarks on a seductive tone upon the beginning of the musical journey. Lyd’s quivering yet captivating vocals succeed in winning over listeners. Curiosity seeps in and the welcomed possession takes hold. An infectious groove opens the arms of the song ever onwards. Eclectic inspirations can be heard from R&B, pop, Afrobeat and even a taste of alternative jazz that add onto Lyd’s exploration of various genres and selective sounds. Lyd Marie has a signature voice that registers easily with earwigs galore and will be a perfect introduction for all evening autumn festivities. So lay out a blanket by the fire and enjoy while sipping on some spiked cider.
What a whirlwind of a year for you already, you moved, made a video and worked with an impressive collection of creatives in the space! How does it all feel and do you have any special moments of note?
Yes, it’s been an emotional journey for sure, highs and lows, which is pretty reflective of the music I’m releasing over these next few weeks…I’ve always really thrived in transition…even though there’s been moments of uncertainty and doubt, I’ve felt a deep knowing that I’m making the right choice and moving in a direction that’s going to continue bringing beautiful connections my way. That’s been my favorite part of these last few months, connecting with old and new friends and carving out time to create music and art together. I loved connecting with my New York music community this summer that I met through the Gender Amplified Control Room Series. It was a highlight of mine to call upon my friend and fellow artist Aria Jay to master my album and then spontaneously have another amazing producer Melissa Lyric come over to lend her ears and advice. The life of an independent musician can sometimes feel isolating so I’m grateful to have some really cool people in my corner helping me see this project through.
What are your hopes for the rest of the year in regard to your music and growth?
My music is really an opportunity to get vulnerable and I hope it encourages others to do the same. I’m excited to keep putting out these songs and stories and see how it resonates with people. “Holy” is the first track in a two part album called Love Comes//Love Goes. I plan to release two more singles and then drop the first half of the album by the end of this year and then will be rolling out the next half in early 2024. I played an impromptu solo show in Los Angeles last week and that really inspired me to keep sharing live stripped down versions of my songs with an audience. I love creating events and spaces for people to build authentic connections. Putting on my own show feels like a nice way to tie together my solo career and my passion for curating spaces. I also love collaborating with new people as much as possible. Moving forward I want to be bringing people into my creative process and seeking out opportunities to get involved in other people’s creative vision.
I’m always working on many different projects so apart from the upcoming album (and a long list of new songs I hope to get into the studio to record soon), I’m also dreaming up a documentary project, building an artist development coaching business and getting more involved in the world of fashion and film with a few developing projects.
What was the process like for filming “Holy” and what were some of the challenges you had to overcome to bring it to reality?
Making the music was one of the most fun organic creative processes of my life. I met Roseblud, the videographer who is also a very talented musician, after seeing them perform at Arlene’s Grocery and knew immediately that I wanted to make art with them. A few days before leaving New York I had a vision for this music video and we chatted on the phone for about thirty minutes dreaming up ideas. I was pretty much like: I want it to be sexy, I want to be dancing and having fun, I want it to emanate self love and joy. So Roseblud came over on a rainy night with some lights and I raided my friend’s closets for costumes and we just had fun. What I love about film is you can’t go back and add more footage like you can with music. That could be seen as a challenge because maybe I didn’t get the shot I wanted of me singing this part of the song… I enjoyed making it work with what I had and coming up with creative solutions to make the video complete.
Your creative network is extensive, how do you keep it growing and powerful?
I’ve always been really good about staying in touch with my friends and collaborators…I travel a lot (I’ve been in a touring band called Ley Line for the last seven years), so I really get to keep up with people in a way that would be hard if I stayed put. When I land in a new place I love to make time to create, jam, or just catch up with people and inevitably I build new connections along the way. I think my network of people all over the world is my superpower. It begins to take on a life of its own though as my people connect with new people and it just keeps growing!
What advice would you give artists hoping to explore the music space for the first time? Are there tips you wish you had known back in the day?
My advice to emerging artists is to spend the majority of your time on the part of the music and the business that brings you joy…When you have to do the things that feel like a slog, try to find ways to make them fun. Being an artist can easily become 90% business and 10% creative process, but there’s no reason we can’t approach the business side creatively as well. I try to lean into the process of making and releasing music that I’m passionate about and then get help with the parts that feel difficult. A lot of people will tell you there’s a textbook way to be successful in music, but I disagree. If we can create music out of thin air, then we can also create our path through the industry. Honestly, the most successful artists I can think of have always played by their own rules.
