Texas-born singer/songwriter Marcella is set to take the world by storm with her infectious tunes and beguiling voice.
Fresh on the heels of launching her debut single 'Shaky Knees', I caught up with Marcella in London, where she has been recording, and mastering new material with producer Yoad Nevo (Girls Aloud, Sugababes) at Abbey Road Studios.
CM: First of all Marcella, it's great to meet you. How are you?
M: Hello! I am awesome! I feel so honored to be here!!!
CM: 'Shaky Knees' was released on April 21st. How do you feel about the response
the single has got so far?
M: It's pretty amazing how fast things happen! Since we've released this single I have gotten so many great responses from friends and family and new fans!
Everyone seems to love it and that makes me feel super accomplished as an artist.
CM: The first thing I noticed about your voice on the single was a quality that was a
lot like Amy Winehouse's. Have you been influenced by Amy at all? Who are your
other influences?
M: Ahhh thats such a compliment to me because I love her so much! I definitely feel influenced by her. The way she uses her voice stylistically in the oddest ways is so interesting to me!
A few of my other influences are Justin Nozuka, Macklemore, John Mayer, and Kanye West. I have tons more but those are a few of my tops.
CM: You were born in Texas. Take us back on a journey through your childhood through the young Marcella's eyes. When did you first pick up the music bug?
M: Well as a kid I was very shy but very adventurous and always had to be doing some type of activity! I went from being a gymnast, to a hip hop dancer, to playing the drums, to competitive cheerleading, and throughout all the midst of that I was singing but never knew I loved it.
I always knew i had a good ear when I did dance and cheer because I could always stay on beat and loved the different elements and sounds in the music itself.
When I was younger I was taking voice lessons for a little bit until one day it just clicked that this is what i really wanted to do because I was really good at it
CM: When did you decide that music was the career for you?
M: I have been singing my whole life and always incorporated music into everything I did growing up, but it wasn't until I was 13 that I realized it could be a career and I was 15 when I told my mom that this was the career for me.
CM: Do you feel it's easy for a young woman such as yourself to make it in the music industry?
M: I don't think its easy for anyone to make it in the music world! Its a tough industry to break into! There are so many paths to take it's hard to know which is the right one.
I can only speak for myself and for me it's important to stay true to my path and make the best songs I can and hope that the industry accepts me.
CM: Tell us about your journey over the past six months. Have you worked with
anyone who has really inspired you?
M: Its been really crazy! I've been traveling back and forth to London writing and recording and preparing for the 'Shaky Knees' release! I loved working with Yoad Nevo on this track he's an inspirational producer
I also worked on an upcoming single, 'Summer Anthem', at Eastcote Studios; and just being in the same place Adele recorded was amazing, I was freaking out knowing that I was recording in
the same studio, because I really I look up to her. I am also looking forward to collaborating with other artists.
CM: Finally, what message would you like to bring to the world?
M: To just be yourself! Building myself up as an artist I got a lot of advice and critiques from people that i sometimes didn't agree with but I gave in anyway because I thought "they have been doing this for a long time; they know best." In doing that i found myself becoming lost and less personable and it made me not love what i was doing. I was not being authentic.
I finally realized people love me for me so why would I change who I am? I know that I have a God given gift, I know that I write great songs. i am a real artist and i will be who I am because
that makes me happy! So I want everyone to stick up for who they are no matter what they do because people will love them for being real.
See the video for 'Shaky Knees' here:
Check Marcella out on www.marcellaofficial.com and follow her on twitter at @marcellasongs