We recently introduced you to break-out artist Lorelei Marcell and her new single “Masterpiece.” Wanting to get a more inside look into who Lorelei Marcell is as an artist and what her future holds, we sat down with her to get the scoop.
Born just outside of Philadelphia, raised in Boston and now residing in L.A. — music has been bursting through Marcell’s veins from the very start. Debuting her music career in 2019, Lorelei Marcell has accomplished more in her short time in the scene than some seasoned veterans of the industry. Marcell has garnered over a million cumulative streams independently, and has also caught the attention of GRAMMY Award-nominated songwriter JHart [Justin Bieber, Keith Urban, Usher]. With no signs of slowing down, Lorelei Marcell is here to tell you herself on what’s next.
Play Too Much: Hey Lorelei, thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us! For those unfamiliar with your work, how would you describe your overall aesthetic?
Lorelei Marcell: Hey! Thank you so much for having me, and same to you 🙂
This is something I’m still fortunate enough to be figuring out, but right now I feel like I’d consider my aesthetic, girly-street style with some vintage notes. I love dressing in clothes that make me feel feminine and beautiful, however I love having an edge to it all whether it be my darker hair, or some cool boots. This definitely relates to my music too, because it lives in an indie pop world but has alternative/edgy notes. It also feels really existential, soulful, and emotive, so I try to incorporate those flavors into my overall aesthetic and how I present myself.
PTM: Congratulations on your new single, “Masterpiece” — it truly is a masterpiece. How did you link up with The Grand Mess? What about them made you realize you had to collaborate with them?
LM: Thank you !! My manager actually hooked me up with Alex, [The Grand Mess] before I moved to LA. We are both from the East Coast and we were both visiting LA at the same time, so we bonded immediately through being unfamiliar with the city, haha. I remember going into the session with some reference tracks and really clear song and production ideas. Alex was such a great listener so he immediately understood which direction we should go. I thought his voice was so cool and unique, and the song felt so conversational, so that’s where the duet idea came from. We ended up writing “Masterpiece” in like two hours. I went about six months without listening to the song, but it was always in the back of my mind. I was certain I wanted to release it, especially as a duet, once I went back and listened to it.
PTM: “Masterpiece” at its core is a self reflective piece — the importance of moving forward while also acknowledging the regrets of the past. Were there any particular moments in your life that inspired the piece?
LM: Yeah! I’ve written so many songs about love, heartbreak, and relationships, that I wanted to incorporate something that gave a totally different perspective.
The song itself came to be when I was listening to a podcast and discovered that the second most common feeling after love is regret. I realized I not only regret certain actions but have so much anxiety about so many day to day things even if they are small, like conversations. I tend to let these anxieties and small moments define how I view and feel about myself, and I tend to carry them with me. On top of all of this, Alex and I both were moving to a new city [LA], and we felt like there was so much external and personal change happening all at once, that we wanted to reflect uncertainty and notes of growth into the song as well. So it’s a mix of things…but it all remains very existential.
PTM: You even chose to include an audio recording of you and your mom in the track, what about that moment made you feel like it needed to be in there?
LM: I honestly just love when music incorporates really personal things, and I think it adds so much personality to the song even if you’re giving it to others to make it their own. Also, the ending with the strings felt so nostalgic, I wanted to bring it up a notch even more with the recording.
PTM: Staying with the theme of the single, how did you navigate those regrets in order to push past them and how did that translate into your lyrics?
LM: I think humans are too hard on themselves. I didn’t have any specific regrets in mind when writing the song, it just felt like everything I was doing wasn’t right. But I think, in a way, this makes it more universal and open to interpretation. Moving to a new city suddenly became a muse – it gave me an opportunity to restart and move on. The lyrics (at first glance) are thoughts I had about moving on from past pain and starting fresh, but also trying to avoid bringing that pain into my “new” life.
PTM: They say hindsight is 20/20, is there anything you’d wish you’d be able to re-do? Or perhaps warn your past self about?
LM: I don’t think so honestly. It’s easy to say “yes,” and there are definitely things I’ll look back on and cringe at, or moments where I might have let my guard down too much, but I truly believe everything that has happened up until this point has gotten me where I need to be. Even the hard times. I know it sounds cliché, but there’s nothing I regret if it has made me stronger, or more self aware.
PTM: Now, “Masterpiece” is your second original single released in 2022, is it safe to say there’s a record on the horizon? What can you tell us about it or your next singles?
LM: Absolutely !!! It’s only just begun. I have so much music coming. My second EP is coming out in July, my first full length LP is coming out in early November, and in between those releases I’ll be putting out more singles as well. Hopefully I will have some visual art and music videos too! It all feels so authentic to me and my artistry. I’m so excited!
PTM: You have a very soothing R&B aura about your music, are there any artists in particular that had a heavy influence on you? Anyone you hope to work with in the future?
LM: Lèon, Danile Caesar, H.E.R, and Cautious Clay have all inspired my music so much. They would all be absolute dreams to work with…they have done so much for me and they don’t even know it.
PTM: You’re still relatively new to the scene, having debuted just 3 years ago — but you’ve already amassed hundreds of thousands of streams, which is no easy feat as an independent artist. What’s next for your career? Are there any ‘bucket-list’ moments you’re hoping to cross off in 2022?
LM: I’d love to write with or work with more writers and artists that I look up to that are around my age, such as Tate McRae or Madison Beer. And a goal of mine is to hit 1 million streams on one of the new songs this year!
PTM: We really appreciate you hanging out and chatting, we can not wait to see what else you have in store. Are there any final words you’d like to share with our readers and your fans?
LM: Thank you for taking the time! And stay tuned. You can find me at all of the links listed down below. I can’t wait for what’s to come.
