Marzz
Is Out Of This World: An Interview With The Artist
By Jackie Procacci
R&B Singer/Songwriter Marzz creates a safe space for her listeners through her sultry ballads and vulnerable lyricism. Raised in a religious family, the Louisville-native turned to music to navigate through the judgments she initially faced regarding her queer identity. This only made her stronger and more independent; not only has music allowed her to find self-love, but it also empowers her to help others heal. The raw authenticity she brings to her music is ever prominent in her EP Love Letterz, which features a humble nature that she is determined to retain throughout the growth of her career. We talked to Marzz about how the pandemic affected her as an artist, the inspiration behind her music, and her upcoming support on H.E.R.’s Back Of My Mind Tour.
I read up on you online and your story is incredible – you are so brave. Growing up in a religious family in Louisville and hiding your queer identity from a young age must have been absurdly difficult.
Who was your main support system through it all? Did you find you had to “grow up” sooner than others and support yourself emotionally?
I definitely agree that I had to grow up quickly and really just learn how to do things on my own. My mom has always been super supportive, but it's one of those things where she didn't want us to be so dependent on anything. So I've just been independent my whole life.
People that have supported me…definitely my Uncle Paul. He plays a really big part in my life, just being there to help me emotionally. He's been there for me to vent and open up to without feeling any type of judgment. My grandma, too – she's always just: “Whatever you need, baby I'm here.” You know what I'm saying? She shows me nothing but love. And of course, I can't forget about my mom!
It's really awesome that you have other people in your family to lean on and help you out.
Yeah, it was one of those things where most of my family is super open-minded, but I guess me being as blunt as I am, I was always super quiet and stuff. When I came out and told them, it was like: “Oh, she talks!”, you know? It was a good feeling to know that they were really hearing and listening to me, super relieving for sure.
What sparked you to start releasing music professionally?
I would say just being able to make other people smile. When I was in school, people would always ask me to sing; especially if they were having a bad day, they’d be like: “Can I just hear you sing this part of a song real quick?” Them actually coming to school and wanting it to hear that really meant a lot to me.
I feel like my voice always has had some type of form of healing in it. I really want to be able to touch other people's lives by healing them, and hopefully, they can relate in some type of way in whatever situation they're going through. Just so they know they're not alone. But yeah, being able to connect with somebody else while learning about myself, learning about love, and who I want to become.
Marzz performing KMS for COLORS / Click to Watch!
That's amazing. How has the pandemic affected you as an artist in your creative process? What would you say is the biggest difference between Marzz in 2020 versus Marzz in 2022?
I'm dead, haha. I'm like a super introvert but I feel like I'm starting to become a little bit of an extrovert. I'm like an introverted extrovert. But the pandemic didn't really change anything. I've always been the type to experience life and travel by myself and not really care to hang out or go to parties. I will say that I miss being out of the house, but it really just took me into a place of understanding myself and taking the time. Like, there's nothing else you can do but dig deep and figure out who you are right now.
I guess this is happening for a reason. Take heed of it and take the opportunity, that's what I did. And you know, I’ve been detoxing from a lot, I've been hurting a lot, even crying a lot lately. There are a lot of good things going on, too, and I cry because I'm super overjoyed about everything. But also, I'm taking it one day at a time. So it's been pretty much the same, like just living life.
Definitely a lot of self-reflection and just being alone in your thoughts can be a lot. Did that affect your creative process and do you have a specific or typical creative process?
It's literally all over the place! One moment I could be doing something and the next I don't even want to do that anymore and start on something new. That's like a big problem for me – I have to remind myself that I’ve got to kind of finish “this” and then move on. I feel like I’ve always been able to create, but it's all about structure right now – just figuring out how I want everything to play out.
Your new single “KMS” dropped last month. Amazing. Congratulations! What was the inspiration behind that song?
It’s really me just going into self-love again and finding myself. I was in a situation where I felt like everything that was hitting me in this relationship was tearing me down one by one. There were just bullets that I could not dodge, and I really just had to be open to change. And I was so scared of change. But it's like, I gotta let go so that I can move on and come out a little stronger, you know what I'm saying?
Photo Credit: @clay10shoots on Instagram / Click to Follow
Not many people get to say they were discovered by the legend Timbaland and also have gotten the chance to work with him. What was being in the studio with Timbaland like when creating “Cleopatra” together?
That was a crazy moment. I was sitting in my dad's room. Usually, when I’d come home from school, I’d just be writing freestyles and stuff; turn on my little TV, put on YouTube, and look up freestyle beats. I’d just find them and write them. I started posting these freestyles on Instagram, and I don't know how, but he just saw it. He DM'd me and was like: “Yo, your pin game is crazy. We gotta work.” And me being little me, I'm like, “Yo, this cannot be Timberland.” Like, THE Timberland dm’d me. Once I confirmed it was the real him, I was like, “Yo, I can come today,” and he flew me out three days later.
At first, I was super nervous to meet him. But when he came in [the studio], I was like, “Yo, what’s good,” and he was like, “I don't do dabs, I do hugs.” He started throwing on a couple of beats and we were vibing and just started going crazy. I started mumbling some stuff, and that's when he asked if I knew how to rap. I said, “Nah, don’t put on me on the spot.” He was like, “Go lay that on the track.” He's the one that really inspired the rap on ‘Cleopatra’. I went inside the booth and when I came out everybody was like “And you said you couldn't rap? Quit cappin’ bro!”
He's just opened me up to a whole bunch of new sounds and that new adrenaline feeling. It felt great to be in that atmosphere and be in the room with amazing people. The energy was crazy.
That is absolutely crazy that I would have been so intimidated. Are you going to release more music with that rapping style?
Definitely. I ain't going to say there will be a lot, but I kind of want to experiment more with it. I’m not putting out a rap mixtape, but I'm definitely trying to play with that a little more and just see what I can be with it.
Now let’s talk about opening for H.E.R.’s Back Of My Mind Tour, which is insanely amazing! What has been the highlight of your live experience up until this point?
Going out to perform in different places, meeting different people, and connecting with different audiences. That's been a huge high point for me…oh and singing at the Soul Train Awards! That is something that I never ever in a million years would have thought that I'd be able to do, just because I've grown up watching all the music award shows. I was like, “Whitney Houston performed here, quit playing with me! In the Apollo Building baby?” I'm super blessed to be here at this moment, it’s crazy.
And I know you've opened for Jack Harlow who is from your hometown…
That was pressure on me, no cap! Right before I got on, I was like: “I swear to God, I gotta show out for him.” It was dope. It was legendary haha.
What are you most excited or nervous about for the tour?
Honestly, I feel like I’m not going to be nervous about anything. It's really more so that I just want to have fun. I don't want to be so in my head about everything. I'm going to remind myself to relax and just know that it's okay to have fun. This is my first tour, you know? It's not supposed to be perfect. Nothing's supposed to be perfect. I want to take it all in because there’s a lot of stuff going on, and I'm grateful to be a part of it.”
I recently read about your conversation with Timbaland about remaining humble and the importance of that to you. What are some of the ways you checked in with yourself, making sure you stay grounded and true to yourself?
Literally waking up every day, that's all I can honestly say. The world is crazy right now, and aside from this music stuff, it is blowing my mind. I'm trying not to even feed into it, but it's hard to avoid. I'm grateful to be in a place where I can do as I please. Just making sure that I keep myself healthy, the ones around me healthy, and ensuring that I do what I’m supposed to do in the world is important right now.
Who is your dream collaboration?
Can I say like three? First I’m gonna say Brandy – I just need her to do an ad-lib, a verse, a harmony. I'm also going to say Jhene Aiko definitely, and Jack [Harlow]. I feel like me and Jack would make a hard mixtape, no cap. I was studying his recent album and I'm like, “Yo, I feel like me and him would make some dope shit.” His flow is crazy, for sure.
Other than music, what is something you're super passionate about?
Let me see here…being around nature and doing stuff that makes me feel alive. That's something that I'm super passionate about. And really, my music is a way for me to escape. You know what I'm saying? That's really my scapegoat. Like, I will use that as an excuse, and say, “Oh, I can't, I gotta go to the studio!”
That's super dope. I feel the same way…music is life.
That's what holds my life together right now. Like I literally listen to the same two albums every day haha.
Lastly, where do you see yourself in January 2023? Can we expect more music from you soon?
Indeed! You can definitely expect more music for me. I'm always trying to throw out some new stuff! Hopefully, I'm healthy and breathing, but really just connected with my audience. Again, I love performing, and I really just want to give them a show. I want to be able to know that when they come and see me, I can change their life. I want to really connect with them on another level and really experience it all. It's a really dope feeling to have people just sit there and be like: “Yo, this is insane.” Cause I'm like: “Y'all really connected with me right now in hearing me out…THAT is insane.” This is a special moment for me and super surreal for sure.