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Artist On The Rise: What do you think sets your sound apart from other artists in your genre?

Wadena: My sound is very unique and different from what people are used to hearing from traditional R&B and Hip Hop female artists.
 
Artist On The Rise: What role does vulnerability play in your music, and how do you navigate it while staying authentic?

Wadena: Well,  my real life experiences make me vulnerable at times, and such can reflect through my music. However, my pain that comes across through both my deliveries and my material is what keeps it authentic. Pain or heartbreak is something most people can relate to, especially pertaining to the ups and downs in relationships.
 
Artist On The Rise: How do you balance the desire to experiment with your sound while maintaining your core style?

Wadena: You see, being creative is key, and there is no balance for me. In this generation, people like different and I love to experiment with my sound and try new things.
 
Artist On The Rise: How do you handle feedback and criticism of your music, especially when you’re still finding your voice?

Wadena: Well, I handle feedback and criticism just fine. I am very humble and appreciate it because this can help me as an artist and songwriter.
 
Artist On The Rise: Is there a particular song or album that shaped you as an artist? How did it impact you?

Wadena: It was Mary J Blige's What's the 411 album that shaped me as an R&B artist, and growing up, I would play it over and over. Mary J Blige also had a unique sound, just like me, and I remember, as a kid, running down the stairs of my church from choir practice to cry. I would pray and ask God why my voice was so different from all the other singers in the choir. No matter how much our director trained my voice, he could not get me to sound like the traditional gospel or R&B singers. Until one day, my choir director said, "Wadena, you know who you remind me of with such a unique sound? The one and only Mary J Blige." I then stopped crying and asked my parents to please buy me a Mary J Blige album. Listening to and learning every song on this particular album shaped me as an artist for sure and changed how I felt about having such a unique sound.
 
Artist On The Rise: Do you feel that your music reflects your personal journey or more of a fantasy world you create for listeners?

Wadena: Well, my music reflects both my personal journey and the fantasy I create for listeners. For example, when I create party and dance songs, this will give listeners an opportunity to feel free to step outside of their comfort zone and fantasize about doing what I sing about through my lyric content.
 
Artist On The Rise: How do you incorporate your cultural or regional influences into your music, and how important is that to you?

Wadena: Well, it's very important for me to incorporate my culture and where I'm from in my music. For example, I created a party song called Let's Get It to encourage people to represent where they are from. My lyrics for Let's Get It say, "Now just rep where you from or you rep your crew, like the Frat Boys get it and us Sorors do, we take it to the floor baby get real low, we party walk hard til we stomp that floor. Let's get it, get, get it, let get it low with it. Let's get it, get it, get it, drop it to the floor with it."

I share this because representing where you're from through music and dance is so cool!
 
Artist On The Rise: What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learned about yourself while performing live?

Wadena: The most surprising thing I've learned about myself while performing is how I connect even more with fans.
 
Artist On The Rise: What role do visuals and aesthetics (like music videos or stage setups) play in telling your story as an artist?

Wadena: This plays a major role when telling an artist's story because the stage setups and video have to be right. If it's not, then this won't tell the artist's story, and you most definitely won't receive the real artist.
 
Artist On The Rise: If you had to choose one message to leave behind with your music, what would it be?

Wadena: Never Give Up On Your Dreams. 
 

Marla Lewis might not be a name that everyone immediately recognizes, but she has spent years building a remarkable career that has earned her a loyal global fan base, countless streams, and even a Grammy Award for Best Children’s CD. Today, Music-News had the chance to talk with Marla about her new single “Kill The Lights,” a smooth, feel-good jazz track that captures the magic of walking through New York City in winter with a warm smile on your face.




Tell us about Marla Lewis?
Born in New Jersey, wrote my first song at the tender age of 12 called “Hopeless Love” (LOL). From the time I could talk, music has always been my closest friend. I sang and played guitar in clubs, got disenchanted, went back to school for my Masters, and became an English as a Second Language teacher in a Harlem elementary school for 23 years. That’s when I started writing songs for kids, to help them learn English. I released two children’s albums, WE ALL LAUGH IN THE SAME LANGUAGE and I LOVE TO TALK TO PLANTS. One tune from PLANTS, called “Leap of Faith,” appears on a Grammy-winning Children’s CD called ALL ABOUT BULLIES... BIG AND SMALL, with my incredible friend and producer, Bob Stander.

Who are some of your musical influences? What else inspires you?
Ella Fitzgerald, the Beatles, Michael Franks, Phoebe Snow, Carole King, to name a few. My mom aspired to be a jazz singer, so we had lots of Big Band music playing in the house. Besides music, the rhythm of conversation inspires me.

Congrats on the release of “Kill the Lights”! We love it. What’s the story behind the song?
Thanks so much! Bob (my producer) said to me, “We need another R&B flavored song with a catchy chorus.” So, I played around with a new idea about love on the rebound. I wrote the lyrics first, a very rough draft, and put music to it - that’s how songs usually evolve for me. I was really “in the zone” when I was working on this one, fiddling around with it until it felt complete. The song went through many incarnations before I got the “actors in a play” metaphor right. I don’t think it’s autobiographical – unless it’s about an affair that I’ve totally forgotten about!

Who is one artist you’d love to tour with?
Nora Jones! Oh, yes!

What’s your favorite thing to do when you’re not doing music?
Walking the dogs, hanging out with friends, watching a great TV series.

What's the 2022 plans for your musical journey?
I want to continue live streaming - it’s fun! My show is called “Marla in La La Land.” You can tune in every Wednesday evening at 7:30 PM Eastern. I already have enough songs for my next smooth jazz album, and I’m calling it, “Livin’ the Dream.” The songs are very socially conscious – I can’t write in a bubble any longer, with what’s going on in the world. I hope to record and release that album in 2022. And perhaps, I’ll muster the courage to do live shows!

How can our readers find you online?
Lots of places! First, my website: www.marlalewis.com
My Facebook group: MarlaTheMuse
My YouTube channels: Smooth Jazz I Children’s

Twitch I LinkedIn I Twitter I Instagram I Spotify I Apple Music
 
CONTINUE READING

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