Singer/songwriter Mary-eL has explored many genres of music as a performer: from Funk, to Rock, to Alternative and R&B. This exploring that had the girl moving around quite a bit; as part of an acapella group, and an all-girl group in Atlanta, GA, various bands in Indianapolis, and as a back-up singer and featured artist in her current home of Maryland. “I’m kind of a nomad,” she said. “I came to Maryland from Indiana and forged a new path .” Not too long after moving to Maryland, she joined SixPlay, a local cover band.
"My time spent with them showed me how to embrace my role as a lead vocalist in a band, and it really helped me in my development as a solo artist. It solidified what I wanted when it came to my own music: The live element. Live music. The energy that's given off between musicians sharing a stage and the audience embracing that energy with you. You can't find that feeling anywhere else. I thrive off that."
Features with local artists forced her to hone her musicianship and the chance to really try out her song ideas. “People then began to ask me about solo material,” she said. When she realized how much her style appealed to the public, she decided to take a stab at it and recorded “One Way Love” which was followed by “Body Talk”, two songs that exposed Mary’s penchant for not only singing, but also vocal production. “It was one of the first times I put a lot of myself into the creation of a song from start to finish. The first time I really let myself "be seen" in a way as far as lyrics go and as far as my ideas for vocal production and melodies."
Mary’s performance history over the years has prepared her when it comes to songwriting. “Knowing when things will sound best when performed live or knowing the elements people tend to respond to are the things I’ve taken away the most from my time with various groups,” Mary explained. Having a taste for gritty guitars, horn sections, and transitions in songs and the skills to record them with her audio engineering background, Mary is excited about her new material! Mary is also finding that her writing is coming from a personal space, even unintentionally. “I’ve been nomadic so much that I think a lot of the songs are about personal growth, transgressions, and about sometimes being unsure of which way to go in life,” Mary said. But, if there is anything Mary-eL is certain of, it's her goal in establishing herself as an independent artist. “I definitely want more collaboration in the future, because networking is very key,” she said. “I want to be a jill-of-all-trades. Put me in anything.” “Anything” being her work on an album, radio and cable TV shows, singing with local rock and soul groups, and writing with a plethora of fellow musicians.
So, what does Mary-eL think of the possibility of fame? “I just want to always keep music close, write till my heart's content…and feel confident that my work shows musicianship, and stays unique.. which is the most challenging part.”
