An Interview with Bernice Marsala
- R.A.G.
- 13 minutes ago
- 6 min read
A new release from Bernice Marsala delivers a very impactful breed of honesty with lyrics that come across as vulnerable but extremely authentic, so you know this whole thing came from a real place.
I love songs that give you the feeling that the artist is putting pieces of themselves in their music again, and with Bernice, this is 100% the case.
This is a single that can be taken in a few different ways depending on who's listening, but for me, it felt more like a sort of inner struggle. Depictions of a time when you don't feel like yourself, you don't recognize yourself in the mirror, and you feel distanced from everyone else at the same time.
The lyrical descriptions are outstanding. Because of how she articulates those words, you can really connect with the song in different ways.
The sentiment was impactful for me because I felt that way at different parts of life. I think that anyone could get to that point in life depending on what's happening.
It can be relatable on so many different levels to so many different people.
Now, this is just how I interpreted the song. Others may take it in a little differently, but for me, it was loud and clear.
Now again, even though the sentiment was loud and clear to me, each person who listens to it has their own unique way of depicting it.
For instance, some might feel like this is a song about addiction of some type and having to break that habit. Not recognizing yourself in the depths of whatever that addiction may be, but being able to look at the entire thing from the outside in.
Others may take it as a relationship-based premise, where it's the other person who feels distant and isn't seeing you.
Either way, it's quite impactful, and I think the beauty of music like this is that you can take it in different ways, even though lyrically,
It leaves just a little bit of mystery to everything, and I enjoy that aspect.
This is a pretty robust rock single. It definitely boasts elements of alternative but also classic rock, plenty of sonic drive, and beautiful vocal melodies that feel sort of anthemic as the song unfolds.
The track definitely gives you a lot to chew on both lyrically and instrumentally.
The guitar tone is outstanding. It's kind of heavy but not over the top, so that the drive also comes from the vocals and the drumming as well.
It is edging through. This is actually a track that balances an element of personality and character, with this refined edginess and energy that come together and create an atmosphere that you get pulled into simply because it's so real feeling.
As I mentioned before, I think it takes guts to write and release the song that delves a little bit deep the way this one does.
It's really unafraid in terms of letting a lot of inner thought comes spilling out for all to soak in.
That takes a pretty good level of bravery, and I think it's important that music does that. I think it's important to have artists who are able to put themselves out there like this.
It speaks volumes for artists like Bernice because of that authenticity factor. When you hear songs like this, you want it to be important. You want to know that it came from somewhere within the artist's own life.
And this song gives you that.
The entire atmosphere produced is pretty powerful; her vocals are intense when they want to be, but also a little bit calmer when subtleties come around.
She's really able to be in character throughout this entire track so that the impactful parts have a more powerful sound, and she's also able to give you a lot of soul and passion throughout those vocal performances.
It's the performance in combination with the lyrics and sentiment that really give the song a lot of its balance, and you can tell that there was a lot of attention paid to the little things.
It's not just about the tones of the instruments or the vocals; it's about the arrangement and the composition of everything.
It's got a great flow to it, but when it wants to hit those choruses, it gets nice and intense, just the way it should.
This was charismatic and very vibrant, but genuine and heartfelt all at once, and I think we need more music like this in the world.
This is like a diary entry that describes a certain chapter in the artist's life.
This is the kind of song that makes you think or feel, and that's always a good thing.
Upon listening to this song, I knew I wanted to have a sit-down with Bernice so that I could find out where the song actually did come from, because at this point, I just had to know.
I also wanted to find out what might be coming up next for her, so while you listen to this single, have a read through of our interview with Bernice Marsala below.
You don't want to miss this.
Let's talk about "Music Box"! This song delivered a pretty personal approach with great emotion involved!! Where did this track come from?
Thank you! Yes, it is a very personal song with more vulnerable lyrics than I've written in a while. For me, it’s about the postpartum experience. You're navigating through these changes that are both situational and chemical. You start to feel like you're on autopilot and not totally present in your own body, all while wrestling with this unraveling sense of identity. But this is also, of course, a very joyous period of time, which is all that the people around you see, so it's sort of a silent battle. The image of the music box dancer is representative of going through the motions on a literal loop.
I'm hearing a few different approaches to this single! Who are some of your biggest musical influences?
I always cite Jim Croce and The Carpenters as my biggest early-life influences. As my music has become more rock-centered, I would say Shinedown is one of my biggest influences, as well as 3 Doors Down (RIP Brad Arnold). The latter was my first real introduction into modern rock, and with his recent passing, I dove back into their catalog and came to the realization that they've influenced my own music more than I thought.
Did you record this at a home setup, or at a big studio?
I have a home studio that I do all of my recording in.
How did this all start for you as an artist?
Well, originally I wanted to write songs for other artists to release and perform. So when I started recording music, they were meant to be demos. But after a few years of pitching and getting no responses, I decided that if I just released them, maybe eventually someone would hear them and want to do their own version or want me to write something for them. Of course, neither of those things happened! However, I did start to find that I enjoyed being an "artist," and many of the songs that are more personal felt so close to me that I actually couldn't imagine anyone else recording them anyway. I would still like to write songs for others if an opportunity ever comes along, but I have been enjoying working on songs that are only for me, and I wouldn't want to give up that time.
Are you performing live right now?
No, I haven't performed live in several years. I realized that it wasn't a side of music that I enjoyed, (which is initially what led to me wanting to put the songwriting first), and I've been much happier since I chose to focus on writing and recording instead. Especially now that I have kids, I wouldn't want to be spending all my nights and weekends at gigs.
Now that this is out, what's next for you?
I have four more songs to finish writing and recording, and then I'll have enough to put my third album together. There will probably be at least one, perhaps two more singles before that happens, so I haven't chosen a release date yet, but it's coming soon!
Who's in your headphones right now?
As I mentioned earlier, I've dived back into my favorite 3 Doors Down albums (namely "Away from the Sun" and their self-titled album). I also regularly listen to a lot of Shinedown, Pop Evil, Papa Roach, and a variety of other artists. I do enjoy a variety of genres, but it’s been mostly rock for me lately.
What would you tell people they can expect on this release?
I would say don't be fooled by the first 8 seconds! It goes in an unexpected direction.
Before we go, what would you like to express to fans of the music?
I would just humbly ask everyone to give this new song a listen, and if you enjoy it, maybe check out some others in my catalog! I also want to say thank you to everyone who's been a fan, and I hope you'll stick around!
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