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Marcella Simien is no stranger to the world of music. Growing up with Grammy award-winning father, Terrence Simien, and learning about the industry early on was the perfect setup to embark on a music career of her own. And that is exactly what Simien has done.
Born and raised in Lafayette, Louisiana, Simien relocated to attend art school in Memphis, Tennessee, at the age of 19 where she would discover her own soulful, charismatic sound and meet the musicians who now make up Marcella & Her Lovers.
In anticipation of the band’s July 11th performance at Proud Larry’s I had the pleasure of speaking with Simien about the band’s latest EP, The Bronze Age (2014), performing live, and life growing up in a musical family.
You’ve grown up around music your whole life. When did you take an interest in pursuing a music career of your own?
Growing up, I always wanted to be on stage. Seeing my dad, it was so close to me. It seemed so possible yet so far away. There was a lot of work that went into it, because you’re not just famous overnight. You have to work at it. When I was about 14 I played onstage with my dad, and then did a couple of shows in Louisiana. I was really nervous about my voice and wasn’t really comfortable with it until I was 16 or 17. I started playing my own music on stage when I moved to Memphis. That’s when I finally started to play professionally.
What was it about being in Memphis that prompted you to start performing more?
My dad got me an accordion when I moved to Memphis, and taught me two songs on the front porch of the first place I moved into. They were two traditional Zydeco songs and I learned and practiced those, then started writing my own songs. I would perform around town, solo, doing cover songs. I listened to everything from soul and punk to new wave. A house party was the first public performance I did while I was at Memphis College of Art. People started to get into me playing with my accordion. They really accepted me in Memphis, but in Louisiana it would have been a little harder to win that audience over because it’s just different there. I feel like I’ve found my home in Memphis, for now.
Let’s talk about your record, The Bronze Age. Lyrically, this is such a thought-provoking record. What was the songwriting process like and what inspired you?
A lot of it was drawn from personal experiences, like unrequited love and heartbreak – the usual stuff that inspires or moves you and makes you angry and cry for days. I had to find an outlet for it. I was a visual artist too, so I was able to channel a lot of feelings through my work, whether it was on paper or through music. It’s a really empowering thing to do when you feel lonely in a new place or alone even if you have a lot of friends. Sometimes you feel totally alone, and when no one is there you have your music and you can get lost in it.
You recorded the EP with producer Scott Bomar at Electraphonic Recording. How did this pairing come about?
I felt really comfortable with him since he’s one of the people from Memphis I’ve known the longest. I met him when I was about 12 or 13. My parents used to be on The Board of Governors of The Recording Academy and they go to monthly meetings and he was on the board too. I thought it was so cool that he worked with some great people like Cyndi Lauper and did soundtracks for movies like Hustle and Flow. When you walk into the studio there’s this energy and you feel transported to another time. I immediately felt comfortable in the space and around Scott. He’s the greatest at what he does because he gives us room to really feel the songs out and do our thing. He also always gives the right amount of feedback. He’s just really incredible.
You just released your first official music video for the song “We Rewind.” Tell me a little bit about that experience and how the concept for the video came about.
The whole experience was really fun. I’d never shot a music video before, even though I’d been filmed before for other stuff. It was really cool to be able to use my other talents like my eye for aesthetics for things like choosing the location. That was really important to me. The Victorian house (Fontaine Lounge) where we filmed is really close to my heart. I’ve been performing there since 2011. The concept was created by a few people … It was really like a group effort. It was fun working with other creative minds. I got to bring these masks I made and let my friends, who were extras, wear them in the video. It was just like a big house party.
So, what’s next for Marcella & Her Lovers?
We are just going to continue writing. We’re just now becoming financially able to get out and tour regionally. We’re saving up for a van and logistical things to be able to travel more. That’s the whole goal. We’re just going to keep working hard at it and be the best that we can be. 
