BY: KRIS ANDERSON
PHOTOGRAPHY BY: KRIS ANDERSON & TYLA BARNES
To all the BLACK QUEENS that are reading this I would like to say that I as a black man really appreciate each and every last one of you! A phenomenal woman is a woman that is passionate, kind, understanding and strong mentally and emotionally. She is one that stands tall when life does everything to knock her down. That phenomenal woman is YOU! Always remember this no matter what. To my BLACK KINGS a real man never stops trying to show his queen how much she means to him, even after he's got her. Our job as black men is to protect our black queens from any harm including ourselves. Being black in America is already tough for us so theres no need to inflect more pain on our black queens. Being the only boy out of my siblings adds another set of responsibility to my plate. I have to educate my sisters on what a good man looks like, talks like, walks like and loves like. However, all those things don't mean a thing if I don't practice what I preach. I highly encourage all my brothers and sisters to speak life into one another and RESPECT each other. Ladies remember a wise woman knows the importance of speaking life into her man. If you claim to love him: believe in him, encourage him, and be his peace. Fellas no woman wants a man that's everywhere doing everything with everyone. While she's doing everything for you and nobody else. Its time to take ownership of our relationships and actions. So without further ado I present to you a young black queen who's ready to share her story with you.
Mare is a 21 year old singer/songwriter from Philadelphia, PA. She debuted in 2017 with her EP entitled “G.O.O.D Girl” followed by its sequel in 2019. These projects helped her breakthrough into womanhood as well as solidifying her own household brand for others to embrace. As Mare continues to develop and strengthen her artistry, she takes on inspiration from those before her such as Anita Baker, Teena Marie and Lauryn Hill. Although the heart of her music lies within the genre of R&B and Soul, Mare’s ultimate goal is to establish a timeless and genre-less sound for generations to enjoy! I present to you Mare The Singer.
The UpNext: Who is Mare The Singer?
Mare: "Beneath the brand, Mare The Singer is a young woman finding her way, using music to document her journey. She’s light, she’s love, she’s vulnerable, she gets sad, she makes mistakes but all in all she’s not afraid to be real."
The UpNext: What first got you into music?
Mare: "I can’t really pin point the exact moment. Music has always been in me for as long as I can remember. I’ve been writing songs and poetry since I was 6. I’ve been singing way before that."
The UpNext: Who inspired you to make music?
Mare: "Life experiences inspired me to make music not necessarily a person. Making music has always felt like the only way I could express myself truthfully. Whenever I sang my own lyrics, I felt like I was in my purest form. However, Beyoncé and Alicia Keys were two major influences that inspired me to become an Artist. I’ve always been shy about presenting my gifts, but watching them perform as a kid gave me the confidence to bring myself to center stage."
The UpNext: When did you fall in love with R&B?
Mare: "Wow I fell in love with R&B at the age of 7 in my grandmothers house and I mean real rhythm and blues: Anita Baker, Patti Labelle, Chaka Kahn, Luther Vandross , Minnie Riperton, the list goes on and the era goes further back. She would play it on the speaker whenever she cooked or cleaned. I could never fall asleep alone as a child, especially in the dark, so she would let me listen to the old school radio station at night until I dozed off. As I got older, I did my own searches and findings and discovered 90s R&B queens like Aaliyah, SWV, TLC, Destinys Child etc. I watched and I watched as beautiful black singers took the world by storm and I loved every bit of it. This genre of music was so deeply infused in my upbringing, it literally became who I am."
The UpNext: How would you describe the music that you typically create?
Mare: "It’s hard for me to describe my music sometimes. I don’t know how to categorize it yet because as my sound is growing I’m realizing it isn’t just one thing. Sometimes it’s cool calm and collected like a sunny day and sometimes it’s like thunder and lightning. Simply put, My music is for the soul. My content is based on raw emotion so when you listen, you gonna relate to SOMETHING in there. I feel like there’s so much beauty in creating truthful music rather than just bops for the moment. I’d like to say I’m on the verge of creating timeless music. I’m not there yet but I want to be able to create the type of sounds that I grew up on. The sounds that last through generations!"
The UpNext: What is your creative process like?
Mare: "My creative process is a very personal one but usually very quick if a beat or melody in my head speaks to me. I like to isolate myself when I’m working on something. I write alone in my room or bathroom. It’s very seldom that a song takes me more than 2 hours to finish unless I’m feeling stuck. I’m very selective about who I record with, I only like for it to be me and the engineer/producer in the booth. I need to have that comfortable space to make mistakes, experiment vocally, ask for help etc. I may bring in people with great ears for music/vocal producers after the fact for assessment but when it’s raw, I treat it like a newborn baby, for mamas care only."
The UpNext: If you had to give an upcoming or current artist 8 ways to update their sound what would they be?
Mare: "This is such a hard question omg! I’m just going to keep it general and speak towards my fellow upcoming artists because we’re all pretty much still works in progress at this stage in our careers.
1. Get with a vocal producer. The vocal producers that I have worked with in the past are absolutely amazing. They help you fill up your song with melodies and harmonies you maybe wouldn’t naturally think of. They’re tough and push you vocally in every way possible but the end result is always so magical.
2. Experiment with a different genre. Get on a feature or create a song that’s out of the norm for you. It pushes you in more ways than one.
3. Tap in with other artists! The best thing I could’ve done recently was grow closer in friendship with other artists/musicians. I’ve learned so much from them honestly.
4. Work with a live band. Whether performing or recording, live bands always add that extra flavor to a track.
5. Don’t use the same people for everything. I know for me when I find a producer I really like or another musician, I tend to always reach out to them first rather than exploring other options/networking. There’s not much room for growth in that.
6. Don’t be afraid of input. I hinted at this earlier with having artist friends, but even if it’s just family and loved ones. Let them hear your unreleased content and give suggestions. You don’t always have to take them but it’s nice to know what people would like to hear from you since they are the target audience anyways.
7. Production is so essential to a great song. Having a quality engineer or producer that mixes well/is not afraid to experiment with instrumentation,effects and even samples can help bring new ideas to life.
8. Practice makes perfect. Although post-production is so important, it’s also about what you bring to the table. Practice with new writing techniques or free styling. Practice new runs (for singers) etc. always stay “in the know “ about what’s happening in music, it’s beneficial to your budding career!"
The UpNext: Which famous artists do you admire?
Mare: "Beyoncé for her amazing work ethic and overall performance quality.
Lauryn Hill for the power and versatility of her pen (writing). She’s an icon and her work speaks for itself. Alicia Keys + Jhené Aiko for the real and rawness of their voice/music. These women make me feel it every time and that’s what I aspire to do.
The UpNext: Who would you most like to collaborate with?
Mare: "H.E.R. I think she’s such a dope musician plus we’re both cancers so I feel like we’d be besties. I love people that make music that I wish I wrote myself! I would also say Chris Brown, despite the fact that I’ve been obsessed with his music for my entire existence, he has major talent and versatility. The little girl in me would cry at the chance to make a song with him."
The UpNext: If you could go open a show for any artist who would it be?
Mare: "I would definitely say H.E.R. again and ultimately Beyoncé but that would be SO intimidating lol. I’d definitely have to get my dance moves and overall production skills on point okay!"
The UpNext: What would you be doing right now, if it wasn’t for your music career?
Mare: "I think about that a lot lowkey just because naturally loved ones have encouraged me to have a backup plan. I’d definitely still be working in the music/performing arts realm but possibly with children. I’d probably be a teacher, counselor or mentor of some sort."
The UpNext: What is the best advice you’ve been given?
Mare: "The best advice I’ve ever been given is that when God places purpose in your path, many times the people around you may talk down on it/talk you out of it because they don’t see/can’t understand how it will work out but at the end of the day you have to keep walking in what God has called you to do because if it was meant for them to understand clearly, he would have given them the vision. That was from a sermon about a year ago from my pastor."
The UpNext: If you could change anything about the industry, what would it be?
Mare: "I would get rid of labels, execs , and all the powers that be that only chase the $. Many times artists are only signed or given a platform based on their ability to sell/entertain for the moment rather than actual talent and substance or even longevity. It really bothers me. There was a point in time when music meant so much more to the public and the gatekeepers of the industry had a stronger value system/protective pride over who they let in. It forced upcoming artists like myself to really work harder and it challenged artists who already had the recognition to keep up with their peers in making great music."
The UpNext: Is it easy or hard to maintain a relationship while being a artist?
Mare: "It can be if you don’t have the right partner. Being an artist is a roller coaster ride within itself that requires 100% commitment, discipline and sacrifice. Being in a relationship on top of that adds an extra level of consistency and time management. If you’re with someone who does not understand and respect the goals you’re trying to obtain or doesn’t push you when you don’t want to push yourself then It makes life way more stressful."
The UpNext: What do you consider to be deal breakers in a relationship?
Mare: "If someone does not have a relationship with God, good & honest communication skills, and drive/commitment to their own goals then it’ll be really hard for me to move forward with them. Faith in Christ is a major factor in my life so being with someone who is not like-minded in that area just does not serve me. As far as everything else goes, I’m so busy with working on myself that I don’t have time to baby another grown person. I don’t have time to teach you how to effectively communicate. I need a partner who is on the same wavelength as me in terms of ambition and values. I will always be there to pick you up when you down but I can’t carry you the whole way."
The UpNext: Does God have to be at the center of your relationship?
Mare: "Absolutely! This is something I’m trying to be more intentional about as I grow more intentional about my faith. I’ve dated guys who were laissez-faire about their faith in God and it wasn’t necessarily a huge problem but it wasn’t what I was looking for either."
The UpNext: Do you feel like millennials date differently? How?
Mare: "Yes and no. It’s hard to generalize a whole group of people. However, based on my experiences I’ve definitely seen a lack in values, chivalry and just overall respect. People are just not really upfront and honest with their intentions anymore. There are people out here that really want something of substance and there are others who are just playing games. Millennials don’t even know how to collectively define the term “dating” or “talking”. I’ve seen guys who think Netflix and chill is good enough as a first date. I’ve seen women who think 2 months of consistent texting/FT means they’re entitled to a relationship. It’s really all over the place if you ask me. You just gotta pray away all the people with ill-intentions."
The UpNext: What do you look for in a man?
Mare: "Wheww. I’ve been reflecting on this recently as I figure out more and more my likes and dislikes. First things first, I look for friendship. If we can’t laugh and joke together, talk about any topic up under the sun, be comfortable in our not so comfortable moments around each other, genuinely have a good time, and just be present for each other no matter the circumstance then do we really have a foundation to build on? After friendship, I look for loyalty, trustworthiness, love for God and family, sense of humor, transparency/vulnerability, ambition/drive/passion, and overall confidence. That probably sounds like a lot lol, but if I can find all of that in a nice handsome young man, I’d be the happiest woman in the world."
The UpNext: When do you know that a relationship is dead?
Mare: "When it’s doing more harm than good in my life. I have a hard time of letting go in general, people and things. So I will literally give my all to a relationship until I’m burnt out. It sucks that I’m like that because I’ll waste so much energy and emotion that could be refocused elsewhere. However, I know that it’s dead when I no longer give a damn... which it takes a lot of harm/wrongdoing on their part for that to happen. When I’ve stopped putting in the effort to get your attention and speak my peace on situations then I’m checked out for good more than likely."
The UpNext: Have you ever been heartbroken? How did you handle it?
Mare: "Too many times. My most recent one was a little over a year ago. I handled it better than I’ve ever handled any other heartbreak before and I’m still proud of myself for it. Like I said, I usually give my all to relationships even when it causes me pain and with this last situation, I didn’t. I didn’t let him linger in my space for too long, I dealt with the disappointment and walked away from it very gracefully. I wrote a couple songs about it that weren’t too graceful that you may have heard but still... I was cheated on in one of the most embarrassing ways and after the initial shock cleared, I STILL felt like there was room for us to grow stronger from it. I just be dumb and in love like that sometimes. But my love for myself and desires for the kind of love I knew I deserved was way stronger than the love he was providing which made it easier to walk away."
The UpNext: What’s next for your love life and career?
Mare: "I have no clue what’s next for my love life honestly. That’s not even on the forefront of my mind or my focus at the moment. However, one day soon I would like to experience something beautiful again and I’m totally fine with this waiting period I’m in. As far as my career, I’m releasing a new EP this summer which I’m super excited about. There’s some great features and visuals a part of this that I’m proud of. I think people will be able to see the growth in this new project. This pandemic has shifted a lot of things for me and “my plan” but I’m adjusting because the work don’t stop!"
The UpNext: What is one message you would give to your fans, family and friends?
Mare: "I just want to say that I’m thankful for the love and support, most importantly the patience that everyone has extended to me as I grow. This is not an easy journey especially as a one woman show, but I’m blessed to have a strong and loyal following. Keep watching, keep supporting because it’s on its way. To the top we go!"
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