What is your name?Marilyn Carino
What is your genre of music?
Torchy, existential electro-soul
Give us a little bio about you.
This Edinburgh-based Brooklyn, NY native has shared stages and/or collaborated with musical greats as diverse as Mos Def and Talib Kweli (Black Star), funk/soul kings Sly and Robbie and David Byrne. Her “torchy, existential electro-soul” has been lauded as, “enchanting – a testament to the healing powers of rhythm” (Nylon). Her singing has been called, “powerful to the point of bringing you to tears” (Straight No Chaser) and “smoldering” (The New Yorker); Carino’s songs have been featured on major television shows and films, including the FX hit Regenesis and the 2015 feature, Someone Else.
Carino’s second solo album, Leaves, Sadness, Science imagines soul-mated collabs where Nina Simone, Thom Yorke and Lykke Li hang in stoned basement recording studios with Prince, Suicide and Boards of Canada, and features one song co-written and performed by R.E.M. bassist Mike Mills. The album charted in the top ten on college radio in the U.S. and made several year-end best-of lists.
Are you a signed?
No
You released your new single ‘When The Innocents Go To War’, what’s the meaning behind?
It’s a cynical read on love, how when people start a relationship they judge each other as potential mates, how the other might be able to serve their needs, even as they’re falling in love, which to me is supposed to be about accepting another as they are and taking responsibility for one’s own happiness.
tell us more about the writing process.
I “write” the most when I’m not actually writing, like in the shower, on the subway, songs whisper to me all day long. Sitting down and recording them is painful for me, its like doing a Rubik’s Cube, trying to hit on the one pattern that fits the idea.
What was the recording process like?
This album was actually fun to make, because I essentially heard the whole thing in my head before I started. I was really excited about what is was going to sound like. And I felt my singing was the best its ever been.
you also released the video, how much fun was that and what’s your best memory from the shoot?
I shot and edited the whole thing myself. The best part of the shoot was not having to please anyone but myself and be able to take as much time with it as I wanted. I love to collaborate, but I’m also a control freak in certain arenas.
You have a brand new album coming out Leaves, Sadness, Science, what’s the meaning behind the title?
I saw a Frida Kahlo exhibition in Atlanta, there was an installation of rooms painted monochrome colors, the floor, the furniture, everything was one uniform color. There were little signs describing how Frida felt about the various colors, yellow was madness, blue was peace, and green was “leaves, sadness, science”. It gave me the thunderbolt – I knew that was going to be the title of my next album.
Did you work on it with anyone?
No, but I have a genius mastering engineer who is responsible for some serious magical fairy dust on the finished product.
Would you collaborate with upcoming artists? If so how could they contact you?
I love to collaborate. Mike Mills of REM co-wrote and performs on one song on the album (“War and Peace”) and I’m working on a dance music project right now in Edinburgh with producers Hobbes and Jacksonville. contact@marilyncarino.com
Who did you show it to first once complete?
A great painter called Michael David – not only a deep cat but he used to play bass in punk bands in the 70s. He understands things.
Do you have any gigs in the works?
Booking my spring UK tour now, but I will be at the Clutha Bar in Glasgow on Saturday, March 4th, 4:00pm, a wee solo show.
If so which cities will you be going?
All over the UK, stay tuned
Will we see a tour with the Album?
Yes, spring-summer 2017
Do you have any festivals you will be playing this year?
Perhaps
Do you play any instruments?
I sing. Keyboards.
Who are your influences?
Eartha Kitt, Gregory Corso, Nichiren Daishonin
How do you get inspiration to write songs?
From living my life – trying to appreciate stuff and reflect on my own thoughts
Where do you see yourself now in 5 Years?
Doing the same thing, but getting paid more
When you’re not doing music, what do you do?
I’m an SGI Buddhist, so I spend a lot of time chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo
What was the song you listened to most that influenced you to go more in to the music scene?
All the terrible music I had to mix and record as a sound engineer. I was so arrogant, I thought, “I can do this so much better”
What’s the best advice you have ever been given?
Never give up, don’t forget to enjoy
What advice would you give to aspiring musicians not about the industry and just as an artist?
Never give up, don’t forget to enjoy
What quote or saying do you always stick by?
“A sword is useless in the hands of a coward”
When you are at a gig, what are 5 things you cannot forget?
1. To get there as close to hit time as possible, I get antsy if I have to wait
2. Introduce the band – its polite
3. ENJOY IT
That’s it, I keep it simple
Your coming back from tour;
1/ where is the first place you go? Sleep
2/ who is the first person you see? No person. Cats
3/ where is the first place you go to eat? Il Colosseo, Italian restaurant in my Bensonhurst, Brooklyn neighborhood, to carb up on pasta and the best bread ever. But now I’m based in Edinburgh so it may be Noble’s Pub here in Leith, I crave their veggie haggis burger, BEST EVER
You work with Quite Great PR, how did that come about and what’s your best memory ?
I used the Googles to research PR firms in the UK. Actually DuckDuckGo, I’m not a big fan of Google
Do you have social media accounts so your fans can follow you?
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/marilyncarinomusic
Twitter and Instagram – @marilyncarino
