The Echoplex Los Angeles, CA
Contact: [email protected]
Web: mariellekraft.com
Players: Marielle Kraft, vocals, guitar
On a stellar three-act bill with girli and Alexa Villa (see this month’s DIY Spotlight) in Echo Park, Marielle Kraft was in the middle; Villa had already warmed up the small-but-enthusiastic Echoplex crowd and girli would later wow those very same people. While Villa has an alt-pop-rock vibe, and girli is all about synth-pop with a message, Kraft has a more sedate though no less thrilling approach.
“When you hear Marielle Kraft’s music or experience her candid live shows, you feel as though you already know her,” her online bio reads. “The indie pop singer/songwriter, now based in Nashville, displays craftsmanship beyond her years, following suit to artists like Colbie Caillat, Maisie Peters, and Taylor Swift.”
Those are interesting comparisons, but they do hold water. Kraft employs her lyrical prowess, vocal agility and instrumental dexterity, all in sync, as a sort of journal-soundboard. Thoughts, feelings and experiences detailed with often-agonizing precision, as she allows us a glimpse at the deepest corners of her head and heart.
That’s not to say that the songs are exclusively dark, cynical and depressing. Far from it—there’s a wit and a genuine sense of hope to Kraft’s work that is practically impossible not to get on board with.
“She presents her live shows as a seamless narrative: evocative yet encouraging, deeply reflective yet refreshing,” her bio explains. “The raw authenticity with which Marielle invites listeners into her story cultivates a relationship with them beyond the song…”
That’s the key to it all—the authenticity. Between songs, Kraft talks sincerely about her love for her wife, about her own insecurities, about real emotions. There’s no ego on show, she simply translates her life into music and presents it to us, warts and all.
Meanwhile, Kraft is a gifted musician. Her guitar becomes an extension of herself, as she seems to find notes that express what she wants to say a little better than the English language can. Or at least, it enhances the poetry. And poetry is the right word to describe her emotive lyrics. The mixture of relief, resentment and joy in “Owe My Ex,” when she sings, “Set a couple boundaries; I’m finding out I like me; Think I'm moving out of my apartment; Get my new life started; Guess I got a thank you note to send,” is palpable.
Her cover of Natasha Bedingfield’s “Unwritten” is beautiful, and it feels deeply personal. Much like this entire set.
