Meet Elysia Marie: A midwest-native vocalist, songwriter, activist and entrepreneur. Her pop-rock style is often flavored with a hint of country and is frequently described as having an edgy vibe to it. But to just call it country/rock/pop would be a massive understatement. Elysia Marie creates music that is socially aware- not calling for, but demanding change. Her latest release is inside this exact wheelhouse and has a powerful, expressive delivery.
“Gonna Take a Woman” starts driving, with a heart-thumping 4-on-the-floor, and classic-rock-feeling guitars. There are hints of the grit of Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, a pinch of Melanie B’s smooth pop tone, and the soulful depth of Demi Lovato…all of this is encapsulated in the beginning section.
But despite the song being a powerful anthem, the introduction starts extremely relatable with this lamentation:
“Another new year…another new set of frustrations
Nothin’ left to do here
Then prayin’ that a man can change it”
Between bluesy instrumental hits and natural melodic lines (accented by the perfect amount of vibrato) “Gonna Take a Woman” is a synergistic sonic package. But once the chorus hits? The song blossoms with confidence and knowing.
“It’s gonna take a woman to solve these man-made problems. It seems like we need a little change”
And as the lyrics put it, there’s no better time to start- than now. The divine feminine offers a certain brand of softness that the masculine simply doesn’t have. Elysia Marie knows this softness is not a weakness, but rather, a superpower to be wielded by a select few.
“A little more heart, a little more soul, a little more peace and understanding”…A little more trust, a little more care, a little more hope”
“Gonna Take a Woman” feels like a slow crescendo for most of the song; and as we get closer and closer to the summit, the vocal stacks only get richer. Marie’s sound even gathers a bit of a Dixie-Chicks-style country twang as it grows. Then, the B section features gospel-style backup “oo’s” …which leads right back into an exposed-vocal chorus. She tactfully brings the volume down just to bring it back up again.
Her words can hit us even harder in the end as she closes with the sage line-“It’s time for a woman’s touch.”
Q&A
What was the inspiration for this stunning modern tilted room artwork on “Gonna Take a Woman”?
You’re so kind… Thank you!… First I want to give the photographer Reinhardt Kenneth, a shout out. He is a phenomenal LA Based published fashion and celebrity photographer; who has shot for Vogue, Glamour and Bazaar; among others. He is an artist and creative who helped to bring my vision to life! His team styled me and had access to closets that artists like Janet Jackson selected look’s from; and they styled me in a glamorous blazer by fashion designer Kenneth Barlis, that helped to bring the artwork to life.
For this shot; I was going for a combination of strong feminine, glamourous sexy and timeless beautiful.
The tilted room; just complimented the vibe and look so much. So many things I wanted to try pose wise with that set; and I felt this look conveyed the feel of this song the most.
Renhardt’s team hit this photo shoot out of the park! They made me feel so comfortable and beautiful in everything I wore so I was able to channel the look I was going for.
Where do you get your creative flow from?
It’s really a team effort. We talk about the kind of music we want to make and are very intentional about the concepts that we develop. It is essential for us to create music that expresses a different perspective. My writing partner, Damarr, is just the best, his creativity is unmatched in my perspective, and when you are around greatness, it is hard not to get creative flows from one another. We really build creative momentum together.
Additionally, I have been inspired by music from all genres and across various decades, and so much of it directly or indirectly triggers an idea. Sometimes the ideas come from vibing out to tunes from 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s. Sometimes they come from a conversation or a need to get something off our chests.
So, ultimately, it comes down to having a strong team, being an old and eclectic soul, and wanting to make music that sparks conversations.
How do you think more women’s presence changes us/society for the better?
Women have been and continue to be integral in addressing a multitude of social justice issues all over the world. From education, civil rights, and equal voting rights, women have been on the frontlines of these and many other fights for change.
Our voice elevates issues beyond just conversation to action. We tend to look at the impact of decision making from a holistic and ethical standpoint of who will be impacted. Now, that’s not to say that every woman or man, for that matter, carries that disposition, but the concept of it’s “Gonna Take A Woman” brings the idea that more women leadership could help address the many issues that we see in the world today. It’s an idea that we hope sparks more conversation.
What positive edge do you think the feminine has?
The song talks about peace, hope, and understanding, but I also want to acknowledge that our biggest trailblazers in activism have been women. Historically, we think of names like Rosa Parks, Harriet Tubman, Angela Davis, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Eleanor Roosevelt,… but look at some of the women of today from Greta Thunberg to Malala Yousafzai. These young women are brilliant and so inspiring, they refuse to sit ideally by and watch injustices continue. The song makes some generalizations about women and what we collectively bring to the table. However, I think it is safe to say that women are leading the charge for addressing social justice. It is apparent, if you just look at the voting in the last few years and how many women have been encouraging everyone to use their vote as a voice for change.
Was there a particular issue you were thinking of when writing this one?
Well, honestly, there are SO many issues going on in the world today, and it was so hard to narrow down to what we did in this song. There are so many directions we could have gone, and so many issues to voice the importance for change. It is really easy to second guess yourself and be like “Am I writing about the most important topics?” … the truth is… every topic is important. That is why it was so important to us to get this song out into the world as fast as we could.
What was the first thing you thought of that made you decide to write this song?
Change. The upcoming election. The deep rooted passion in our hearts to write about social issues, and voice what we stand for, while also bringing people together with music from all sides of belief systems.
LINKS:
https://www.instagram.com/elysia_marie_music/
https://open.spotify.com/track/4fEuolSawa8tgCcNhVeP0i