Mary Alice is a solo artist currently studying at the university of York. Mary describes herself as a newcomer to the music scene, her music is layered with harmonies and echoes, giving listeners a very matured sound. Mary's debut single “Doubt Myself” explores an electronic and soulful sound, thematically centred by self-reflection. The track’s lyrical qualities echoes artists such as Dodie Clark, Clairo and Phoebe Bridgers with a techno twist. “Doubt Myself” is both emotive and catchy as it retains a jazzy tempo. The repeated clause, “I’m not sure anymore, gone and lost myself again”, stands out as the key stone to the track's emotional soundscape; mirrored in the echoing piano chords. Her lyrics describes the act of finding oneself, “Turning myself inside out”; being riddled with doubt resulting in a constant journey of self-searching. Mary Alice’s voice and emotional projection promotes a serenity to the song, opposed to a depressive vale that could have shadowed the music. As a debut track, it shows a lot of promise for future genre and lyrical adventure.
To be paired with Mary Alice’s track is Emily Moore’s conceptual mixed media work “Embrace”. The artwork was released in 2019 and is described as one of their “absolute favourite pieces of work”. Emily Moore writes on their Instagram page, “It is one that stands out to me as I can vividly see within the marks two figures embracing”. Currently hanging in the West Yorkshire café, The Duck Pond. Moore gives us a dramatic mix of colour and texture. Using deep stormy sky blues, greens and hints of red, the brush strokes arch over the canvas blending and overlapping one another in a very dynamic way. At the centre of the work are brushes of white with darker paint descending from the top of the canvas. What Mary’s track and “Embrace” share is emotive quality. As Moore noted, the image of the embracing couple presents a work that explores vitality, serenity and vulnerability. The self-reflective narrative in Mary Alice’s lyricism is echoed in the tactility of the artwork. The visible brush strokes and splattered paint reminds the viewer of the physicality that went into the artwork. Vulnerability and emotional intelligence is prevalent in the lyrics and the depicted embracing couple, both works represent the affective landscape of music and art.
LOUD ART LIVE, a digital exhibition where music meets art. CLICK HERE to view Emily Moore’s artwork and PLUG IN to listen to Doubt Myself by Mary Alice.
Photography by @han_create