A q + a with the artist from Galicia who brings home to wherever she is and finds new homes in creative spaces
I still remember exactly the way it felt to hear Marem Ladson’s “Rayo de Luna” for the first time. I was unprepared to be swept away in her underwater-like soundscape. Everything around me but the brushes of guitar and feathery vocals fell away to give me two minutes and forty-seven seconds of quiet bliss. Those couple of minutes were much needed as the intensity of city-life had begun to exhaust me on my walk home from campus. I had never heard anything like it before so I quickly placed it in my vault of Spotify finds as if it were a hidden treasure. I looked forward to losing myself in the rest of her discography throughout the Spring. Not long after, I was giddy with anticipation because Ladson’s tour would soon arrive in town at Thalia Hall. I was glad for a reason to return to the beloved venue in historic Pilsen and I danced shamelessly late into the night while watching the headliner, Helado Negro. When Ladson opened the show, the Spanish singer-songwriter was no longer a frequency in my headphones but a self-possessed woman illuminated by stage lights, swaying to angelic melodies. Our q&a left me with a deeper understanding of her relationship with music and how the busy performer lifestyle can look behind the scenes.
(‘Song the Siren’ cover art shot by Adriana Roslin)
Aryanna Rent: What or who influences your voice and guitar style?
Marem Ladson: I’m self-taught. I never had classical training or studied music, so when I started singing, I was just trying to tell a story and express myself freely. My house was never a musical household; I was the only one interested in making music. I would watch videos on YouTube, and that’s how I discovered most of my favorite artists. When I started singing and playing guitar, I was really into Laura Marling, Feist, Cat Power, Beth Gibbons, Vashti Bunyan, Mazzy Star, Nick Drake, Patti Smith, Fiona Apple, and Marissa Nadler…
AR: What lyricists influence your songwriting?
ML: So many! Some of my all time favorites are Elliott Smith, Linda Perhacs, Sibylle Baier, Mercedes Sosa, Lucinda Williams…
AR: Your instagram bio lists two places which I’m assuming are the places you consider home. What’s your connection to Galicia and NYC?
ML: I’m from a small town in Galicia called Ourense, where I spent much of my childhood with my grandparents in the countryside. They instilled in me a deep love and respect for nature, good food, and a slower way of living. No matter where I go, I always seek that connection to nature because it inspires me and helps me process my inner thoughts and feelings. Living in New York can make me feel anxious, but being in nature helps me slow down, feel grounded, and be in a better place to write. Upstate New York, in particular, reminds me a lot of home.
AR: How would you describe the NYC musical community that you are a part of?
ML: I’ve only been in New York for two years, but in that time, I’ve been lucky to find a strong sense of community. I feel grateful to have met so many artists who inspire me, like Tasha, Vagabon, Julie Byrne, Nick Hakim, Mei Semones, Allegra Krieger, Babehoven, Joanna Sternberg, Paul Spring, Palehound, Lutalo, Tomberlin… Touring with Nick Hakim and with Helado Negro was a dream. I think it’s exciting, challenging but very inspiring. It feels like there’s always something going on and I love that.
AR: In a 2018 interview you said, “Every time that I sit and write songs, I feel like I’m learning about myself”. Is there something particularly important that you have learned or ways that you have evolved since your teenage years of singing and songwriting?
ML: Songwriting allows me to understand myself more deeply. It helps me acknowledge and embrace my vulnerabilities, something I find difficult outside of music. Through writing, I can identify and confront my emotions in a way that it’s similar to therapy.
AR: Would you be able to connect the songs, “Everything I’ve Ever Lost”, “Therapy”, and “Savior”to the experiences they are written about?
ML: Yes, each song explores different aspects of interpersonal relationships and family dynamics. What ties them together are the different perspectives on love.
AR: Can you describe Cafe & Pop Torgal, the indie venue where you started, and the artists there who inspired you?
ML: When I was 16 or 17, I started going to this bar in my town, Torgal —it was the only place that booked indie music. It was where I first found a sense of community and belonging, something I had always longed for growing up because I often felt like I didn’t fit in. Here, I met other musicians that inspired me to pursue music, I made good friends, I attended my first concerts and also played my first shows. I saw artists like Damien Jurado, Laura Gibson, Peter Broderick, Lisa Hannigan, Tune Yards, Basia Bulat… I didn’t have much money, so I began writing for a magazine started by my friends, covering the shows, writing about music and also sharing some of my poems… I even made a “press” pass that I printed myself to attend and write about the shows. I think the bar owners found it cute and funny—at least I was trying. All I wanted was to experience live music, feel inspired, and be a part of something. I guess I’m still searching for that same feeling. And maybe that’s why I started making music in the first place – just trying to find a sense of belonging. And music always felt like the place where I belonged.
AR: Does this community still inspire you today?
ML: Definitely. The friendships I made there during that period of time still inspire me today in many ways. Some of these friends are incredible musicians, really talented people with different projects and bands, like Os Amigos dos Músicos, Druso… A lot changed over time; some of us moved away to different cities, there wasn’t really a younger generation that would go to the bar or to the shows anymore, so they started booking fewer shows, and it sort of faded away. The drummer of Os Amigos, a really dear friend, passed away a few years ago, and it was really tough for all of us. After that, we gradually stopped going there—it just wasn’t the same. Despite this, our friendships have evolved in different ways and we all remain close in the distance, which I think is beautiful.
(shot by Michelle Simunovic)
AR: Is it ever a challenge to share your music on stage even though it’s something you do often?
ML: Yeah, sometimes I have to remind myself that I’ve been doing this for a while, haha. When I get really nervous, I say to myself, ‘I’ve been here before, I’ve done this before.’ Each time is different, but the more I play, the more confident I feel. I repeat it to myself. I find comfort in repetition, whether it’s playing songs over and over again or repeating affirmations to myself. It makes me feel calm and safe. These past couple of years have been full of first times: my first North American tour, my first time in Canada, and many US cities I had never visited before, playing new songs live… All of these experiences have been really great, but it can be challenging sometimes. You’re not in the same mood every night, and each performance is different. It can be hard to show up in the most vulnerable way sometimes, but I usually find comfort in rooms full of strangers. Connecting with people in person, in a real way, finding community—it’s so encouraging and makes me want to keep going.
AR: Do you have any routines or rituals that prepare you for the emotional and physical tasks of sharing your music on stage, touring, and traveling?
ML: I always try to carry with me a spray that I use on my bed sheets. Sleeping in a different place each night can be very disorienting, and having a smell that grounds me is very helpful.
AR: Are there any recording techniques you’re looking forward to or planning to experiment with on upcoming projects?
ML: I want to record more on tape and try different ways of recording nylon guitar.
AR: Can you talk about the recording process of “Song to the Siren”?
ML: This is a very special song for me; I’ve been singing it live at my shows for many years, and I’m so happy I finally recorded it. I co-produced it with Nick Hakim, and we recorded the vocals and guitars in his studio in Greenpoint, where he also mixed it and sent it through tape. Ryan from Babehoven mastered it. We originally released it a few months ago on Bandcamp exclusively as part of a benefit compilation for Gaza, and I’m now really excited to release it on all digital platforms. I also directed the music video in Greenpoint, near Nick’s studio by the water, with my friend Manny, using Nick’s old camera.
AR: What does Baby Light mean to you?
ML: Hope.
In addition to her newest single, Ladson is also very excited about her Spain tour with Squirrel Flower. Thanks to ML for your thoughtful reflections.