Anyone in the music industry is familiar with the tale. An artist eventually becomes a big fish in their small pond….they crave knowledge and new experiences, and then: they pick their city of choice! Many artists flee to NYC, some to Nashville and even some to international music hubs like London or Berlin. But the vast majority head west to the promised paradise that is the City of Angels. And for good reason; like any other city, living here can come with its challenges, but Los Angeles is home to the big time: Hollywood celebrities, influencers abound and the biggest record labels in the music industry. And for indie pop artist Lorelei Marcell – it was a no brainer.

Originally from a small suburb outside of Boston, Lorelei experienced a strong string of local momentum as she slowly began to blossom into the artist that she is today. But like many artists, she knew her town had its limits, which is why once she graduated high school she packed her bags and moved to Los Angeles. Forgoing the traditional path of attending a good college immediately after graduation, Lorelei decided to pursue her career. After all, music careers for women are often confronted with an expiration date. It was now or never - while she had the unbridled support of her parents and a highly dedicated artist manager, Lorelei was confronted with the loneliness that many people experience when they first move to the area. This in turn, sparked the inspiration for a few of her new tracks.

Increasingly met with new challenges, Lorelei’s LA experience has made her more confident, hopeful and self-assured. And we witness this through her music; whether it’s a breakup, a bout of loneliness or simply a deep moment of self reflection, her wisdom puts her songwriting well beyond her years; setting a foundation destined for the most sought after studio sessions. This year alone, Lorelei has released five singles and one EP, all leading up to a highly anticipated full length project in 2023.

In “Need Me”, we witnessed her confront the feelings of a turbulent and toxic breakup. Powerful lyrics paired with explosive production had us exploring the ways in which she kept falling for him over and over again. In “Masterpiece”, featuring fellow indie pop artist The Grand Mess, Marcell realized that she too looks at a good portion of her past with regret. When reflecting on the positive moments, however, she’s still able to pick out times when she may have done something wrong or embarrassing, or judged herself for her actions. “Nothing Hurts Better” recalls the difficult and anxious moments she experienced upon moving to Los Angeles; everything seemed to be moving so fast but the days and weeks themselves seemed so long. It was her first time being away from her family and adjusting wasn’t as easy as she would have hoped. In “ANTISOCIAL” she explores social media’s effect on human connection, offering an existential critique on our collective psyche. And in “Bittersweet Stages”, she brilliantly captures the duality of emotions that one experiences during a breakup. It takes two to tango, and while ending a relationship brings its obvious sadness and heartbreak, it also makes room for personal growth and acceptance. Like I said, ‘wise beyond her years’ right?

Now we look forward to an end of the year single called “Love Me Back (Maybe Next Year)” Set to release on November 17th, the track was originally inspired by the unnerving feeling that the energy she gave to a past love was not reciprocated in the way that she had hoped. Accustomed to pouring her whole heart into relationships, Lorelei’s musical journey has allowed her time to reflect and reimagine her approach to forming deeper connections in the future. Her interpersonal journey, as well as her physical move to Los Angeles, have sparked a new wave of creative inspiration as well as a deeper understanding of how the music industry operates. Being surrounded by fellow creatives and industry professionals has reshaped her mindset and has taken her from a timid, self conscious young artist from Massachusetts to now, being one of the most exciting pop artists to come out of independent music today. Is it the competitive environment of the city that sparked such a quick evolution or is it Lorelei coming into herself the way she would have despite the big move? We’d like to think that it’s a little bit of both. Now listening to artists like Noah Kahan and Lucky Daye, Lorelei Marcell hopes to continue to collaborate and cultivate strong music communities to support one another through the crazy experiences of being an artist in today’s music industry.