Get To Know: A Chat With Detroit Pop Singer-Songwriter Allie Marzie & A Look At Her New Single ’21’

In this day and age, it is not uncommon to see young people gain a great amount of notoriety through social platforms. 

As media becomes more diverse and accessible, young people all over the world have found careers through a plethora of platforms. Tik Tok alone has shown that some people don’t even need to finish high school before acquiring a substantial following and building a career through that following. 

Pop singer-songwriter and Advertising Design student at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, Michigan, Allie Marzie, is a fitting example of a person within this demographic of accomplished young adults. Marzie has been entrenched in the music world since she was just eight-years-old, and she was only fifteen when she released her first EP, Issues. Given her full-bodied and impassioned tone, this wunderkind success story should not come as a surprise to anyone. 

Though Marzie is only twenty-two, she has much to say about this formative stage of life where one is expected to drink, party, have casual sex, all while barely making a living wage. In her new release, “21”, the Detroiter feels being over twenty-one is overrated. Marzie bellows in this animated single about how all of the “wonderful” things one gets to experience at that age is just a classic case of the grass always appearing to be greener. Who could imagine a girl not having the time of her life as her prince charming sneaks out the window of her apartment?

We chatted with Marzie to discuss her early achievements, the new single, and what fans can expect from her in the near future.

So who or what inspired you to pursue a music career? 

Probably my dad. He’s the one who introduced me to music at such a young age and encouraged me to try new instruments. He’s also been in a few bands from college and on, and made sure music always played a big role in my life.

You’ve said that some of your biggest musical influences are Janis Joplin, Joss Stone, Aretha Franklin, and Jimi Hendrix. How have these artists influenced your approach or style as a musician? 

The biggest thing is how these artists have taught me to channel my emotions through recordings and performances. Janis Joplin is the biggest one for me here, specifically because of how much of herself she gives to her audience in her music. To me, music is about having a good time, and giving that energy to other people. Same thing with Jimi Hendrix- although I’m not a lead guitar player, I really admire how curious he is when it comes to creating new sounds and trying new things, and I want to channel that spirit into my pop music as a whole.

What do you think separates you and your sound from other pop artists?

Probably the soul elements and my rasp during live shows that drives the energy I let out on stage. Getting lost in the song is one of my favorite places to be, and sometimes that means letting out a primal scream and letting the moment take me for a ride. It’s where my classic rock influence really shines.  

What influence do you hope to have through your songs, and what messages and feelings do you try to convey within your music?

I feel like some of my songs have sad undertones and people wonder how that can translate to having a good time, but music is about communicating emotions. You can give someone else a safe place to feel those emotions with other people who feels the same way. Life is hard enough as it is, and music is a place to live in the moment and really let go, and I want to bring that to my listeners. 

You directed, edited, and produced your “Excuses” music video. What was that process like, and what did you learn from it?

I’m always learning from my music videos and they’re always progressing, but “Excuses” was a fun one in particular. My roommate and I actually found this really cool thrift shop in Detroit, and used a couch and rotary phone that was in the upper level as the props and set. We would makeshift equipment based on the items we could find around us.

We also had a system for whenever we heard someone walking up the stairs to quickly put everything back in effort to not be seen. Honestly. the biggest part I remember about this filming experience was the laughing. However, it also taught me a lot about how to get cool shots when you don’t have a ton of gear to work with. As a bonus, it’s fun to walk around and let your imagination run wild at the opportunity there is to play with. I didn’t know I was walking in the door to shoot a music video, but I left with one anyway.

In your new single, “21”, you discuss how becoming an adult is overrated. Could you touch on that a bit more and what it means to you?

I feel like your 21st birthday is so hyped up to be this incredible thing kids dream about, to the point where we end up rushing through our childhood and high school years because we can’t wait to grow up. As soon as I turned 21, I found it wasn’t all it’s cracked up to be. We experience loneliness, alcohol burns like gasoline, love feels temporary, and I’m broke from bad habits trying to find happiness. I know I’m not the only one that feels this way though: my friends and I joke about it a lot and I really think that’s what brought light to this song. Knowing that we aren’t alone in these feelings even when it seems like we are. I want to remind people not to grow up too soon, too fast and know it’s okay to act like a child sometimes.  

Is “21” a standalone single or can folks expect to see it on an upcoming EP or LP? 

At the moment it’s a standalone, but I do have quite a few singles coming out in the near future, so it may become part of an EP by this fall.  

Where was it recorded and who helped it come to life?

All of my music is recorded by Anthony Cipolla out of his studio in Dearborn, Michigan.  Lyrically, most of my music is co-written between myself and other songwriters I’ve had the privilege of writing with down in Nashville. I’m from Detroit, but the adventure of traveling to create with good people really adds more excitement to the whole thing.  However, these songs wouldn’t create the experience they do without the help of my incredible producer. 

What might fans expect from Allie Marzie as we slowly dig deeper into the year?

I’ve got a few singles coming out along with music videos as the months progress that I can’t wait to drop. Specifically, a single coming out in May about what it’s like to be a woman in the 21st century. Profits will be donated towards RAINN, and I’m creating an entire campaign for women empowerment to help get it off the ground. So keep an eye out for that!