Discovering fresh musical talent is always a joyous thing. And, no one is bringing us more joy right now than alt-pop’s brightest rising star, Marineris. The 23-year-old multifacet is currently preparing to burst onto the scene with a debut album that hopes to showcase his experimental approach to production and songwriting to the world. And, what better way to prepare listeners for your debut album than the release of one of its lead singles? Dropping “My Band Could Be Your Home”, the artist hopes to uplift his new listeners with a sweet blend of a narrative on self-love and synthy sounds, much like that of the artist’s biggest influences: The 1975 and Mura Masa.

When discussing his new track, Marineris stated, “this song came about as a series of little coincidences. At the time, I was literally in love with Cher’s “Believe”, so I was dreaming about having a song with a similar emotional feel, which makes you dance and cry at the same time. Back then, I was also reading a book about the hardcore scene in America, the title of which was a line from the minutemen song, “Our Band Could Be Your Life”. It instantly appeared to me as the coolest name. And then, as I frequently do photography for other music artists, I was on one of the sets when I heard a random house beat, very similar to the one that Cher had. The first words that I started signing over it were from the title of that very book. And that’s the story of how the main Marineris melody came about. So art really is a result.”

Upon the release of his latest single, the artist sat down with Wonderland to discuss his influences and what listeners can expect from his debut album. Head below to enjoy our interview with Marineris…

Hey Marineris, how are you? How has this year been for you so far?
Hey Wonderland! It was a busy and versatile year for me, despite all the world’s troubles and turmoil.

I’ve managed to release 4 singles from my upcoming music album, along with a video for each of them. It feels like so much work has already been done, but it’s just the tip of an iceberg really. So, I’m looking forward to what comes next.

With everything that happened last year, was your creativity affected?
In the first months of the pandemic, it was quite unclear as to how the future was going to unravel. So, I decided that it was a cool opportunity for me to fully concentrate on music. I made most of my album during that first lockdown. It seems like I’ve spent almost three months at home, working on my songs and rarely leaving my room. Even in the upcoming year, you will still be hearing some of the songs that “happened” during that quarantine. I don’t really think there was a better way to get through that time and distract ourselves from what was happening for lots of musicians.

How did you first get into music? What sparked the interest?
As long as I can remember, my parents always had a guitar at home. My dad knew some basic chords and would play his favourite songs at our family gatherings. For a long time, I was not a player but an observer; but then there was a moment when I knew I wanted to learn how to play. I was 11 back then, and that’s how it started. But literally, it all started from a G major! Once I learned all the basic chords, I quickly understood that I could now play literally any song that I liked. Later, I tried to write “my” song which determined the direction of my life.

You’re from an industrial town in Ukraine, did this influence you musically in any way?
Definitely, yes. When you live far away from the cultural life’s epicentre, not just of the world, but even of your own country, you need to put effort and have the willingness to search for up-to-date information about the world of music and any other art too, really. The internet was a huge game-changer, as most people could access it, including me. That’s why I have an impression that the information space that I had in Ukraine wasn’t that different from the one a teen somewhere in Manchester could have. We could listen to the same bands and watch the same shows despite the language difference. So I can’t say that my environment influenced me in some aesthetic or stylistic way, but it definitely made a difference in terms of my values and ambitions. The further you are from what you admire, the stronger your desire is to get closer to it.

Congratulations on your new single! Talk us through the production process!
Thank you so much! It’s a very important song for me, as it was the first one to appear, and it defines all of the meanings and messages for this album.

This song came about as a series of little coincidences. At the time, I was literally in love with Cher’s “Believe”, so I was dreaming about having a song with a similar emotional feel, which makes you dance and cry at the same time. Back then, I was also reading a book about the hardcore scene in America, the title of which was a line from the minutemen song, “Our Band Could Be Your Life”. It instantly appeared to me as the coolest name. And then, as I frequently do photography for other music artists, I was on one of the sets when I heard a random house beat, very similar to the one that Cher had. The first words that I started signing over it were from the title of that very book. And that’s the story of how the main Marineris melody came about. So art really is a result.

Just a bit later, I came up with all the core components for the arrangement and verse melodies in a single evening. From the very beginning, this song felt exactly how it now sounds in its final version. I only had to find all the necessary elements for it. It has a live saxophone, sampled choir, and a trick that I noticed while listening to Prince – repetition of the same note through all of the chorus.

It’s all about having faith in yourself and believing! What spurred this inspiration on?
Today we live in a world where it’s very easy to lose that faith in yourself. We can’t help but compare the way we look, how talented or successful we are with others. At the same time, we are constantly observed and looked at, so, sometimes, we can feel the pressure and fear of being judged or misunderstood. It constrains us. This song happened as a result of my inner desire to deal with this pressure inside my very self.

What do you want people to take away from your music?
Many people go through that moment of their lives when despite having a physical home, they do not feel protected there. Sometimes, we can encounter judgement and lack of acceptance from the people who are the closest to us. I want my album to become a kind of shelter for people, that very shelter that the music of other artists provided for me at my hardest times. I hope that my music will become a companion in all the different moments of life, something to open one up when needed. In this album, I directly say that “it’s okay to feel this way” and “you’re not alone in this.” During the last couple of decades, the world has changed dramatically, but it feels like we are still learning how to interact with it without, most importantly, losing touch with ourselves.

Who inspires you?
Before I started working on my album, I finished Robert Henri’s book, The Art Spirit. He suggests that every person can and must live a life of an artist independently, whether they’re in arts or not. This book really changed the way I approach my routine and my work in general.
Cinema is also a huge inspiration to me. In this album only, there are at least three songs that came about after I watched a certain movie. My favourite director is Paolo Sorrentino, but this particular album was mostly influenced by Fincher, oddly enough.
And, of course, the music itself is an infinite source of inspiration. At this moment, my favourite band is The 1975. I feel that they have influenced not only the sound or message of my music but my approach and relationships with it. I like the fact that they allow themselves to go into any genre that best fits a certain emotion while remaining pop-artists on the core.

Your album is due out in October, talk us through your mindset approaching this project!
As this is my first album, I’ve tried not to limit myself, even if the demos I’ve made did not sound like anything I had made before. Later, when I’ve already had 20 to 30 different demos, I understood that I could make a versatile and multifaceted album out of it. I wanted each song to avoid repeating what the previous one has already said. And then, when the concept was already clear, all the main records were made and the words were written, it was important to complete all the 15 songs. Strangely enough, it is much easier to start than to finish something. During the process itself, it was impossible to create a certain formula to follow, because it simply does not exist. With each song, its elements came about in different order and circumstances. The only light that guided me all throughout was my own admiration and love for this music.

What are you most excited for?
I’m most excited about starting to play my album live. I think it will sound incredible, as it has a fusion of all the different songs that people can dance to, jump around to and cry to, hugging the people in the crowd around them.