Iesha Marie

About Iesha Marie

Tell me about your music career beginnings. What got you into music? How did you get started?

My mother's side have always been big music appreciators, and so I have always enjoyed being around music. I recently discovered my father's side is bursting at the seams with musicians. As long as I can remember, I've always sang, and wanted to be a singer-- but I've always been kind of shy. Years of learning to play and sing my favorite songs stayed behind closed doors. In 2013, I finally felt confident enough to participate in the Open Mic Night at Little Fish Huge Pond. From there, I began bouncing around the weekly open mic nights in and around Sanford. I kept learning my favorite songs to try out, and eventually had enough material to be hired on to perform at some of the very spots I had been frequenting.

It sounds like you have a lot of support and influence from your family. Tell me about the musicians in your family?

 I grew up with a single mother, and so my grandparents and aunts were very involved in my raising. Some members dabbled with instruments, but no one really seriously played. It wasn't until my younger cousin began his brief guitar lessons that I would have a guitar at my disposal to mess with. He got tired of me sneaking into his room to play his guitar, so my family got me my own guitar. My father played percussion along with the bass guitar. He and some of his brothers grew up playing music together. Nearly all of their children also play various instruments.

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What are your music influences and how do they have an impact on your music?

Early influences would be all the artists my family listened to. From artists like members of the Rat Pack and Elvis to Joan Jett, Tina Turner, and Pat Benatar. From there, I found friends who liked similar artists, and then they sent me further down music rabbit holes with Amy Winehouse, The Misfits, and many more. It is the connection I feel to these artists that gives me the inspiration to write from my own space. Music gives me the freedom to dive into my own shit. It helps me make sense of my own human experience.

What was it like doing your first open mic? What made you decide to go ahead and go for it? 

Absolutely nerve wracking! I had already been a regular at Little Fish by that point, and had attended a couple open mics as a spectator. I'm sure the drinks helped, but I finally felt ready enough. But I wasn't ready, haha! I had an ill equipped acoustic guitar that I bought from a flea market for $20, and only three songs I could play. The host Chuck Culbertson was kind enough to let me play his Gibson. My voice was shaky. Hands were clammy and slipping. I finished the three songs, and the small crowd really enjoyed it. I was trembling with excitement and nerves when I got off the stool. I learned a lot in those 15 minutes. 

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Now you are out doing gigs full time. What is something you've learned now that you wish you knew before?

While this is something I'm definitely still navigating, I wish I knew more about the business side of performing. I had juggled working full-time Monday through Friday and playing gigs on Saturday and Sunday for years. It could have been an easier transition for me to know how to file taxes for performance income. I went from tossing all my receipts and using free tax filing to instead saving every single one, and working with a CPA to ensure everything is all good with Uncle Sam.

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Being a professional musician is not always easy or lucrative. What is something you do that keeps you motivated?

It certainly hasn't been the easiest. There are a few things that keep me pushing. For one, I just LOVE playing music! I love playing my favorite songs, and connecting with others over obscure covers. I love reading the room and building my set list in the moment. I love when people request songs. Even if it's Free Bird. I love to do it because they rarely see it coming. If I don't know a song someone requests, I love going home and learning it. I have met really great music lovers and musicians over the years, and  you know what they say about people who show you new music! They're IMPORTANT. I also like not having a boss!

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On the playlist we have songs from your band American Party Machine. How did you end up joining them?

I loved APM the moment I saw them perform. It was at a hurricane party many years ago at West End Trading Company. I walked into the back room to find this band decked out in American Flags, tearing it up with heavy guitar riffs, and singing songs about partying. Not to mention watching them powerbomb someone through a table. As a wrestling fan, I was hooked, so they became my favorite local band. 

In late March 2019, my band Intergalactic Space Pussy had just played our last show together. It was shortly after that I was contacted by a band member in APM as they were looking for a new bassist. But instead, I ended up taking on rhythm guitar and vocals. I began learning some of my favorite songs, and writing new ones with the band. Been with the boys ever since!

What is your writing process? Have you ever gone through writer's block and how do you overcome it?

I have various composition notebooks and spiral notebooks around my house that are filled with phrases, and partially written songs from over the years. I have a terrible memory so I have to write down anything I think of or else it'll be gone forever. If I hear a cadence of a phrase, I immediately use my voice recorder on my phone to lock it in before I forget it. I feel like I'm in a writer's block more often than not, so whenever I feel a burst of creativity, I take advantage. I used to beat myself up, and try to force songs to completion, but that would only leave me feeling frustrated. These days I just work within the flow of creativity. The songs I've built through pure moments of inspiration are the songs I end up loving.

First of all, I love "Real Eyes Realize Lies". Very clever line and relatable for many music lovers. Did you start the song with that line or it just came to you while writing? What was the writing process for the song? Was the music created first or the lyrics were written before added to music?​

Actually, when I started writing the song, it started with the 'Turn aways', and then a cadence, and after a few voice message recordings, it started to build from there. The first time I heard the term 'real eyes realize real lies' was some time in high school, and it was one of those sayings that stuck with me. It probably was a glitter graphic on MySpace, or something like that.

"The bridges you’ve burned light your way

You are the definition of the insane

With fewer moths drawn to your flame

There is no one to share your pain" I really love how you used common phrases we use everyday but were creatively spinned in a way to help the audience visualize the damage the person has created. How would you describe your writing style?

I feel like my writing style tends to be more literal. When this song was cooking up, I tried to make a point to try moving in a more 'poetic' direction and ended up having these common idioms come to mind, and twist in a way that stays with what I was trying to say. I'm glad it's able to be seen, because it was a different approach for me.

It sounds like you cowrite/collab a bit with other musicians. There are artists big and small who despise co-writing and swear against it. What tips or advice can you share with anyone who may be hesitant to work with other songwriters?  

If I had any advice, it would be to go with your gut. If you feel the excitement of being with the person(s) you're writing with, and feel that inspiration and creativity flow, then you're in the right spot. I've been lucky enough to collaborate with people I consider the best of friends. The songs I've collaborated on have all been fun, and 'easy' subject matters to brainstorm (alien babes, partying, etc.). I've been grateful to have open-minded musicians to work with. 

What can we look forward to from you in the future? What projects are you working on?

I have had such a great time learning hundreds of covers, but I look forward to writing and incorporating my original songs in my weekly sets at West End Trading Company on Saturdays (5pm til 9pm) and at Celery City Craft on Sundays (2pm-6pm). My husband Shawn Clarson and I have been performing together more frequently, so I'm excited to create with him as well. I also look forward to working on new songs with the boys in APM. 

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What is one of your goals you wish to achieve?

One goal I look forward to achieving is performing in a new state. Shawn and I travel to see family every year, and I am looking forward to building a route of places for us to perform on the way. 

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What advice do you have to anyone who wants to pursue music as a career?

Two big things; full-time for a musician is 24/7, and you gotta stay organized! 

As a full-time musician, I don't clock in and out. Each day is consumed with my career. Every single day starts with my bullet journal that I call 'My Bible'. Nothing would get done without it. On any given day you'll find communicating with venues, maintaining my calendar, practicing and learning new songs, designing and creating promotional material, and similar tasks. I check them off as I complete them. I am constantly seeking information to help me better maintain the business, while feeding the creativity. It is very taxing! Whether you want to be a performer, or work within the industry behind the scenes, having something you're passionate about turn into a means of income can really rub you raw, and leave you jaded. I have had moments of feeling lost, and wanting to give it all up to work a regular 9-5 job that I can physically and mentally clock out of. But I always find myself snapping out of that mindset pretty quickly when I remember why I am doing this. It makes me happy!