Mereba

Marian Mereba, better known mononymously as Mereba, (born September 19, 1990), is an American singer, songwriter, and producer.[1]

Mereba
Birth nameMarian Mereba
Born (1990-09-19) September 19, 1990
GenresR&B, soul
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter, producer
InstrumentsVocals
Years active2013–present
Associated acts

Early life

Born in Montgomery, Alabama on September 19, 1990,[2] Mereba was raised in Pennsylvania, and developed an interest in music at age 4.[1] Starting with singing, Mereba eventually learned to play piano, and then guitar.[3] Mereba's parents moved frequently to accommodate their jobs as university professors.[1] Because of this, she was raised around different people with wide ranges of backgrounds. She began writing songs in elementary school and has said they were "a way to process her feelings of often feeling like an outsider in her environment." Mereba went to high school in Greensboro, North Carolina.[4][5] She also spent nearly a year living in Ethiopia, her father's home country.[3][4] Her mother is African-American and was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.[6]

Education

After graduating high school at 17, Mereba continued her education at her parents' insistence, attending Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA.[1] She eventually transferred in 2009 to the liberal arts women's college Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia, seeking to immerse herself in the legacy of the historically black women's college.[1][3] Mereba graduated from Spelman in 2011 with an English degree and a Music minor.[1]

Career

2013–2017: Room For Living, Radio Flyer, and Spillage Village

After spending years performing in the indie music scene in Atlanta, Mereba self-released her debut project Room For Living EP, under her full name, on February 14, 2013.[7] The project is described as folk/soul, and was written, produced, and recorded by Mereba, with co-production from John Key. It also features singer/songwriter India Shawn. Mereba has explained that "the title is a play on words inspired by recording it in the living room of my apartment in East Atlanta." She released a remix project of the EP featuring various producers and artists from the Atlanta indie music scene on October 31, 2013 via SoundCloud.

"Sinking Ships" from the Room for Living EP was featured on Season 1, Episode 6 of OWN's Queen Sugar.

Mereba collaborated with Atlanta hip-hop collective Spillage Village on their 2015 release, Bears Like This Too., and became a member of the collective.[8] She also has collaborations with Spillage Village members EARTHGANG,[9][10] JID,[11] and 6LACK,[12][13] on numerous projects.

The Spillage Village collective released their major-label debut entitled Spilligion on September 25, 2020.

2018–2019: The Jungle Is The Only Way Out

In 2018, Mereba was signed by Interscope Records.[14] Singles "Black Truck" and "Planet U" were released in 2018,[15][16] and would go on to appear on her debut album, The Jungle Is The Only Way Out, released February 27, 2019.[17][18] The album, often acronymed as TJITOWO, was written and produced by Mereba with co-production by Samuel Hoffman, excluding the 9th Wonder-produced track, "Black Truck."

When describing her sound, Mereba has stated "I've always been one to blur lines between genres, I guess that's just what comes most naturally to me because of my background. I don't consider myself a specific genre, I just make music from the soul. Sometimes it sounds folk, sometimes hip hop, sometimes pop, sometimes R&B. I think black women need room to be boundless, and that's all I'm here to be."

Songs from The Jungle is the Only Way Out have appeared in both television and film. "Black Truck" and "Sandstorm" have been featured on the third and fourth seasons of HBO's Insecure. "Kinfolk" was featured in the film Cut Throat City.

Hypebeast reviewed the album, saying "The new 13-track album is nothing short of a spectacle, laced with spoken word interludes that help in transmitting her debut project to niche profiles while still retaining commercial flare... Where the artist really shines is in qualitative cuts like 'Planet U' and 'Black Truck;' tracks where her ability as a rapper, singer, and producer effortlessly strikes listeners with emotionally well-crafted swiftness." Earmilk also reviewed the album, stating "As an album serving to break through to the masses, this album will undoubtedly provide the measuring stick to which all future releases are compared to."

Influences

Mereba cites her Ethiopian heritage as a major influence on her music. Other musical influences include Whitney Houston, Andre 3000, Jay-Z, The Notorious B.I.G., TLC, Alanis Morissette, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Nirvana, and Tracy Chapman.

Mereba cites her Ethiopian heritage as a major influence on the essence of her music. Other musical influences include Whitney Houston, Stevie Wonder, Outkast, The Roots, Tracy Chapman, TLC, Alanis Morissette, Joni Mitchell, Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey, Nirvana, and Bob Dylan.

Mereba cites Stevie Wonder as her "fairy Godfather" after meeting him in 2016 and becoming his mentee through the last stretch of finishing of her debut album, The Jungle is the Only Way Out. Wonder specifically encouraged Mereba to continue to produce her own music, comparing her passion for production to his own passion for songwriting early in his career. Both passions were initially discouraged by the people who worked with both Mereba and Wonder. Mereba performed alongside Wonder at Soho House in Malibu in 2017, where he co-signed and personally introduced her to an intimate audience of listeners.[19]

Discography

Studio albums
List of studio albums, with selected details
Title Album details
The Jungle Is The Only Way Out
  • Released: February 27, 2019
  • Label: Interscope Records
Spilligion
  • by Spillage Village
  • Released: September 25, 2020
  • Label: Dreamville, Interscope Records, SinceThe80s

EPs
List of EPs, with selected details
Title Album details
Room For Living EP
  • Released: February 14, 2013
  • Label: Self-released
Radio Flyer EP
  • Unreleased; Originally slated for July 2014
  • Label: Red Kotton
Kotton House, Vol. 1 – EP
  • Released: February 10, 2017
  • Label: Jam Solutions/Remote Control Music

Singles
List of singles, with release date
Title Released
"September" June 1, 2014
"Radio Flyer" June 24, 2014
"Bet" September 5, 2016
"Black Truck" February 9, 2018
"Planet U" September 27, 2018
"Late Bloomer" December 20, 2018[20]
"Sandstorm" February 25, 2019[21]

Guest appearances
List of guest appearances, with other performing artists, showing year released and album name
Title Year Artist Album
"UFOs" 2013 EARTHGANG Shallow Graves For Toys
"Ultra Rare" EARTHGANG Shallow Graves For Toys
"Grand Theft Auto" JID Para Tu
"Church" 2014 Miloh Smith Pulp Fiction
"Good Night" CyHi The Prynce Black Hystori Project
"Lucky Buddha" JID & Money Makin' Nique Lucky Buddha
"Calypso" Khary Swim Team EP
"Fryin'" 2015 Spillage Village Bears Like This Too
"Love Child" Spillage Village Bears Like This Too
"Liquor Sto'" EARTHGANG Strays With Rabies
"Lady Nectarine" EARTHGANG Strays With Rabies
"Letters" JID N/A[22]
"Off The Lot" 2018 EARTHGANG Royalty
"PTSD" 2019 Dreamville Revenge of the Dreamers III
"Myrlie" Rapsody Eve
"Yo Love" Vince Staples feat. 6lack Queen & Slim: The Soundtrack
"Self" 2020 Brandon Banks STATIC
"Same Boatl" Kojey Radical N/A
"Like I Feel" Xavier Omar if You Feel
"Westside" Reason New Beginnings
"End of Daze" Spillage Village Spilligion
"Hapi" Spillage Village Spilligion
"Pslamsing" Spillage Village Spilligion
"Golden pt. 2" Berhana N/A

References
  1. Martin, Syreeta (2016-07-22). "[BLACK, FRESH & 20-SOMETHING]Singer/Songwriter Marian Mereba". EBONY. Retrieved 2019-02-24.
  2. https://twitter.com/Mereba/status/1174838716788948992
  3. "INTERVIEW: Marian Mereba on her musical journey, her tree hugging ways & the Atlanta music scene". AFROPUNK. 2014-09-16. Retrieved 2019-02-24.
  4. "Mereba Is a Musician Who Thrives on Discomfort". www.lofficielusa.com. Retrieved 2019-02-24.
  5. "Mereba". Spotify. Retrieved 2019-02-24.
  6. Wong Ken, Steph. "Mereba and the Never-Ending Story of the Jungle". She Shreds Media. She Shreds Media. Retrieved 2020-11-27.
  7. "Room For Living EP, by Marian Mereba". Marian Mereba. Retrieved 2019-03-16.
  8. "Bears Like This Too by Spillage Village". Genius. Retrieved 2019-03-16.
  9. EARTHGANG (Ft. Mereba) – Off the Lot, retrieved 2019-03-16
  10. EARTHGANG (Ft. Mereba) – Liquor Sto', retrieved 2019-03-16
  11. JID (Ft. Mereba) – All Bad, retrieved 2019-03-16
  12. 6LACK – Learn Ya, retrieved 2019-03-16
  13. 6LACK (Ft. Future) – East Atlanta Love Letter, retrieved 2019-03-16
  14. Kermah, Jonathan. "Mereba, Solange and black women leading the charge in music". Amherst Wire. Retrieved 2019-03-16.
  15. Kim, Michelle (October 1, 2018). ""Planet U" by Mereba (review)". Pitchfork.
  16. "10 songs you need in your life this week". The FADER. Retrieved 2019-03-27.
  17. "Mereba Relays Emotionally-Layered Dynamism in 'The Jungle is the Only Way Out'". HYPEBEAST. Retrieved 2019-03-27.
  18. Lyle, Ashley (2019-02-28). "Mereba Captivates Her Audience During "The Jungle Is The Only Way Out" Listening". HipHopDX. Retrieved 2019-03-27.
  19. "An Evening with Stevie Wonder & Mereba". Retrieved 2019-03-16.
  20. "Mereba Delivers New Single "Late Bloomer"". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
  21. Spencer, Tallie. "Mereba Delivers Silky New Single 'Sandstorm' With J.I.D.: Listen". Billboard. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  22. Thomas, Amara. "J.I.D Premieres Reflective New Single, "Letter"". The Fader. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
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