a chat with margaux about her 'brilliant' new ep
Interview by Jillian Cote
The newly released EP More Brilliant Is the Hand That Throws the Coin marks a debut to the music scene for the upcoming singer-songwriter Margaux. With entrancing lyrics and instrumentals, the EP has garnered the attention of many. This bold and captivating entrance to the music scene shows an incredible amount of potential and ensures that Margaux has true talent. Our writer Jillian had the opportunity to have a conversation with Margaux about her debut EP as well as what the future has in store for the young artist.
Ease Up: In your EP, a bold new indie-folk rock sound can be heard as well as hints of your jazz background. For this debut to the music scene, in what ways did you stay true to your roots, and in what ways did you explore new ideas?
Margaux: Songwriting with the guitar was something I dabbled in growing up, but it wasn’t my main focus until I started studying jazz in college and realized that the conservatory environment wasn’t the right fit for me. A lot of these songs came out of wanting to reject the kind of straight-ahead swing I felt boxed into along with finding more inspiration from my classes in literary studies. Since then my goal has really been to prioritize songwriting in a way that feels most authentic and meaningful to me and exploring new ideas has been a huge part of that.
EU: What was your favorite part of the process when creating More Brilliant is the Hand That Throws The Coin? Do you have a favorite song from it?
M: Honestly, getting to record and collaborate with Sahil Ansari was a huge privilege. I felt like we were very much on the same page taste-wise but with enough difference in perspective that working together contributed a lot of fresh sounds I wouldn’t have come to just on my own. In terms of a favorite song, Faced with Fire was really meaningful to write because I felt the most patient in crafting the lyrics. I had a really specific vision and mood in mind and wanted to put as much care as I could into articulating what I was feeling.
EU: As a Seattle native currently living in New York City, would you say that city life inspires you?
M: City life inspires me in that I often find myself just wanting to play guitar in my room. I feel really grateful to be here and also it can be quite overwhelming. Although, it’s an honor to be surrounded by driven people of all different backgrounds and perspectives, and that makes me feel really inspired to keep learning and growing and challenging myself.
EU: Many fans like to refer to your music as “dreamy bedroom pop”. How would you explain your sound in terms of a certain aesthetic?
M: It’s really fascinating to see how others are hearing it! From my perspective, I’ve heard it as having a folkier sound with some flares of grunge. Anything is possible!
EU: Who or what has influenced you to become the music artist you are today?
M: In terms of music, I feel really inspired by the Carpenters, Pixies, Paul Simon, Lyle Brewer, and Kate Davis. Taryn Simon, a multidisciplinary artist, has also been a big influence for me. While her work doesn’t fall in the category of music, I’ve found the care and research she puts into what she creates incredibly compelling along with her ability to articulate themes of life that hold a lot of complexities.
EU: When creating your music, do you have any particular method or go-to inspirations to get your creativity flowing?
M: I usually feel most inspired after reading a piece of writing or book. It’s not even so directly related to writing lyrics, but more so to the kind of powerful articulation I strive to achieve.
EU: People often create music to spread a message or idea. With this EP, what central theme or emotion do you hope people will take away from it?
M: This EP deals with a lot of themes surrounding growing up, desire, and what it means to outgrow our past selves. My hope is that someone will listen to this and relate to the nuances of big personal shifts.
EU: Following this EP, what do you hope to accomplish next in your career?
M: I would love to keep writing and recording music! My goal is really to just continue refining and stretching my own songwriting.
With such a strong performance in her debut EP, it is safe to say that future works from Margaux are something to look forward to. Make sure to listen to More Brilliant Is the Hand That Throws the Coin, available on all major streaming platforms!