Currently based out of her hometown of Montreal, Marianne Beaulieu is an indie folk singer-songwriter whose goal has always been to bring comfort through her music. In 2019, inspired by artists like Noah Kahan, Bon Iver, and Gracie Abrams, she decides to share covers of her favorite songs on social media. During the lockdown, she finds herself at her piano, singing everyday and filming every other day.
Through her platforms, she swiftly draws in an audience all seeking a sense of relief. From then on, she’s able to build a community cumulating hundreds of thousands of people from all over the world, all eager to take a breather and listen. Marianne’s EP, Are We There Yet?, explores the passage of time. Growing up, she expected her twenties to be defined by new responsibilities, identity shifts, relationship challenges, and the pressure to keep up.
With a string of shows booked through the end of the year, I wanted to ask Marianne about the art of covering songs both for the digital world and the live stage.
Here's our conversation. Enjoy!
Hypebot: Congrats on Are We There Yet? How is this collection different from your earlier work, and does the title reflect where you’re heading next, whether in music, romance, or something else?
MB: "The title was my way of capturing childhood in a single phrase. It’s a line we repeat endlessly as kids and eventually grow out of, but it also holds a changing sense of time. As kids, we want to grow up and get there as fast as possible. As an adult, I found myself wishing time would just slow down."
That’s what sets this collection apart for me. I wasn’t prepared for the constant nostalgia and awareness of time passing that came with my twenties, and music felt like the only right way to talk about it."
H: What do you have to ask yourself when recording a cover that’s different from writing your own material?
MB: "With a cover, it’s about making the song mine. I try to put myself in the writer’s shoes, or interpret the lyrics the way I understand them. An original is different: the words are already mine. The challenge there is to return to the state I was in when I wrote it and reconnect with that very first writing session."
H: You built your audience by posting covers. When did you first feel people were showing up for you, not just the songs?
MB: "I don’t think the two are mutually exclusive. If people come for my covers, it means they connect with my interpretation, and that interpretation is mine. As long as they find comfort in it, I don’t mind whether they came for the originals or the covers."
When someone buys a ticket, travels to the venue, and shows up in person, that’s more than enough to make me feel they came for me as an artist."
"I don’t think performing comes naturally to anyone. You have to accept that no show will be perfect, that you won’t be perfect, and that it’s okay for the audience to see that."
H: Do you still play your old covers live? Are there new ones in your current set?
MB: "Yes! My recent setlists mix originals, unreleased songs, and covers. I like to rotate the covers, old and new ones, but I tend to stay within the indie-folk genre and to choose artists my audience loves as much as I do."
H: You write in both English and French. Does the language change which version of yourself comes out?
MB: "Definitely. Writing in French feels raw because there's no boundary between my thoughts and my words. I think, live, and dream in French, so it’s very personal and vulnerable."
In English, my thoughts have to be translated before they reach the page, and that distance makes my fears and emotions feel less intimidating to express."
H: Is the studio a creatively open space or a stressful one? Do you prefer the studio or the stage?
MB: "I love the studio. There’s something truly magical about arriving with the skeleton of a song and leaving with a piece of art. I enjoy the trial and error, and I’m lucky to work with a producer who understands my vision and helps bring it to life."
The stage is newer to me. I’ve only been performing live for less than two years, and I’m still learning to find the calm I have in my living room when I’m in front of strangers. I don’t think performing comes naturally to anyone. You have to accept that no show will be perfect, that you won’t be perfect, and that it’s okay for the audience to see that."
Letting go of what people think is the best way to enjoy yourself up there."
"I've learned that I’m very sensitive to the highs and lows before, during, and especially after a show. It’s a roller coaster."
H: What has touring taught you about yourself, or about the music?
MB: "Touring is probably the most special experience an artist can have, and also the most exhausting. I've learned that I’m very sensitive to the highs and lows before, during, and especially after a show. It’s a roller coaster."
One week, strangers give you so much love every night, you visit countries on the other side of the world, and you run on adrenaline and coffee. The next, you’re home in your sweatpants, alone, trying to find a normal routine again. I’ve come to accept that the highs and lows come together, and that it’s always worth it in the end."
H: What do you do on days off while on tour?
MB: "If I have more than one day in a city, I love to play tourist. Usually we only get a couple of hours, so I “play local” instead: I find a coffee shop, knit, read, or wander around without the pressure of having to visit everything."
H: What’s the best non-musical sound in the world?
MB: "A rustling river. It’s soft and constant, and I can happily zone out to it. It works on me like ASMR, tickling my brain in the best way."
H: Favorite post-show meal?
MB: "Pasta, usually. Something filling but not too heavy, followed by a sweet treat, preferably chocolate. :)"
