Marissa Nadler facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Marissa Nadler
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Marissa Nadler in 2011
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| Background information | |
| Born | April 5, 1981 Washington D.C., U.S. |
| Origin | Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Genres |
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| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter, musician, fine artist |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards |
| Years active | 2000–present |
| Labels | Eclipse Records, Beautiful Happiness, Peacefrog, Kemado, Box of Cedar, Sacred Bones, Bella Union |
Marissa Nadler (born April 5, 1981) is an American singer and songwriter who also plays guitar and piano. She has been making music since 2000. Her ninth studio album, The Path of the Clouds, was released in 2021.
Nadler is known for her unique sound that mixes traditional folk music with dreamy pop and Americana. Her music has been called "dream folk" because of its magical and mysterious feeling.
She is famous for her beautiful mezzo-soprano singing voice. The music website Pitchfork described her voice as "textured and angelic." The Boston Globe wrote that her voice was so enchanting it could have "lured men to their deaths at sea" in old myths.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Marissa Nadler was born in Washington, D.C. and grew up in Needham, Massachusetts. As a teenager, she taught herself to play the guitar. She developed a special way of picking the strings that gave her music a unique sound. She also started writing her own songs.
Nadler was also a talented artist. She went to the Rhode Island School of Design to study painting and illustration. She earned a bachelor's degree in 2003 and a master's degree in 2004. While in college, she started performing her songs at local events. She used her skills in art and music to become the artist she is today.
Music Career
2004–2010: First Albums
Nadler released her first official album, Ballads of Living and Dying, in 2004. Her second album, The Saga of Mayflower May, came out the next year. These early albums helped her become known in both the United States and Europe.
In 2007, she released her third album, Songs III: Bird on the Water. It was nominated for two PLUG Independent Music Awards. In 2008, she won "Outstanding Singer-Songwriter of the Year" at the Boston Music Awards.
Her fourth album, Little Hells (2009), was a big success with critics. Magazines like Mojo and Rolling Stone gave it great reviews. On this album, she started adding electronic sounds to her folk music.
2011–2014: New Music and Labels
In 2011, Nadler released a self-titled album, Marissa Nadler, on her own record label. Pitchfork called it a "stellar collection" of songs. The next year, she released a shorter companion album called The Sister.
In 2013, she signed with Sacred Bones Records. Her next album, July (2014), was a hit. It appeared on the Billboard Folk Albums chart. Music critics loved it, and many magazines gave it high ratings. Spin magazine described the album's sound as "a slow-burning tapestry of goth-folk torch songs."
2015–2018: Strangers and For My Crimes
Nadler's next album, Strangers, was released in 2016. It also received positive reviews from critics. After its release, she toured across North America and Europe. She even joined the band Ghost for their U.S. tour.
Her eighth album, For My Crimes, came out in 2018. This was the first album to feature one of her own paintings as the cover art. The album included guest singers like Angel Olsen and Sharon Van Etten. Rolling Stone magazine noted that the album explored the real-life challenges of being in a long-term relationship.
2019–Present: Collaborations and Recent Work
In 2019, Nadler worked with musician Stephen Brodsky on a collaborative album called Droneflower. The album was praised by critics. One review called the project an "unexpectedly brilliant" team-up.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Nadler felt stuck at home and began writing new songs. This led to her ninth solo album, The Path of the Clouds, released in October 2021. The album tells stories about mystery, love, and change. Many songs were inspired by real-life stories of people who mysteriously disappeared.
The Path of the Clouds was a major success. NME magazine said it showed her growth as an artist with more powerful vocals and complex music. The album received high scores from many publications, including AllMusic and MOJO.
Personal Life
Nadler currently lives in Nashville, Tennessee. She has been open about the challenges of being a performer, including dealing with stage fright.
Discography
Studio albums
| Title | Details | Peak chart position | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | United Kingdom | ||||||
| Folk |
Heatseekers |
Independent |
Record Store |
Independent Breakers |
Physical Albums |
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| Ballads of Living and Dying |
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— | — | — | — | — | — |
| The Saga of Mayflower May |
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— | — | — | — | — | — |
| Songs III: Bird on the Water |
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— | — | 18 | — | — | — |
| Little Hells |
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— | — | — | — | — | — |
| Marissa Nadler |
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— | — | — | — | — | — |
| July |
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16 | 14 | 30 | 18 | 6 | — |
| Strangers |
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— | — | 18 | 7 | 3 | 91 |
| For My Crimes |
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— | 24 | 46 | 28 | 7 | — |
| Droneflower (with Stephen Brodsky) |
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— | — | — | 36 | — | — |
| Instead of Dreaming (with Milky Burgess) |
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— | — | — | — | — | — |
| The Path of the Clouds |
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— | — | — | — | 16 | — |
EPs and Compilations
- The Sister (EP, 2012)
- Before July: Demos and Unreleased Songs (EP, 2014)
- Bury Your Name (EP, 2016)
- Leave the Light On: Bedroom Recordings (Compilation, 2017)
- The Wrath of the Clouds (EP, 2022)
See also
