Setting the tone with a vibrant cerebral frequency fused with intricate high hats and immersive percussion, Mary in the Mirror opens her single, Pain, with intrigue and dimensionality.
The track expands with charismatic vocals and conceptual lyricism, as Mary in the Mirror takes us on an evocative and subversive journey touching upon themes of the human condition. Mary describes Pain as “an embodiment of exploring bold sexuality, pushing the boundaries of control and going beyond our limits.”
We appreciate the alternative pop meets trap hybrid architecture of Pain, and we can understand why Mary’s vocals have been compared to singer Beth Gibbons, as the opus and her delivery draw sonic similarities to early Portishead, in the best way possible! The high vocal segments are intensely unique, and add dynamism to the composition.
Mary in the Mirror cites inspirations including Björk, Goldfrapp and Massive Attack, but it is clear that she is creating a universe of her own. We learn that Pain was written during a time of great hardship in Mary’s life, and she has used her life experiences to manifest her art.
In 2016, a serious health problem left Mary unable to walk. She battled with being on crutches for years and over time has learned to manage these physical difficulties by becoming strong and fit. Having faced her own challenges and demons, she feels it is an empowering next step to share her journey. Her music reflects these ideas of courage and perseverance to rise up, even when faced with adversity.
We love Mary in the Mirror‘s sound, authenticity and message, and have added Pain to our New Music Spotlight playlist, whilst we continue to stream her wider discography including Wake Up, Haunt U and Monster!