Having Gotten Her Start In Music at the Tender Age of 9 and Transformed Into a Powerful Social Media Music Influencer, The Young Star Has Made an Empowering Debut About Transforming Oneself Through Mind, Body and Spirit
With a bold tenacity that shines bright in her music and brand new video, it’s no wonder singer/songwriter Mariel Darling has already had a headstart in her music career having been performing and building her career for the past seven years. And with her brand new single and video “No Mirrors”, she continues to make waves in the ever growing and changing world of music media.
A Western Massachusetts native, 16yr old Mariel Darling started recording music when she was only nine years old after being discovered by manager Jackie Sarkis – formerly of Radio Disney, and at age ten she was already turning heads performing at the New York Knicks halftime show. Even in her early years, the young singer knew that she wanted to use her talent to help promote positive messages, and by eleven she was already hard at work writing and performing songs for the National Education Institute encouraging other kids in a fun and upbeat way to read, study, and focus on their education as a way to further their well-being. These initiatives lead Darling to perform on bigger national stages and festivals including the Maritime Festival, Washington D.C.’s CureFest for Childhood Cancer, and the Camplified Tour which saw her perform in front of thousands of teens and tweens at summer camps across the nation at fourteen.
Cut to 2017, and Darling has become an emerging star in the new music world of social media! A verified, crowned “Muser” and host of the globally syndicated show “Jukebox Countdown” on Musical.ly’s “Live.ly TV”, she quickly grew to have a large number of fans on the popular music app. Constantly writing and collaborating, she’s been recently working with major label producer/songwriter Cass Dillon, while consulting with Artist Manager/Developer Stefano DiBenedetto of The Hang Productions.
“All of the things that I let get to me, gonna let them fly away// All of the love that I have in me, Oh It’s gonna set me free//I don’t need no mirrors here, I can see it clearer and clearer”
WATCH: “NO MIRRORS” OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO
Delving into her latest release “No Mirrors”, co-written with Dillon, the song and accompanying video were two incredibly creative experiences for Darling during a time where she was really trying to find herself. “This is a song about being confident on the inside. People, especially young girls, are always looking for external validation” she says, continuing “I wanted to write a song to encourage everyone to stop trying to look a certain way or act a certain way to fit in. As young woman we go through so many transformations – mind, body, soul. We need to stop trying to live up to all of the perfection”.
In the video, which sees her going through persona changes from “glam” to “raw” and finally finding inner beauty, she considered the process to be an amazing experience turning deeply personal lyrics into a unique visual representation. “I start off with a pop star look, trying to be something that I think people expect to see as a female pop star performer, and go through another phase as I look in the mirror. Done with the glam, I find myself in a kind of darker place and then transition into a simple look, nude colors, to show the raw internal me. The video helped me really express what I’m going through. The teenage years are tough- with social media and all of the images you see on Instagram. It just makes you second guess who you are and try to ‘be like them’, to fit in.
But through all the challenges and triumphs, Darling – who sees Taylor Swift as one of her biggest influences as a multitalented positive role model – still seems to be enjoying the ride. “Being in the studio is such a special experience. In my opinion it’s the hardest work, but the most fun! Its magical and so satisfying to see it all come together right before your eyes!”.
With more music on the way as she continues to write and collaborate with Dillon in 2018, make sure to check out “No Mirrors” (Available via iTunes, Google Play, Spotify etc.) today!
