Unplugged Lounge Conversations with Marsha Swanson

At Sonic Sisters Magazine, we love diving into the creative journeys of artists who bring heart, soul, and storytelling into their music—and Marsha Swanson is a shining example of just that. A singer-songwriter whose work blends introspective lyricism with cinematic influences and emotional depth, Marsha brings a unique voice to the UK music scene. Her music reflects a life rich with artistic inspiration—from childhood afternoons spent lost in old movie musicals to her more recent work combining visual arts, personal reflection, and musical expression. We were thrilled to catch up with Marsha to learn more about where it all began, what fuels her creativity, and where her artistic path is leading next.

Thanks for chatting with us at Sonic Sisters Magazine! Can you share a bit about how your journey into music began?

I was a child of the 70’s and 80’s growing up on crisps and marmite sandwiches, roller-skating in the streets till dark, and caning cartoons! I relied heavily on my older brother to entertain me when my parents were working. On rainy days, when I couldn’t play outside and he was busy in his room with his own friends, I would spend my time watching a ton of old movies on repeat. I loved the songs in Danny Kaye’s “Hans Christian Anderson”, Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly’s “Anchors Aweigh” and Fred Astaire’s “Top Hat”. These films directly inspired me to write melodies and words way before I ever played an instrument.  When the new crop of half film/half cartoon combos started appearing it felt so magical, Gene Kelly was dancing with Jerry Mouse from Tom and Jerry! It felt like anything was possible, I was in seventh heaven.  For all our modern-day complaints about screen time, my retreats into the wonderful world of cartoons and song certainly proved to be the kick-starter to much creativity. In fact, it was only the other day that I realised I could trace the rhythms and chant-like melodies from my current song “Generational Transmission” all the way back to the “Pass It Along” song from “Hugo the Hippo”!  I was totally unaware when writing of having time travelled back to something so early and primal.  In secondary school, the emergence of an old second hand piano lovingly refurbished by my grandmother gave me a new toy to play with. Tinkering away, hitting any old wrong notes until I happened upon the right ones, felt like a never-ending expanse of time. It was something I could do by myself and it gave me a sense of purpose.

Who have been some of the most significant influences on your musical style?

I can probably pinpoint it to individual songs as opposed to artists, with the exception perhaps of the whole albums of “Really Rosie” and “Tapestry” by Carole King as my earliest foundation. Some of the songs that really got inside me in a deep way and that influenced what I most value in a song are: “Yesterday”, “Eleanor Rigby” and “Golden Slumbers”, by the Beatles, “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”, “Tiny Dancer”, “Rocketman”,  and “Song For Guy”, by Elton John, “Life on Mars”, “Starman”, and “Space Oddity”, by David Bowie,  “Solid Air”, “The Man In The Station” and “May You Never”, by John Martyn, “The End” “The Ghost Song”, by The Doors, “Lonely Boy”, by Andrew Gold, “The Man With the Child in His Eyes” and “This Woman’s Work” by Kate Bush, “I Don’t Like Monday’s”, by The Boomtown Rats, “Martha’s Harbour”, by All about Eve, “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “The Show Must Go On” by Queen, “Sorry” by Tracy Chapman, “See me, Feel Me/Listening To You” by The Who, “Every Breath You Take” by The Police.

And which female musicians or women in the music industry have inspired your journey?

Olivia Newton-John, Madonna, Annie Lennox, Carole King, Kate Bush, Tori Amos, Fiona Apple.

How do your personal experiences shape your songwriting, and what do you hope listeners take away from those connections?

My personal experiences are always the backbone of the songs I write, although it is rarely straightforwardly biographical, which can lead to misunderstandings at times. I wrote a song about a friend’s relationship breakup and another friend who saw me perform was extremely concerned because they thought it was about me! At other times, songwriting can work more like a dream where you are singing about one person, but they are merely a symbol or representation of an emotion or situation you are struggling with. Since my songs often address interpersonal issues and other elements of the human condition, I hope that listeners can gain something from my own working through to help them reflect on similar issues in their own lives. One individual recently told me that my song “Happy Ever After”, which is about the experience of an unexpected role reversal in care, helped to put into words something they had experienced but hadn’t yet been able to access or frame properly. This is a perfect example of what I would hope for listeners to take away.

Congratulations on your brand-new single ‘Like an Angel’ and music video - what inspired this particular song?

This song was written when I was facing the prospect of a major loss in my life. It was my way of communicating love in the best way I knew how, as well as making a record that could endure, naming the unique qualities that would be so sorely missed. I hope that people may draw comfort from this transformation from grief to gratitude, as well as the process of internalisation of a loved one that can then be carried on.

What song (not your own) has had the biggest influence on you and why?

This was a hard question. I reflected on the list of songs from my list above to ponder this question further.  I think “Pierre” by Carole King has arguably been the song that has shaped my whole career and direction the most. First and foremost, it taught me the power of storytelling through song as a powerful means of communication. I chose this song in my early life, school performances, music homework and singing auditions. It encouraged me to use song as a means of problem solving in my longstanding work with children at the Charity “Kids Company”, and it was the primary inspiration behind the new resource for schools that I have been developing called TroubleChutes. Perhaps it planted the earliest seeds in my mind in terms of the high value that I currently place on collaborations with visual artists such as Storm Thorgerson and Sam Chegini as a way of enhancing a song's emotional impact.

Is there a song in your catalog that holds a special personal meaning for you? We'd love to hear the story or inspiration behind it.

Every one of my songs holds a personal meaning to me because, outside of commissioned songwriting, it is my method of processing life’s complexities. One song that stands out uniquely for me is the centre piece in “Near Life Experience”, “Gustav Mahler’s Letter of Intent and Alma Mahler’s Lament”. This was the first time I tried to reconcile two different views behind a relationship faltering by giving a song to each person in the relationship, dedicated to voicing my interpretation of their individual truths side by side. My hope was that this would allow an audience to experience empathy for both positions instead of the reductive tendency to vilify either party. The extra personal interest that I had in their story was that, as I returned to piano lessons when my daughter was at school, this coincided with a late embracing of classical music and with that renewed interest in my direct lineage as a distant descendant of Gustav.

What are some of the aspirations you have for your music moving forward?

I would love to find homes for my current songs in both television and film. For some of my back catalogue, this would require a re-vamp with production from Henry Thomas and my current band. I would like to give some of the most deserving songs the “Like an Angel” treatment! I would love to write new material and explore new collaborations as well as to record a large number of songs already written but yet to be recorded.  My dream for TroubleChutes would be to have Sam Chegini animate each of the songs as full videos and have a television series with myself and Henry Thomas presenting, where we show a different video and theme each week and discuss them with a group of children.

What advice would you give to emerging female artists who are just starting out in the music world?

Work diligently towards small goals based on honing your craft and getting as much experience as possible.  The clearer you get with presenting what is uniquely you, the easier it will be to attract the right team who are drawn to similar sensibilities. Understand that rejection is an inevitability and that there are no guaranteed routes to success. This need not deter you if you see the value in pursuing creativity as a life choice, as its own end goal. If financial stability is the limiting factor, think laterally. There is no one size that fits all, and limitations can induce creative solutions. Work out what routes play to your strengths. Contrary to popular opinion, don’t believe that you just need to keep believing. Whilst you do need to have self-belief to deal with the knocks, and hunger to persevere, there is also timing, luck, political trends and fashions and world events beyond our control, no matter how much we believe or how hard we have worked. Moderating our expectations can help us not take for granted any wins. Your journey may not be linear, but in the future, each event that seems isolated now may end up as part of a rich portfolio of experience. If you are feeling discouraged at the scale of difficulty and the constant obstacles in the ever-changing music industry, keep evaluating whether it is still what you really want to do. As Arthur Miller famously said, “Maybe all one can do is hope to end up with the right regrets”.

Before we wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to say to our readers?

If you are reading this question, then thank you for reading this interview. If you are enjoying my music and would like to keep in the loop or hear about what I’m doing next, then do reach out to me via my website.

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