Michigan native Elysia Marie has long since relocated to Chicago pursuing musical success, but she’s a citizen of the world. There’s nothing regional about her music despite Marie’s deep and highly visible involvement in the Windy City’s musical scene. Her latest single “Strong and Beautiful” is just one color in her wide palette as Marie’s talents extend across multiple styles. The new single is a prime example, however, of the impressive command she holds over her material. Marie performs from a place deep within and gets lost in the moment as few younger performers do.
The driving insistence of the EDM beat has relentless energy and explodes into the chorus with a bright blast. Despite the omnipresent pulse, nothing can subdue Marie’s voice. Her singing cuts through the electronica like a hot blade through butter and matches its energy. It isn’t difficult to hear the inherent elasticity of Marie’s voice. It is soulful, harbors a ton of latent power, and illustrates her timing. Marie always knows how to use her voice for maximum effect and the lack of any wasted breath in her singing helps further focus the song.
Her affirmative message and enthusiastic vocal phrasing accentuate the song’s anthemic qualities. It definitely plays like a call to arms for women, but it’s narrow to stop there. Marie is singing for any marginalized person listening to the song and her full-bodied endorsement of personal empowerment will resonate with many. Her conversational and direct lyrics are ideal for the song’s aims.
There is a surprising lack of post-production effects hanging off Marie’s vocals. It’s a wise move. She’s more than capable of carrying the song sans any kind of production trickery or enhancement. Her level of engagement with the song couldn’t be higher. It is also cut to a manageable length, It’s a little over three and a half minutes long and breezes past listeners without a bump along the way.
It is surprisingly worth listening to more than once. The infectious vibe coming off the song from the first hooks you in, but when you couple the song’s message and an outstanding chorus, it reaches another level. Elysia Marie has hit the scene ready to make an impact, without question, and performances such as this are more than able to back it up. She has full control of the moment rather than shirking from the challenge.
It is among the first of what will be many more achievements to come. This Midwestern girl from a mid-sized Michigan city is set to take the musical world by storm. She boasts some of the best commercial material you’ll hear in 2023 with the release of her new single “Strong and Beautiful”. This remix will open new creative avenues for the Chicago based singer and remain an important part of her act for years to come. She’s captured an indelible feeling with this single that will linger with listeners long after the song is over. It’s no small thing in our world today.
Garth Thomas