Marie Martins : Brazilian Youtube Star

Well, I decided to take a chance writing about a fantastic Brazilian Youtube artist I came across a little over a year ago. She goes by the incredibly catchy name "Marie Martins" and has a voice to die for, quite honestly. I first stumbled upon her Youtube channel when looking up a couple covers of Brazilian songs. Probably the most commercial of them being "Ai Se Eu Te Pego" by Michel Telo. If you haven't heard it, definitely check it out. It's incredibly catchy and easy to listen to. But, I was truly curious if the song might sound better stripped down and raw. I honestly feel that it does sound astoundingly good when done simply with an acoustic guitar. And above that, Marie's smooth and sensual voice just glides over the guitar. So, if you haven't heard the song, take a chance and enjoy it. If you have heard it, I think you'll agree that it sounds fabulous when taken down to one guitar, and one voice. Here's Marie Martins covering "Ai Se Eu Te Pego".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-msHFn9Xgy0

Love it. Despite the low quality of the recording, I feel that the sound of her voice came through clear enough to figure out that she's incredibly talented. Sometimes I see artists starting out with these massively produced videos that hide everything about them. Not quite the same if you started small and became successful, I'm talking about those "newbies" who think that the video/audio quality will save them. I say no way! One voice, one acoustic guitar and a simple recording do not lie. If people love hearing you like that, they'll love you forever.

Aside from the great Brazilian tracks that Marie covers, she does a lot of English (language) songs. Now, some might say "stick to what you know" or "perform in your own language", but I think that she's incredibly brave to go ahead with it. Not only that, but her accent just draws people in. Kind of like Shakira with that "Laundry Service" album. She didn't pronounce everything perfectly, but it just sounded magical. The same thing happens with Marie. For me, it was when I heard her cover of John Lennon's "Imagine". A song that is always appropriate and magical in its own way. Here's Marie's version.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJfPrMpwWko

Good stuff! The simplicity and raw sound of her guitar give it a very honest sound. And her very particular vocal tone adds a certain feel to the song. I think every Youtube artist should cover "Imagine", really. Personality, sound and feeling all come through on it and really shine on the uniqueness of each individuality. I have to say...I applaud Marie's song choice. 

Usually at this point in the blog I write about the artist's original material, but unfortunately, I haven't found any. Nevertheless, it was Marie's birthday today, March 30th, and I found it appropriate to venture over to Brazil's sounds for a while. I certainly hope she gives us some original material soon, because I have a feeling she's holding it back. I'm curious what her original sound is like. But until then, I guess I'll share her cover of "Pumped Up Kicks" with you, since I uploaded my own version of the song today. Really great song, and love the sound of it with a deep female voice. Don't forget to subscribe to her youtube channel and check her out on Facebook! Here's to Marie Martins & Brazil! Check back tomorrow for another fantastic artist.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQcTgWVDsdY

Alex Hamel