How Marlhy Turned a Tough Breakup Into an Empowering Anthem With ‘R.I.P.’
18-year-old singer-songwriter Marlhy has musical abilities far beyond her years, and if you need proof, you only need to listen to her latest release, "R.I.P."
With its dreamy, melodic beat and confident vocals, "R.I.P." is an empowering post-breakup anthem all about rediscovering your worth and finding peace with yourself. It's the perfect track to listen to if you've recently gone through something similar, and the humorous edge of its crime scene-themed music video makes us love the song even more.
Marlhy even gave us the chance to pick her brain and find out how the song was written and how it was inspired, plus her favorite moment from filming the music video. Keep reading to find out what she had to say:
Sweety High: What was the songwriting process behind "R.I.P."?
Marlhy: The process for this song was the same for how most of my songs are written. I was sitting in the studio with one of my favorite co-writers pretty much just trash talking. I talk through everything going on in my life, and then we pull pieces of things I said to create the song.
SH: Is the song based on a real relationship? What kind of emotions did you want to channel into this song?
Marlhy: It's based on a really difficult breakup I had gone through. The lyrics came from my frustration with myself for dwelling on the past and letting it hurt me for so long and my desire to move on. I knew that the best choice was getting this person out of my life. It's really hard to let go of toxic people, and knowing that other people feel the same and are going through the same thing, I wanted to try to create that anthem for people who need that reassurance and support that you've made the right choice.
(Image courtesy of Marlhy)
SH: Do you have any advice for getting over and "doing just fine" after a breakup?
Marlhy: Something that I've found helps me is writing a letter or list of all the things wrong with the relationship and why that person wasn't right for me. That way, whenever you're reflecting on the good times with that person and rethinking the relationship, read the list or letter to remind yourself why this is the right choice. I also try to surround myself with positive people, eat something good and dress up a little to boost my self-confidence again (even if it's just to go to the grocery store). The one thing to keep in mind is nothing heals overnight. Give yourself the time you need, then get up and treat yourself the way you should have been treated all along.
SH: How did the concept for the music video come about?
Marlhy: I've always had a love for fashion and music from the '40s and '50s. I wanted to take that, but add a message of empowerment to it. I took that image of women in the '50s and put my own modern spin on it. The video is campy and was really fun to shoot. I felt like it was a great symbolic representation of getting rid of the toxic people in your life, moving on and feeling good about yourself and your decision. Cutting toxic people out can be a messy process, but in the end it's for the best!
SH: Do you have any favorite moments from that shoot?
Marlhy: Trying to strategically place the blood was really funny. Also, we shot in a vintage kitchen, so we had to be really careful about the blood since fake blood usually stains. We went through multiple trips to the grocery store and at least 10 different variations and recipes to come up with an option that wouldn't stain. In the end, the "blood" base was a dark pink dish soap named "Caribbean Dream." It had such a strong floral smell, but since it was soap it also cleaned when we wiped it up!
SH: How has the pandemic changed the way you make music, if at all? Has it been a challenge?
Marlhy: Honestly, when the pandemic started, being in quarantine took a toll on my mental health. It was rough for a bit, but I had realized I was so accustomed to writing with others and felt like I should challenge and strengthen myself by writing songs on my own like I had been earlier on in my career. I also learned a lot about recording and producing vocals, since I've been having to record demos myself and can't go into the studio. I've been really fortunate to be able to start working with some of my favorite teams again over Zoom, so things are starting to feel back to normal again, even though I still can't leave my house much.
(Image courtesy of Marlhy)
SH: Are there any artists that are particularly inspiring you during these unusual times?
Marlhy: Artist-wise, I really enjoy listening to different kinds of music to draw inspiration. Some of my all-time favorites are Amy Winehouse, Bob Marley, The Cure and Ella Fitzgerald. For my songs, I always pull inspiration from my life. Everything you hear me talk about in my songs actually happened to me and is something I've gone through and learned from.
SH: Is there anything else you'd like to add?
Marlhy: Something might be dropping Nov. 20—hint hint!
If you're all about discovering new tunes, click HERE to listen to our 10 favorite music releases of last week.