Marla Joy

Marla Joy at the Rivolli
Marla Joy jamming with the legendary Russ Ballard and the Incredible Snowflakers London EnglandMARLA JOY OPENING FOR MARY J BLIGE ONEXONE
Biography:
“I want to be free to fly away, and sing to the world about my soul.” Aretha Franklin
Anyone who has had the opportunity to hear Marla Joy sing live has agreed, her vocals are the likes of which haven’t been heard in decades and she sings from a place that seems well beyond her years.
The child of an unconventional upbringing, Marla found herself on her own for the first time at the early age of 14. “While kids my age were thinking about what to wear to school, I was worried about where I was gonna sleep”.
This early introduction to the heavy realities of life are what Marla ironically has to thank for her introduction to the great artists that have influenced and guided her to where she gratefully is today. “I turned to music…not popular music at the time. I would listen to Aretha, Marvin, Stevie, Janis Joplin, Jimmi Hendrix, Bob Marley, I felt it was the only thing I could really connect to. The songs are undeniable, but it was the honesty, the emotion that they’d tell the story with, I could relate to the words, the feelings, everything, it was the soul.”
Being classically trained on the piano, as early as age four, and with her natural gift of a voice, Marla knew from before she could remember she was an artist, a performer, a singer, and a story teller. Doing theatre in her younger years, agents were quick to offer their assistance, but it wasn’t until Marla found her true calling that things started to take shape.
“I knew I loved to sing, loved music, loved connecting with an audience....but they weren’t my stories. I had so much to say that I knew people could relate to, could be uplifted by, the same way I have been by music and the experiences of those I love.”
The record industry started to take notice as Marla began performing around the city.
Marla began to share stages, with the likes of: K.C and the Sunshine Band, Cassandra Wilson, The Temptations, and many more. In 2005 she was asked to perform her soulful stylings to a sold out crowd at Massey Hall, backed by the Canada Pops Orchestra.
“I knew I had gone through what I had gone through in life to share my story….for people to be able to connect with music, be inspired by it, cry to it, feel better because of it, all of it….that is what I wanted.”
It was around this time Marla began to collaborate with some of the worlds greatest writers and producers: Adrian Eccleston ( Nelly Furtado, Kylie Minogue, Divine Brown ), Craig Ross (Lenny Kravitz, Mick Jagger, Sheryl Crow, Nikka Costa), Russ Ballard ( Roger Daltrey, Santana, Kiss), Lil Jaz ( K-os, Nelly Furtado), and The Snowflakers (Bryn Christopher) to name a few.
“All that matters to me is to be able to make music and sing music that people can feel and be moved by. It’s true I’ve fallen many times, but I believe having to keep getting back up is what made me who I am today. I feel all those experiences in the bottom of my soul every time I sing and I hope people can hear, see, and feel that.” Marla is currently traveling and writing her debut album, set for release in late 2009.