Maryze Debuts First Single

Perhaps realizing that the public connects with personality rather than product in these times, the soigné siren of Seaborne Maryse Bernard, has released some personal solo material. Times are tough for "bands" in an world where we try to get closer to them through Twitter interactions rather than the most high performing stereo system. Trying to engage with a clear, singular voice through the internet while having to play the pronoun game because you're acting as a collective rather than a person is twice as much work as a solo artist has on his or her schedule. Perhaps this isn't why we're graced with the first material from Maryze today rather than a new Seaborne cut, but it certainly will be easier to gain traction for her with this approach.

The song, "B.O.Y." is produced by Los Angeleno BrotherNature, and doesn't quite sound like only one half of Seaborne, which is often the worry with this sort of musical marketing maneuver. The track lives in a world somewhere between early 2000s Sophie Ellis-Bextor and the mid-nineties RnB that the Brits were also aping so heavily at the time. The vocals are flatter than anything from Bernard's (still apparently active) band, and although the interesting voice production is part of what makes Seaborne so great, it should be seen as bold of Bernard to come out from behind that curtain and let her voice towel off for what feels like the first time. 

Going solo doesn't necessarily mean going it alone, but it does require more work to shoulder. Hopefully we see her take it on and make us shake ours going forward.

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