Today we’d like to introduce you to Marilyn Pham.
Hi Marilyn, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My story originates from when I was a little girl growing up in Virginia. I was a self taught singer and would practice whenever I got the chance. This usually included locking myself in the garage so nobody would hear or find me. Nobody in my family knew I could sing until they came to my school talent show, and they were shocked. During the Covid-19 pandemic, I released my first song “Vibe With Me” with a friend from school. This was something I created just for fun, but it ended up getting a lot of streams. This is when I realized that making music is something I wanted to do. I had always grown up listening to music and going to concerts, and I always knew deep down that I wanted to be on stage. I grew up doing theater, so being on stage was nothing new to me. Over time, everything just naturally fell in to place. I performed at open mics around Richmond, eventually getting my name bigger. I began to get asked to do shows, I started writing more of my own music, and making more friends in the scene. I started out solo, but now I have an amazing band that I get to write music and perform with. My favorite part about it all is that we have so much fun together. Being an artist doesn’t feel so serious, it feels like it’s meant to be.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
A struggle of mine growing up in the music scene was being a young girl, people didn’t always take me seriously. I had kids at school telling me how silly it was and that my dreams were unrealistic. The music scene is also very male dominated. It was very common to find people working with you for the wrong reasons. I had to fight twice as hard to be taken seriously, to not be talked over, and to stand my ground. I worked multiple jobs to afford making making music and to make everything happen myself. I learned that these “handouts” were usually people trying to take advantage of me, so I needed to find a way to make it happen on my own.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am an artist, singer, songwriter. Although this is what I’m known for, I don’t like to label myself to one thing. I also like to fire spin, make art, dance, and write. My music is alt-pop rock based, depending on the track. I don’t like to tie my music down to one sound either. I like to correlate the music to whatever it is that I’m going through at the time. A lot of my music is about breakups, but I also have a lot of music about self-acceptance, self-discovery, grief, and growing. I’m most proud of how far I’ve come and the amount of work that I put into not only my music, but into myself. Being a creative takes a lot of mental hurdles to get over and a lot of belief in yourself. You have to be willing to put your love for what you do before anything else and you have to remain committed. What sets me a part is my stage presence. When we show up to perform, we give it our all. We know that when people come to see us play it’s not just to listen, but to see us perform. I’d like to say we give a GREAT performance.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
My advice for anyone starting out would be to have fun. I know it sounds cliche, but make the art you enjoy. Be the best version of yourself you could ever be. Wear the outfits you always dreamed of, make friends with people like you, and never ever give up on yourself. There will be doubt, critisicm, and fear – you must make sure to never listen, but if you do, use those emotions to take you further.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.marilynpham.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marilyn.pham
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marilynphamband/
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@marilynphamband?si=1XS1OpQn16uUNuvQ
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1iVsN2BAKD2BDkamfWrrNy?si=2JiTvoivTpeSLtELRwuF1g
