Wielding the torch of a veritable Creole dynasty, Marcella has successfully planted the seeds of her South Louisiana heritage deep into the fertile bluffs of Memphis. The daughter of a two-time GRAMMY™ award winner, Simien was practically born onstage and grew up immersed in sound and performance. Singing since before she could talk, writing songs and playing piano since she was 7 years old, then went on to pick up guitar, played drums in an all-girl punk rock band during her high school years in Lafayette, LA and then picked up the accordion later in life. Her genre exploration knows no bounds.
Her music is a hybrid of the sounds of Memphis and New Orleans, the Bluff City and the bayou, deeply rooted in the legacy of her Creole ancestors. Simien’s soulful voice functions as an instrument unto itself, blending with fragrant elements of soul, rhythm & blues, and jazz. While her legacy is strong, Marcella Simien has forged her own path through music and brought that legacy to the masses.
Every creative choice made on stage or off is with thoughtful artistic intention. Simien has a unique and important perspective, being a bi-racial, female bandleader with a rich French Creole cultural heritage she actively honors in her work. Bringing people from all walks of life together at her live performances is as Marcella says “ an important task that I’ve been given in this life; I’m grateful and humbled by this. Much of my motivation comes from feeling called to do this work. I'm inspired by every sound and feeling I've ever absorbed and chosen to translate through my hands and my voice. I do the work to always look outside of myself and feel motivated by legacy artists who’ve devoted their entire lives to their music careers.”
