Marisa McKaye - Franklin Tn - aged 12 (2017)
Now age 12 (2017), with a soft spoken voice and humble personality Marisa McKaye seems like any other young girl...until she steps onto the stage and belts out songs with a range and maturity uncharacteristic of an child her age. Even as a young child, Marisa displayed musical talents that prompted her non-musical family to take notice and support her to live her dreams of singing and performing music. Performing onstage since age 5, it quickly became clear that she is most comfortable with a mic in hand and audience in front. After picking up guitar at age 10, she now seems right at home with the guitar playing and singing.
Marisa has now made Nashville home for over 3 years. By age 11, she was invited to perform a regular weekly acoustic gig @ Margaritaville Nashville Saturday afternoons with the one and only Adam Ricker, which she continues to do every week. Also at 11, she began writing songs and co-writing with some amazing writers in Nashville, attending open mic songwriter rounds at venues around Nashville, including regularly at the world famous Bluebird Cafe. She auditioned and was invited to perform regularly at the Bluebird Cafe for Sunday Songwriters Nights. She was invited at age 11 to take part in the Acoustic Guitar Project at the Country Music Hall of Fame and performed her original song in the famous Ford Theater.
By age 12, she had recorded her first EP, Colorful Girl, released 2/6/17. Just recently, she began hosting her own songwriter's round each Thursday, "Marisa and Friends" at Sopapilla's Tequila Room in Franklin TN. She just recently became the youngest Song Suffragette with her debut performance in May 2017. She has performed regularly at some of Nashville's classic venues including the World Famous Tootsies Orchid Lounge, the Stage, Roberts, and Honky Tonk Central.
Marisa is continually inspired by music and Nashville is Music City for a reason. She has been so fortunate to befriend and be inspired by singers, songwriters, and musicians here in Nashville. Songwriting is a craft that takes time to hone. The opportunities here to listen to the world's best songwriters are second to none, and she has taken advantage of all that Nashville has to offer.
Tin Pan South and CMA Fest are two of her favorites.
Artist influences include vocal powerhouses such as Martina McBride, Carrie Underwood, Pink, Kelly Clarkson, Christina Aguilara to the melodic Patsy Kline, soulful Etta James, and classic great Nina Simone. Her love of music spans genres from Contemporary and Classic Country, Pop, Singer/Songwriter/Indie to R&B, Classic Rock, and 80's Grunge. She performs over 50 cover songs regularly adding new songs to her setlist each week and has written and performs over 20 originals.
