Livestream Review: Marina V

Livestream  Ventura, CA

Contact: [email protected]

Web: MarinaV.com

Material: Marina V’s fans clearly love to hear her original music. The artist plays primarily requests during her livestreams, and since she has amassed quite a collection of albums her catalog is extensive. It would have been exciting to hear her take on some covers, which she certainly does do in other livestreams. That being said, Marina V’s music is perfectly suited for her voice. It has a spooky, airy quality that makes listening almost hypnotic. And she is nearly pitch perfect, something many artists struggle with during this digital age.

Musicianship: V has a light, ethereal sounding voice that carries very well. She has the ability to showcase vulnerability and strength during her songs. Her piano playing is emotive and delicate, though maybe not quite loud enough for some of the more intense songs. It is a pleasant surprise when Marina sings some songs in her native Russian language, which adds another layer of complexity to her repertoire. It would be interesting to hear Marina sing in her chest voice, instead of the lovely falsetto that she has clearly mastered. Regardless, her piano and vocal stylings are both top-notch.

Performance: Marina V’s setup was incredibly professional, particularly for an online performance. Dual camera angles were interesting, and allowed multiple looks at her show. Her “crowd talk” between songs was familial almost, as if she knew everyone who had tuned in to watch her despite the pretty substantial amount of people who were watching. Twitch is an interesting platform for musicians, one typically used for gamers, but Marina makes it her own. She’s created a community there and it is clear that performing is second nature to her.

Summary: It was difficult to parse out the form in Marina V’s songs, likely in part to the soothing nature of each one. But the love each of her fans shows this performer and the love she gives back speaks for her. Having beautiful songs is one thing, but having a community that loves you and keeps coming back for more is another. V is lucky enough to have both. Don’t miss out on this artist. She might be exactly what we need during these trying times.