Mari Vee Turns Bratty to Tap into her R&B Sound
The New York singer isn’t afraid to open up about her fun and not-so-fun emotions.
Mari Vee, courtesy of Playbook MG
For Mari Vee, singing Rihanna and Beyoncé in the mirror shaped who she is today: an R&B-loving, unapologetic singer. The Utica, New York native is all about showing her personality, expressing her transparent moodiness, and having fun in every song. While only releasing music for three years, the melodic singer has collaborated with Cash Cobain, Young Drummer Boy, Valleyboy P, and most recently, Benny the Butcher.
At the end of October, Vee released “Better” with Benny the Butcher. She originally recorded the song without the feature to show listeners who Mari Vee really is. “My manager at the time had a business relationship with Benny, and he happened to come to the studio,” Vee says. “He heard the vibe, and he caught it.”
Vee’s witty lyrics and rhythmic beats stem from her longtime influences of Mary J. Blige, Aaliyah, and Destiny’s Child. She calls herself “bratty” as she isn’t afraid to hold back on her feelings while having fun on a song. She credits the late ‘90s and Y2K-era music as inspiration for her sound today. She adds her twist to the influenced sounds with East Coast vibes.
Although most of her songs are considered “bratty,” Vee says she’s already going in a different direction regarding vulnerability and emotions. She doesn’t only write about her own experiences but the experiences around her. While she may not be facing heartbreak, she will find inspiration from her friends’ drama and heartbreak and be able to create music from there.
Mashup covers on YouTube are a staple to the genesis of Vee’s music career. Whether a song is stuck in her head or someone tells her she would sound good on a song, she goes right for it. Her guitarist, Will Gittens, is one of her biggest motivators regarding what she should cover. Freestyling over YouTube has also shaped her success today.
“I mainly have producers, and I actually live by YouTube beats,” she says. “I will never turn my back on YouTube beats because you can type how you’re feeling, and a beat will pop up. It’s much easier to write. I completely freestyle. A lot of the time, when you have a YouTube beat, it can be a Summer Walker-type beat, and I’ll title it ‘In My Feelings.’ I’ll write a song based on what I captioned it.”
Mari Vee, courtesy of Playbook MG
Growing up, Vee has always admired 1500 or Nothin and Jazze Pha’s beats. While mastering co-production, she had the opportunity to work with both producers, including Cash Cobain.
“I grew up listening to beats made by Jazze Pha,” Vee says. “We actually made a project together, which is really dope. I’ve worked with producers like Cash Cobain, and he’s very fire. If you’re not familiar, he does a lot of sample beats and has taken over with that. That helped me create the sound executed with ‘Better.’ I also worked with 1500 or Nothin. We made a vibe together. Everything was very organic, which I love.”
Over the next few years, more performances, bigger venues, and a more comprehensive range of collaborations are on Vee’s bucket list. So far, she’s performed at Rose Fest and smaller venues nationwide. She wants to collaborate with some male artists like Drake and A-Boogie Wit Da Hoodie and intertwine their music from a woman’s perspective.
“Catch a vibe,” Vee says. “Whether you’re in the car or the crib, put on some LED lights. If you have a drink, sip some wine and try to get in the mood to really feel what I’m saying.”
