Mariel Loveland said she’s inspired by “confusing people.”
As lead singer and lyricist for New York/New Jersey-based band Candy Hearts, this confusion mirrored her indecisiveness while trying to figure out a career path.
“From high school, I was into being an artist, and then I changed my mind to become a journalist, and then a poet,” she said.
“Through all those mind changes, I was always doing this. Music was always the constant.”
Emerging as a small, tight-knit group who met in college, Loveland is joined by Kris Hayes on guitar, Christian Migliorese on bass and Matt Ferraro on drums.
Lyrically and sonically, Loveland pulls inspiration from 90s alternative and other pop bands, such as Taylor Swift and Demi Lovato.
Loveland continues to keep her inspirations grounded to her own life, however.
“Certainly, everything I write about is very, very true,” said Loveland.
As any songwriter, writer’s block occurs at the worst and most inconvenient times, but Loveland finds a way to overcome this obstacle with experiences and bursts of inspiration.
“Writer’s block is really difficult for me. Every record we write, I’ll stay in the same spot for months and months and it will drive me crazy. Then something will happen, and I will write like four songs in a row,” she said.
“I try to write with only myself – I take a lot of walks, and experience a lot of things that would make me want to write about it.”
Candy Hearts focuses lyrically on experiences that have impacted Loveland’s life, and the people who surround her.
“Most of the songs I write are about boys, loneliness, and personal struggle. Nervousness and things that have happened with people,” she said.
“[I get nervous about] really, honestly, everything. You can never really tell what people mean – there can be certain kinds of people who you get involved with and never really say what they mean.”
The band’s tour to Canada, and scheduled arrival in Ottawa on Nov. 10 is met by high anticipation between the band members. They will be able to play music from their upcoming new EP, The Best Ways to Disappear, out on Nov. 6.
“We’ve never toured in Canada before and we’re dying to go, all of our friends have one by one been going over there before us, and we just want to go so badly,” Loveland said.
You can find Loveland sitting in her touring mini-van shortly preceding her performance, warming up to a record from beginning to end, visualizing her fans “driving around or traveling to my music,” being the same mindset she creates her songs in.
In terms of Candy Hearts and Loveland’s future in the music scene, the future is bright.
“It’s hard for me to say what I will feel like tomorrow. I want to keep chucking forward with what we’re doing — touring and putting out records.”
