More Than Solo
Marqueza returns to live performance, while turning to more collaborative creation.
By Thomas Crone
As Marqueza took the stage at Kilby Court in early March, the snow outside fell from well before showtime all through the set and deep into the evening. As few folks seemed to be braving the elements that evening, Marqueza and collaborator Adam Fuller played to relatively a small house—a few people drifting every few minutes, entering the venerable all-ages venue with heads topped by snow. It was an intimate show in some respects, the opening set of a three-act bill.
But it was a meaningful one for the performer, as well. Some outdoor shows last summer aside, this was the Japanese-Venezuelan artist's first full indoor show since the pandemic, and the crowd that was in-house was coaxed up to the stage by set's end. It's also a place that they've enjoyed playing since high school, so it was a good night, all things considered. A nice return to form.
"I'm the most happy onstage," Marqueza says, "and the most comfortable. I hope the people there enjoyed it."
In some respects, the night was an opportunity to highlight new songs and those with a bit of history. Alongside the keyboards and programming of Adam Fuller, Marqueza cited several songs as "very special," among them the track "Golden Hour." It's the SLC artist's latest single, distributed digitally through all of the usual channels.
In an email about the track, Marqueza adds that "Golden Hour is a deeply personal and experimental track that features a return to my signature darker and emotional R&B, with unique electronic elements, and a constantly evolving song structure that ends with a hopeful piano moment. I wrote 'Golden Hour' in the first year of the pandemic during a very lonely time when I hadn't had any physical contact with a loved one in months. I think many people will relate to aspects of the song that have to do with trying to hold on to goodness, light, and appreciating moments of joy no matter how fleeting, because nothing lasts forever."
Marqueza also notes that the cut is "a single that I fully wrote, produced, and recorded by myself."
Apparently, that's a thing of the past. At this point, collaborations are multiple. Fuller's a primary portion of that musical equation, having come into Marqueza's orbit when they performed onstage with Fuller's act Ivories at Urban Lounge just prior the pandemic. Together, Marqueza and Fuller have been writing and recording, with other ideas in progress or on deck.
"Yeah, I'm doing a lot more collaborations right now," Marqueza says. "I'm writing for another artist, and I'd always wanted to do more of that. I'm co-producing music with Adam. I'm writing music for a video game, which is random. And another goal has been to write for a sci-fi soundtrack or indie film. I'm trying to expand into all the little things I've wanted to do.
"The last little bit of time I've said that I'm a singer, a producer, a songwriter. And doing all of that by myself. Now's the time to table that for other things."
Though Marqueza will be recording over the next few months, some live shows—likely sans snow—will also take place around Salt Lake and nearby environs. With the recent Kilby date as a reminder, "I've missed playing at a venue. I hope to do that a lot more often."
"Golden Hour" is available on Spotify among most other platforms. There, you can also find a 34-track, self-curated playlist called This Is Marqueza. Further information can be found at the Linktree available through Marqueza's Instagram handle marqueza.music.
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