Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter Ada Marques has released her pragmatic single “Napkin.”
The new track, written as a letter to herself, scribbled onto a napkin by the cynical side of her personality, takes a candid look at the seclusion, sadness, and self-hate we buried underneath our surface and mask from our peers. Recorded during an impromptu writing session between Marques and Grammy-nominated producer Chris Reynolds, held during an out-of-the-ordinary Los Angeles rainstorm, the song mirrors the melancholy atmosphere of the unexpected weather sonically. Intentionally unsettling, the song finds Marques asking herself, “Darling can’t you see, they wouldn’t care less if you leave,” before building into a heartbreaking one-liner in the chorus, where she admits, “…if I’m honest, I’m never truly honest, with anyone but myself.”
Like her debut single, “Bell,” “Napkin” emphasizes Marques’ intention to use her music as a resource to highlight and normalize conversations regarding self-worth, intrusive thoughts, and other important mental health topics. Marques admits that as an only child, she lived in her own head at times, creating worlds and stories that entertained her. She also understands that, as a result, she has a propensity to overthink. Her inclination to pay forward the reassurance she received from her mentors in her life and the inspiration she found in other female musicians she looked up to can be traced back to the loneliness and solitude that she sometimes felt growing up. By encouraging her listeners and peers to take a concentrated look at how relationships, both with others and with ourselves, can distort our self-image and impact the way we approach our future, Marques has allowed her music to serve as the basis of a highly interactive and supportive community, who’s rapidly grown on TikTok and Instagram followers to 12,000 and 15,500 respectively.
Her tendency to lean towards shyness also propelled a level of intimacy with songwriting that is unique and different from most people. At times, her relationship with music felt as vital to her as other people’s connection to their best friend. Music made her feel alive and loved, and she couldn’t get enough of it. Each night, while her aunt was away at work, Marques would sneak into her bedroom and spend hours sampling and studying each of the albums in her CD collection, connecting emotionally with each artist she discovered including Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez, and Stevie Nicks. “The way they would write their stories so plainly and bluntly yet gracefully inspired me,” she admits, noting their influence on her own style of songwriting. Uncovering Taylor Swift’s debut album, Marques realized for the first time that songs don’t just happen; they’re created by musicians. Instantly, she was inspired to try and unlock her abilities as a storyteller.
From that moment on, she began writing about everything around her, from family and friends, to whatever she’d seen on her ride home, watched on TV, or recently read. As she grew up and navigated high school, boys, and the dramas surrounding both, she realized that songwriting was an outlet that kept her sane and helped release her emotions. With the encouragement from a mentor and the inspiration of other female musicals she had always looked up to, Marques began considering releasing her music to the public. It was the dream she had always been passionate about but too afraid to explore.
“Napkin” is now available to download and stream on digital platforms worldwide.
You can stay updated on what Ada Marques has to come by following her TikTok and Instagram @adatheband.