Following the acclaimed release of her 2024 studio album PIVOTAL and a streak of four consecutive Top 10 club hits, Denise Marsa continues to push boundaries. The celebrated singer-songwriter and keyboardist has officially renewed her partnership with BMG US Music, reinforcing a global commitment to her Marsa Music catalog. This renewed agreement strengthens support for licensing, sync opportunities, and broader visibility through BMG’s expansive international network.

At the heart of this new phase is Marsa’s latest track, “RAINBOW (Until Dawn Remix),” which recently soared to #9 on the UK Music Week Commercial Pop Dance Chart. More than just a club hit, the single has become a rallying cry for resilience and radical self-acceptance—just in time for Pride 2025. With its vibrant energy and liberating message, RAINBOW (Until Dawn Remix) is now streaming worldwide—a bright, defiant anthem for anyone marching to the beat of their own truth.

Below, we caught up with Denise Marsa to talk about her creative process, the meaning behind RAINBOW, and what’s next for her music.

Your music often touches on deep emotional themes. How do you tap into such vulnerability when creating songs, and how do you maintain a sense of self-care in the process?

For me, expressing myself is self-care. I tend to think vulnerability is a bit overrated. There, I said it. I grew up at a time when vulnerability was seen as a weakness. Through certain experiences and relationships, I was able to allow that part of me to come through via my music. I think having a good amount of self-value is essential for all of us, and especially for artists, as we can be judged or criticized,  so we must stand our ground and be proud of our work. I am of the thought that one’s pains or disappointments are intended for them. They are there to provide growth and insight, they are personal and the world does not need to know exactly what happened, however, they will feel it through the music you write and share. Music has many purposes, and people listen to it for different reasons. 

What role does collaboration play in your creative process? Can you share an example of a memorable collaboration and how it shaped your music?

In the writing of the song, it is strictly a loner process. I often close myself off for as long as it takes to write and record the first demo of the song. That can be for a few hours or a few days. All my production collaborations are memorable, because no matter what the process, we end up with a larger idea, or a more versatile idea – as others have contributed their influences. There are times when we go through many versions or updates, going back and forth, and there have been times when there were very few. Like Dry Spell on PIVOTAL, which was the last song I wrote that made it on the album. It was a very spontaneous moment that sticks out the most of all the songs written for the album. I wrote the song in like 20 minutes on a mini Casio keyboard (12 keys), and then I collaborated with a new neighbor in West Hollywood who just happened to have a great home studio set-up with an amazing microphone (a Sennheiser e935) and a Roland Fantom X7 keyboard with an inspiring piano sound and feel.  I collaborated with Anton Uhl, the owner of the equipment, and of course with the equipment itself. I loved singing into that microphone and it was the perfect song to feature it on. It was a first take through the entire performance, the only one on the album. That moment stands out for me and how my heart was beating the entire time. I listened back, Anton said wow, and I said, we’re done. 

You’ve been able to maintain a sense of authenticity throughout your career. How do you stay true to yourself in an industry that’s constantly evolving and full of external pressures?

I do my best to not pay much attention to external pressures, at least at this stage, and I am very aware of my relevance within my circle and what my work represents to others in my life. I am also always looking to evolve. I like the fact that all my songs have a sound or sense of their own, as do the albums. By not defining oneself, one is more able to evolve. I have never been one to define my work in words. Genre is just a word, and I cross and play with genres. It’s more fun and interesting. 

As an artist who constantly reinvents her sound, do you ever feel any pressure to live up to the expectations of your past work, or is it more freeing to explore new territory?

No expectations as my artistry is not confined like that, as I do not have a huge following of fans demanding things, thankfully. Maybe my work attracts similar types of people, who care little for labels and boxes. And yes exploring new territory is freeing. You can explore, visit, stay, and leave or never leave. It’s what makes you comfortable and gives your life meaning and purpose with anything you do. How you dress, what you cook and eat, the people you hang with, and even your hairstyle. Permanent is a temporary word,  in a way. We are not permanent on this earth. 

Many artists find inspiration in their personal experiences. How much of PIVOTAL is drawn from your own life, and how do you balance personal storytelling with universal appeal?

PIVOTAL is much more universal than any of my other albums. Also less personal. I put myself into other people’s shoes as I wrote it and began to make up scenarios and stories that fueled my imagination by going into ‘what if’ overdrive.  It was written during the pandemic when I was producing live performances for streaming events at a nearby Episcopal church and I was surrounded by all sorts of energies, and musicians, in fact, more types of energies than I had been around in a long time. I also worked with the Lautstumm Studio team in Germany who were closed off too and experiencing the pandemic in their way, so we all just zeroed in on our talents, the music, and its potential, and the album took on a life of its own. 

You’ve been in the music industry for some time now. Looking back, what’s one lesson you’ve learned that you wish you could tell your younger self when starting out?

Have a well-respected lawyer look at all your contracts. Not just a manager, but an experienced lawyer.

How does your creative process look when you begin working on new material? Are there particular rituals or places that inspire your songwriting?

It is very spontaneous and it often hits me so hard that I stop everything and go to the keyboard. Very physical, euphoric, and visceral. It’s almost trance-like, and it usually happens very quickly. I can always tell when a song is brewing. Recently it’s been songs for my 5th album RISK + HEAL, which we hope to release in the fall of 2025. 

Your voice is a key element in your music. How do you approach your vocal technique and performance to ensure that it conveys the emotion and story you want to tell?

It’s strange. Initially, I separate myself as a songwriter when I write, and secondly comes my singing. I think that mainly happens because when I first got started in the music business people were highlighting my voice and defining me as a singer. I would always be like a bit of a child.  They’d say “singer”, and I’d add in,  no matter who it was, “songwriter.” I was a broken record and finally, after all the bratiness, I was heard and people started calling me a singer-songwriter. There is a distinction. I turn into the singer when I am laying down my vocals or at the microphone, working on the lyrics and melody as I sing and record. There are times I have to work my voice to do what the song needs, as the songwriter in me is dictating the melody, so I have to increase my range or do something vocally I have not done before. So my strength as a singer grows and I don’t remain static. That for me also creates new emotions which become part of the story. I stretch myself constantly. Am I two different people? I can clearly understand the art of both singing and writing a song, and by separating myself, perhaps I am better at both. I respect them each separately.

In your career, you’ve had the chance to evolve and experiment with different sounds. Are there any genres or musical styles you’ve yet to explore that you’d like to incorporate in future projects?

This question has inspired me, thank you! It got me thinking. I would love to record an album or two as instrumentals, with various instruments playing the melodies I would otherwise sing. I am currently working on a song I wrote quite a few years ago called City Skies and I want to put it on the next album. All the other songs are very new and I am currently working with my frequent collaborator Paul A. Harvey on a string arrangement (cello, violins, violas, 12-string guitar) of the song, with the strings as the main instruments and my voice being supported by them. 

With everything you’ve accomplished, what do you hope your legacy as an artist will be? What do you want your music to say to future generations of listeners?

What a wonderful question. As a woman who stood up for herself, and her equality, as a young artist and as a mature artist– and not accepting and/or questioning why there are so many lines drawn between the two. I was always an inquisitive child, my mom constantly told me this. I like to question the status quo. As a woman who did things her way and made her reality as a woman, as a business person, and as an indie artist with a record label.  One who did not fall prey to the trappings of the music business, and as someone who believed in the integrity of her art.  The music itself is what I stand for and I hope it will inspire people to do whatever is it they wish to do. Never give up on dreams and always do what you have to do. Your life will be fuller.