Before she would release her debut full-length album, Inside the Marble, singer-songwriter Margaux Bouchegnies had already developed a strong musical foundation that not only arrived fully formed but proved she was a sharp musician light years ahead of her peers. Known simply as Margaux, the Seattle-raised Brooklyn-based artist’s 2019 EP More Brilliant Is the Hand That Throws the Coin came about with the help of producer Sahil Ansari, who discovered Bouchegnies at her first show in 2018.
Tracks such as “Hot Faced” find complexity amid a copy-paste indie landscape, shifting between moods yet tying every element under a unifying theme. In the case of “Hot Faced,” her most popular song to date, she poses questions about the expectations set up against women like herself. “Can’t look me in the face, do I intimidate? / What’s your problem with me and feeling tall,” she asks on the bridge.
“I do love songwriting as a craft but I think a lot of the time it is something I turn to amidst a spike in emotion, whether that is rooted in heartbreak, dread, feelings of love, or angst… these things can feel so unruly inside,” said Bouchegnies. “Writing these songs has helped me gain a sense of direction and clarity in moments that have otherwise felt like complete internal chaos.”
Inside the Marble, a project where Bouchegnies navigates the unpredictability of becoming a young adult builds upon More Brilliant’s promising indie-folk and spotlights the sincerity within each line. Opener “DNA” is addressed to a certain someone, either unwilling or not wanting to reciprocate feelings. Like an open letter, she shares all her thoughts, all while finding new ways to distinguish each track from one another despite similar arrangements throughout. “I Can’t Decide” similarly encapsulates the dazed confusion following you when you’re 20, a testament to how Bouchegnies makes her experiences relatable to anyone and everyone.
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On top of having a gift for songwriting, Bouchegnies is also proficient in guitar and bass. The latter instrument, which steals the show multiple times on Inside the Marble, kept her busy while working on the album, serving as a touring bassist for artists like Katy Kirby and Dougie Poole. However, her solo material is where all her talents intersect, something evident before she began formally releasing songs. PJ Sauerteig, founder of Bouchegnies’ label Massif Records, noted how revelatory she was at her first show.
“Two or three songs in, everyone in the audience was looking around at each other, wide-eyed and aware that we were witnessing pure, timeless talent,” said Sauerteig. “The songwriting was just divine.”
Words: David Sosa
Inside the Marble by Margaux was released on June 7, 2024, and is available to stream. For more on new music and potential shows, follow her on Instagram and Bandcamp.
