Mermaid
Iridescence
OUT NOW
CONTACT:
ROSIE BOYD // PUBLICIST
LYDIA KRUMPER // PUBLICIST
‘Iridescence’ can mean a few things: "a lustrous rainbow-like play of color." It can also refer to divine timing or a visual shift according to one’s perspective. Iridescence is also the debut album from Mermaid – the Los Angeles-based duo comprising singer-songwriters Brittany Campbell and Candace Quarrels, who, in their once-in-a-lifetime partnership, build stunning, genre-defying compositions out of sublime harmonies and a true, unabiding love for each other.
Even the most eyebrow-raising skeptic will believe in soulmates upon hearing Campbell and Quarrels’ story. After individually winding their way through the worlds of theater and Broadway (appearing in major shows such as A Christmas Carol and The Book Of Mormon, respectively), the duo met while starring in the Chicago production of Hamilton: An American Musical. "We both played Schuyler sisters in the show, so we were singing together a lot," Quarrels says. "And we were like, 'This is such a cool sound. I've never blended with anyone like this.'"
As Campbell and Quarrels discovered their musical and relationship compatibility, they picked up and moved to Los Angeles. As Mermaid, the pair channel their joint love for “genreless” artists and albums that refuse to be slotted under one umbrella. “We really want to expand the gamut of sounds that Black people are usually expected to explore,” Campbell says. “We just want to do whatever we want to do, whenever we want to do it. We both love rock music; we love R&B; we love old soul. When the inspiration hits, we go there. The point is to expand the imagination and make our world feel boundless.”
Though Mermaid’s momentum briefly stalled in 2020 due to the global pandemic, their song “Find Me” was handpicked by Alabama Shakes’ Brittany Howard for NPR's Tiny Desk Top Shelf contest. "When I heard their voices, I was absolutely -- they had me the whole song,” Howard said in 2020. “It's something really moving, and it cleared my mind for a moment."
The 11-track Iridescence, the majority of which Mermaid recorded in their Highland Park home studio, captures their "boundless" intention, and then some. Teaming up with co-producer Sam Hoffman (Mereba, Durand Bernarr), Mermaid infuses Iridescence with tones ranging from soul and R&B (such as the undulating “Broken Silence” featuring saxophonist Braxton Cook, which moves with jazz-funk flourish and gives off eerie, ominous vibes), plus alt-rock, jazz, punk, pop, and metal. Regardless of what sonic shade Iridescence adopts, it is seamlessly held together by Mermaid’s transcendent harmonies.
When speaking of their producer and collaborator, whom they discovered upon hearing his work with Mereba and Durand Bernarr, Campbell and Quarrels beam with pride. "Sam, he works with Mereba and Durand — two artists who we really love," Quarrels says. “They play with sound and genre a lot. That's been our main focus: finding someone who's open to playing with us. We started working with Sam in 2020, and the relationship has since grown in the most beautiful way. He's our brother,” Quarrels continues. “He and Brittany as a producing duo are sick — they just read each other's minds. Britney will produce a demo that is the core of the sound of the song... then we'll take that song to Sam to flesh it out. A lot of the time, he'll take the track and completely flip it on its head, and then the three of us will meet in the middle.”
On the slick, funk-driven “Wanna Be Your Lover,” Campbell and Quarrels send out an invitation to become more than just friends. “We wanted to write a straight-up love song,” Campbell says of “Wanna Be Your Lover.” “(Both) Our parents deeply love some ‘70s Motown, so it spoke to the sounds we grew up listening to — definitely what I associate with a love song. It makes you happy, it's groovy, it makes you want to move. It definitely feels like home.”
Campbell continues: “It's very influenced by Marvin Gaye and that time period. Sam enhanced the psychedelic qualities in the sound, and he brought out the trippiness of falling in love and how being in that state of mind can make you feel like you're tripping balls.”
Later, on the propulsive, riot grrrl-inspired “Disassociate,” Mermaid rage(s) against patriarchal forces. Describing “Disassociate” as “one big, loud sigh” that they hope will “inspire a feeling of freedom.” To that end, it's clear Mermaid were rocking out to Le Tigre while creating "Disassociate," which blasts in with high-pitched, punchy sing-chants before smoothing out with cooing harmony. Anyone hitting "play" on "Disassociate" will feel inspired to throw up horns and curse the patriarchy.
Finally, on the vocally ambitious “Purr,” Mermaid create(s) a grooving, tip-toeing soul-jazz fusion that merges into a confident, sonically experimental stomp. “‘Purr’ started with our cat Splatt— it was 4am and she came into the room,” Quarrels explains. “She has this very loud, deep purr, so I began recording it. And it developed into this silly song that we've mumbled over for a long time without knowing what it was about for the longest time.”
“This was in 2019. Then George Floyd happened, and that's when the lyrics came to be,” Campbell picks up. “It's a song that started off quite playfully but became more so about what was happening in the world and being stuck inside the house and ingesting all this darkness through Instagram. Even outside of the pandemic, it’s about feeling stuck and seeing everything that's happening in the world and wanting to scream about it all the time... But also feeling like there's nothing you can do and that the powers that be aren't listening as much as they pretend to be. It’s a song about being lost and stuck in the system."
"This album is for anyone seeking the catharsis of a scream, a sigh, a moan, or a triumphant shout. Mermaid should be a space that feels boundless and free,” the pair concludes. “Mermaid is a journey in love, openness, and friendship. It’s us having fun and sharing our hearts.” Indeed, with its genre-rich format, free-spirited intention, and transcendent harmonies, Iridescence is a thoughtful and joyful work of art that invites listeners to share in Mermaid's love.