Victoria Martonne Opens Up about “MC2,” Tone, and Her Use of Themes

“MC2,” the new single/music video from singer-songwriter Victoria Martonne, merges plush layers of indie-pop tinted with hints of gospel flavors.

Highlighted by Martonne’s eloquent lyricism, a significant feature of all her songs, Martonne reveals, “Lyrically, my goal is to always say something meaningful to me; I want to sing about something thought-provoking and at times sarcastic.”

Martonne arrived in 2019, with the release of “Expectations,” followed by a series of singles. In 2021, she dropped her debut EP, Stages of a Platonic Relationsh*t.

Guitar Girl Magazine caught up with Victoria Martonne to discuss the inspiration for “MC2,” her definition of tone, and her writing process.

What three things can’t you live without?

My family (including my cats), nature, and food ha-ha.

Why do you make music?

I write mainly for myself, it’s like journaling but with a melody. Writing songs is how I am able to channel and express my feelings freely.

What inspired your new single/music video, “MC2?”

I wrote ‘MC2’ for a music production class, but I ended up loving it so much I decided to make it a single. I got inspiration from quotes and scenes from TV shows and films, for instance ‘Say I’m your forever girl when I call you baby’ I got from the show ‘Avatar’ and ‘I’ll spot the hell out of your mind I’ll be your Tangerine’ from the film ‘The Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind.’ Of course, I also added personal bits to it and that’s literally how the song starts, by saying I would rather make small talk with this person than not talk to them at all. It’s very playful but I meant every word so it’s a flirty song, basically my way of telling this person I knew we liked each other. The name of the song makes reference to the theory of special relativity and how mass and energy interact developed by Albert Einstein. I used a little poetic license to say something I firmly believe in – you can’t fake energy.

How did you get started in music?

I started writing songs just for fun when I was 6 years old, they weren’t necessarily good though, but I loved it. When I was 14, I got my first guitar and that’s when I began to compose more diverse and interesting melodies. Lyrics-wise I would say it went from very surface-level bubble gum pop to more personal writing and even cultural references.

Which singers/musicians influenced your sound?

I love Colbie Caillat and Taylor Swift for their lyrical influence on me. In regard to melodic inspiration, I’m more eclectic; It goes from Katy Perry to Bastille, Billie Eilish, and Birdy.

What kind of guitar do you play?

I play both acoustic and electric.

What is your definition of tone? And is your tone evolving?

My definition of tone is the feeling something or someone evokes within me. What does my audience feel when listening to my music or seeing my image, what do I represent to them? I would say music-wise my tone is changing and developing into something more ‘free.’ By that I mean I’m not looking for specific genres or styles, I let each song have its own identity, sound, and emotion. With ‘MC2’ the vibe is dreamier and summery, whereas my next single will be more somber with rock influences. To summarize, my tone really depends on my mood ha-ha.

How do you keep your sound consistent on stage?

I think what helps me keep my sound consistent and with a firm identity that reflects my personality is definitely my lyrics. My songs will always have irreverent verses which is how I incorporate my sense of humor into them. I also tend to write in a 6/8-time signature, which my producer recently pointed out and I found it very interesting.

What inspires your writing? Do you draw inspiration from poems, music, TV, or other media?

I love using all of those sources for inspiration. Like I mentioned above, I used so many media and historical references for ‘MC2.’ I feel that when you source from materials that are already great, you are enriching your art even more. I also love using book references or even picking a theme for the song. I realize that lately, I’ve been picking a specific theme which I base the song around. For instance, ‘MC2’ was heavily inspired by the theme of energy, and everything/everyone related to it. For my previous songs like ‘Therapy,’ I focused on self-exploration and questioning; whereas for ‘Count Them Down,’ I focused on my imaginary crushes.

What can you share about your writing process?

I usually sing out loud a phrase to first get a sense of the melody (I write both lyrics and melody at the same time). It comes to me very naturally and sometimes all it takes is a phrase or a feeling to inspire my writing. Then I usually get my guitar to experiment with chords and I’ll begin writing verse by verse. Most times, I write the song chronologically, it is easier for me to come up with a chorus when I already have the verses ready.

Which artists in your opinion are killing it right now?

I admire Olivia Rodrigo for experimenting with different genres and for her honest lyrics as well as Devon Cole, Haim, and Taylor Swift. I also love Bastille; they are my favorite band. I still listen to a lot of Brazilian early 2000s music which is called MPB; I love their sound and I think even 20 years later they are still killing it.

How do you define success?

The definition of success changed for me throughout the years. I put success on a pedestal, and it was exhausting because it felt like whatever I did was never enough. Today, success to me means being proud of myself for always trying my best and overcoming my fears as well as feeling at peace.

What can your fans look forward to over the next six months? Music videos? Live gigs? New material?

I’m working on my first album, so I’m very excited about that! It has 9 songs, including ‘MC2.’ My next single and its music video, which will also be a part of the album, will be released at the beginning of 2024.

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