Marié Digby is a breath of fresh air to the music industry.
If you’re already familiar with Digby, then you’ve probably seen her on YouTube. Digby filmed many videos in her living room of just her singing and strumming her guitar. She became yet another YouTube phenomenon, was signed by a record company and lived happily ever after.
Or did she? It turns out that Digby was first discovered in 2004 when she won the Pantene Pro-Voice Music Competition with her song, “Miss Invisible.” By the end of 2005, she had signed a deal with Hollywood Music.
After this point, controversy arose. Some claim Digby’s YouTube account was a viral promotional technique on Hollywood Record’s behalf to gain her notoriety before the release of her album. Digby claims she filmed and uploaded videos onto iTunes as her own desperate attempt after her record company wouldn’t promote her.
I like to believe Digby’s side of the story, the side of a girl with raw talent and complete likability who wanted to bring her music out to the world. The fairy tale where the princess sticks it to the big record company.
On her blog, Digby calls the release date of her album, “Unfold,” “one of the happiest days of her life.”
“It is the moment in which all of the hours I spent writing songs in the dark after my family went to sleep, all of the days that I spent at the open mics – waiting my turn to sing my song, all of the countless years I spent praying and dreaming that my music would be heard by people around the world … all of this comes to life,” Digby said. At the same time of Digby’s big break, I was experiencing one of the saddest moments of my life. I discovered that Michelle Branch, one of my favorite female artists’ was ditching a solo career to form a duet. Sure, she still made music, but it wasn’t the same.
But soon after, I was delighted to find Digby, who can fill the hole Michelle Branch left in the heart of my iTunes collection.
Digby’s innocent, sweet voice is whatever she makes it to be. In a ballad like “Spell,” Digby is soulful and enchanting. In an upbeat pop number like “Stupid For You,” her voice is perky and cheery.
The single from the CD, “Say It Again,” has a light and pretty tone reminiscent of the Corrs with an upbeat nature which clings happily to the air.
“Miss Invisible” is one of Digby’s first original songs. The autobiographical content recounts her experience not fitting in high school. When she sings “There’s a girl / Who sits under the bleachers / Just another day eating alone / And though she smiles / There is something just hiding,” its something of which many females can identify.
This is no love song, but rather a song of support to all the young women struggling with finding their identity.
The disappointment of the album is
“Unfold” is available on iTunes as a bonus track version. The 14 track album is only $6.99, a bargain in the music industry today. All in all, it’s full of great tunes to celebrate spring.
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