From West End chorus line to global record deal

Singer Marisha Wallace shares new singles and announces new album 'Tomorrow'

MUSICAL POWERHOUSE Marisha Wallace announces a double single release, ‘Before I Go’ and ‘Climb Every Mountain’, out now. The tracks are taken from her upcoming debut Decca album, ‘Tomorrow’ out on 27th November.

Marisha’s first album is packed with uplifting show songs and sing-along pop classics, performed with love and emotion. A delightful force of nature, she is set to light up the Winter months with her sheer positivity and joy!

Marisha’s personal story runs parallel with the world’s current affairs. Having suffered from Covid-19 herself, she spent her recovery putting together a version of the classic ‘Tomorrow’ to raise funds for those in the theatre industry affected by lockdown.

Eventually recruiting half of Broadway, the West End, and a host of drag queens to join the video, she independently released the track, which ended up on the Radio 2 playlist and landed the No.2 spot on the download charts. Now, with a global record deal under her belt, full of hope and excitement for the future, Marisha presents a very personal album of passionately recorded songs that hold a special place in her heart.

Marisha’s close family member, struggling with Mental Health issues, tried to commit suicide during lockdown.

Knowing he could have died was a heavy experience for Marisha and the track ‘Purple Rain’ really resonated with her around that time, she feels it helped their healing and gave her a sense of hope, which she wanted to share on ‘Tomorrow’.

The track ‘Alive’ (written by Adele and Sia) and ‘Before I Go’ represent pride, inner strength and empowerment. She felt passionately that there should be strong female representation on the album and the original tracks are all written by women – ‘Free’ is written by JinJin, ‘Divine’ by Camille Purcell and ‘Faith’ by Natasha Bedingfield.

Marisha is a true advocate for strong black women all over the world, urging them to be open about body image and mental health awareness.

Growing up on a farm in a small rural town in North Carolina, Marisha’s mother worked in a nearby factory while her father helped build the neighbourhood church.

#It was in that church that her grandmother saw a gift in Marisha and encouraged her to showcase that amazing voice.

Just before her grandmother sadly passed away from cancer, she asked Marisha to be her voice during her illness, and to this day, Marisha sings with compassion resonating in every note. 

Marisha landed her first job in the touring company of the biggest musical of the day, Book of Mormon.

The tour was a smash, making a name for Marisha and earning her first Broadway role in Aladdin.

While working on a new production with the legendary Stephen Schwartz of Godspell and Wicked fame, her dream role finally came within reach: the producers of the West End production of Dreamgirls starring Glee’s Amber Riley in the role of Effie, called Marisha in to be her alternate.

Just like that, Marisha’s bags were packed, and she was on a plane to London. 

She says: “My West End debut was crazy as I had to learn the whole show in five days! It was a bit demoralising to start with.

“I watched Amber and every time they went, “Here’s Effie…” there would be this huge ovation.

“Then when I did the part and they went, “Here’s Effie…” there was silence. No one knew who I was. But by the end of ‘And I’m Telling You…’, the whole crowd stood up and wouldn’t stop applauding even though they didn’t know who I was.

“And British people don’t give everyone a standing ovation, especially before half-time drinks!”

‘Tomorrow’ is out on Decca Records on 27th November.

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