Marilyn Extracts Lush Sound From Fantasy On “Violet”
We’re not built to wait. If we can imagine something, we tend to want it immediately, pushing to extract as much from it as quickly as possible. That impulse is true for all of life, including the ways we connect with other people. Yet sometimes, a connection is better left in the realm of fantasy. Never fully realized, just suspended in possibility rather than resolution. Our imaginations carry none of the burdens or complications of reality, and in letting it run freely, we preserve the shape of what we might otherwise diminish by making it real.
On “Violet,” the new single from dynamic musician Marilyn, that sense of unrealized fantasy takes shape as an entrancing composition. Also selected as an entry for this year’s Tiny Desk contest, it comes to life as an intimate expression full of radiant emotion and shimmering resonance.
“Met her last night in my dreams,” Marilyn opens over a lush groove that drifts into a welcoming reverie, stirring the senses. The figure gradually comes into focus as the song moves along, adorned with inked skin, fussy hair, and a captivating presence. “It’s getting harder to stare,” comes the realization before a chorus ripples forth with tantalizing passion: “It’s getting harder to hide it\ And now I just can’t deny it.”
The video finds Marilyn performing with simmering fervor alongside a tight ensemble–Scott Brindley on guitar, Milo McAdams on drums, Steve Cherian on bass, and Mason Timberline on keys–elevating the song’s shimmering atmosphere into a glamorous and spellbinding affair. As the track builds toward its peak, the emotion intensifies, pushing the vocals into a heated release that amplifies its desiring fascination.
The origin of “Violet” comes from a writing assignment for a creative writing class. While building a fictional character, Marilyn took inspiration from a real-life connection that had quickly taken over the artist’s thoughts. During the writing process with background music playing, lyrics and melody started to form, leading to the creation of the song. “Violet is a song about finding the person of your dreams and keeping them there,” Marilyn stated in a social media post detailing the songwriting process. “We wanted it to embody the feeling of yearning. An idea, a fantasy, personified. A feeling we all can relate to.”
This latest track comes after Marilyn’s 2025 EP Don’t Have A Face, which included earlier singles like the melodically sly “Cat In A Cage” and the sauntering “Girl, My Girl,” as well as a striking visual for the defiant track “Sinner.” Since debuting in 2020 with “Vibe With Me,” Marilyn has steadily built a remarkable alt-pop catalog, highlighted by the 2022 album Luxury, earning a reputation as one of Richmond’s most distinctive voices. That presence stays clear even when collaborating with notable musicians like jnthn (2025’s “Motion), Johnny Ciggs (“Everything” from 2025’s Fine Dining), and AR.LO (“WHAT AM I DOING” from 2023’s 202).
Watch the video for “Violet” below and make sure to follow Marilyn on social media and bookmark her website so you don’t miss any of her music releases or concert announcements.
