Natalie Merchant is an adult contemporary singer best known for her socially conscious lyrics and gentle vocal style. She grew up in upstate New York and joined 10,000 Maniacs at 17. After seven albums and commercial success, she left the band and released her first solo record Tigerlilly in 1995. She is also a social activist, performing at benefit concerts and receiving the ASCAP Foundation's Champion Award. Her ninth solo record, Keep Your Courage, will be released in 2023.
About the Song: Natalie Merchant often wrote about social justice issues and the struggle to do the right thing. Break Your Heart calls out to young people not to give up hope. We all reach an age where the weight of the world can bring us down. To Merchant, this dissolution is universal. But she tells us we’re not alone and to keep going.
About the Song: Carnival is the most well-known song by Natalie Merchant. It played all over the radio in the mid-90s on college and contemporary stations. The song has a somewhat casual rhythm featuring hand drums. As global vibes were hip at the time, the tune had mass appeal. It’s also one of those great happy-sad songs. The lyrics might be a little doubtful, but the music is chill and upbeat.
About the Song: Merchant wrote Ladybird after a lapse in songwriting. She fell in love, got married, had a child, and then divorced. As a result, she learned some hard lessons about falling in and out of love.