Jorge Rico
On her 2022 single "Back To The Sea," Marem Ladson sang of burning fires and tear-soaked dancefloor encounters in a deceptively lowkey style, her sound floating somewhere between folky confessional and feather-lite R&B. The hurt in the lyrics to that song was palpable, with Ladson detailing the physical effects in bombastic style while harnessing an admirable restraint at the same time.
Ladson uses that same cool detachment on "Idontcare," the lead single from her upcoming EP Baby Light. The singer-songwriter, who was born in Spain but currently lives in New York, pares back her words this time around as she excavates her own identity and works through a myriad of feelings regarding her father, who was absent for much of her childhood.
"Wasted so much time, sorry it turned out this way. Waiting for the words you will never say," she sings over the top of gently strummed guitar chords. It's a song that feels as if it is delivered from an increasing distance, where certain feelings have dissipated but the sight in the rearview mirror is still clear.
Speaking to The FADER via email, Ladson said, "'Idontcare' is about forgiveness and reconciliation. It’s about having the strength to finally be able to face the past and heal. I recorded this song and the entire project with my band in a remote studio in the mountains near to Barcelona. Being alone in such an isolated place, with just my closest collaborators, helped me process and embrace certain feelings I had been avoiding for a long time.“
Ladson is currently on tour supporting Nick Hakim. Their run of shows together kicks off tonight in Detroit. See below for dates.
Marem Ladson live dates
July 11 - Detroit, MI - El Club *
July 12 - Toronto, ON - Axis (Collective) *
July 15 - Woodstock, NY - Levon Helms Studio *
July 21 - Baltimore, MD - Ottobar *
July 22 - Cleveland, OH - Grog Shop *
July 23 - Pittsburgh, PA - Thunderbird *
August 10 - Mallorca, ES - Hotel Corazón
September 8 - Ferrol, EW - Nachiños Fest
*with Nick Hakim