Molly O’Leary charts the highs and lows of their own formidable (and ongoing) journey towards healing, self-acceptance, and self-actualization. Marigold was recorded in Nashville with producer (and Grammy-nominated songwriter in his own right) Will Hoge. As O’Leary explains in their interview, the pair met while performing together and strike up a friendship. O’Leary, hailing from New Bedford, MA, is an endlessly creative spirit whose work is imbued with both candor and tenderness. Marigold will be out on February 23rd.
Does your album have an overarching theme?
Yes, my album does have an overarching theme because it’s about a recent time I had in therapy, and I sort of mapped it out in sections. The first section includes tracks one through four, which are about the heavy stuff that I dived into during therapy. A lot of the lyrics are about things related to anxiety and PTSD, for example. The second section focuses on friendship and how me and my friends were helping each other heal. The third section is brief and just has one song and an interlude that for me represents how healing isn’t linear – there are bumps along the way. The fourth section is about romantic love – classic, I know. The fifth section reflects on my family and things that we’ve been through together. And the final section is the final song. It’s about self-actualization, self-acceptance, and ultimately finding peace.
What’s the first concert you ever attended? What do you remember about it?
My mom took me to see Green Day when I was like 9 or 10. They were touring for American Idiot, and it was WILD. I felt like I was watching a rated R movie with my mom, which was cool but also really awkward at times hahaha. Billie Joe is insane. I grew up listening to punk rock and even though I don’t necessarily play punk rock (yet), a goal of mine is to find ways to get that raw energy into my music more. It’s always been very inspiring to me.
Tell us about your favorite show you’ve ever played.
So far, my favorite show was in April of 2022 when I opened up for Will Hoge and Geoff Rickly in Boston. I felt so lucky to get that opening slot, and everyone was SO nice to me. I was extremely nervous all day, but then it melted away when I got on stage. The audience was electric and also super loving. That’s the show that then led to Will Hoge producing this record and to a friendship with Will that I really value.
How are you using your platform to support marginalized people?
I try to learn and stay informed continuously. I try to post and share resources online and in person. I’m also a therapist, so I think that background helps. And I surround myself with friends that really care about human rights. We have a little community called the Wicked Queer Puppet Theater, and we all come together to play music and put on puppet shows that are social justice themed.
How do you feel your coming out journey plays into your music?
Coming out feels like a continuous journey for me. I started coming out a couple years ago, and I have a song on my upcoming album called “J Walker” that feels like a very big public coming out moment. I get scared sometimes because the hate messages suck. I don’t enjoy being told by mean people that I shouldn’t use they/them pronouns because they say it’s “gross” or whatever. But music makes me feel like I have a super power. It makes me feel like I can be my true self and say what I need to say. So I’m excited to put that song out because even when the mean comments come, the song will outweigh that for me.
Marigold will be out on February 23rd.