Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Urban Scarlet . We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Urban Scarlet , appreciate you joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

Leilani: Music has always been a part of my life which has allowed me incredible opportunities to engage in various projects: from performing with my family in a three- generational Hawaiian band, to performing with various musical, multicultural and vocal groups ranging in genres from rock/pop, indie, rap/hip-hop, gospel/church, jazz and classical. Now, as a member of Urban Scarlet, I have been able to truly dive into various aspects of my individual, musical identity as part of this amazing group of women. Urban Scarlet, by far, has been one of the most impactful musical projects because it has given me the space to explore creativity in a unique way–with women who share the same passion as I do—of storytelling through songwriting and being able to share this with others in the performing communities throughout NYC. It is through Urban Scarlet that I can truly and unapologetically be myself creatively, artistically, and as part of an incredible group of badass women who can ABSOLUTELY ROCK with our instruments and voices, collectively.

Marie: I second Leilani. I think part of the reason we came together was that there was a commonality that music was already an important part of our lives and we were ready to share our stories just at the right time. Bringing our experiences together into one vessel of expression has been inspirational. And to share a bit of my individual experience, before the formulation of this band I was always into different types of music – studying different stuff, and generally pursuing this quality of multitudinousity. It felt isolating trying to find my footing because I had so many different toes in different waters, and I was trying to fit into a singular role and musical identity. At the same time, I didn’t like being labeled as one “type” of musician: “the singer” the “classical pianist” or what have you. Eventually, it was like…why not just have something that will honor all of these qualities rather than trying to be something I’m not? I don’t need to be so insular or form-fitting. And knowing that in this band we all encourage that, in its various forms, feels very meaningful. Working with these powerhouse women is such a privilege!

Rianne: I’ve been performing music since I was a little kid; it was the center of my life since long before it was a profession. I also went through a handful of instruments (including voice) before landing on the guitar when I was in middle school and played a lot of rock and jazz music until I went to college to study classical guitar. Once I was out of there and became a freelance classical musician I started to return to my roots and play in rock bands. During the summer of 2023 when I joined Urban Scarlet I was going through a particular quarter-life crisis where I felt that being authentically who I am was not what “society” wanted from me, especially as a woman. It felt lonely and like it wasn’t possible to both be myself and connect with people on a deeper level. I joined the band on a whim, not knowing what to expect. Fortune would have it that these were some of the best human beings anyone could work with, because the band would soon become a space where it was okay to be vulnerable and really express myself (and if I didn’t always know how to express myself, grow in the process) AND connect with a wide audience. It was pretty cool that we all also happened to be singing multi-instrumentalists who play and write in different styles. Definitely the most meaningful and worthwhile artistic project I’ve worked on to date.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Urban Scarlet was formed in the summer of 2023. This NYC-based, high-power, all-female, multi-instrumentalist eclectic rock/pop band consists of Marie Stumpf (founding member-guitar/bass/vocalist), Leilani Victor (drums/vocalist), and Rianne Mision (guitarist/vocalist). Our inspiration stems from a mutual passion of telling stories as shared through songwriting—we dive into themes of deep vulnerability and reflect on the range of human experience through our music. Each member has a unique musical identity, given a range of musical influences and histories of classical, rock, indie, hip-hop, and multicultural influences. The band’s focus highlights its fusion sound alongside its multi-instrumentalist musicians. Urban Scarlet’s edge lies in its self-proclaimed, independent finesse – whose autobiographical, analytical lyrics offer a new spin on vulnerability, feminism and riot, along with its synchronous musical core. Which is, in itself, our mission: working with and through emotional topics through relational and vulnerable musical narrative. We are so grateful for the opportunity for this dialogue!

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

Marie: I love this question, because I think it’s a great reflection of where our society is headed collectively – that we are all progressing towards this notion of ‘unlearning’ what feels inauthentic as we move into a new model of alignment for ourselves. If something isn’t working for you, question it. Live your life without the limitation of how you’re “supposed to” live it. As an artist, this is exactly what I had to unlearn: identifying with external projections of who I’m supposed to be, or how I’m supposed to create. I grew up studying classical music, and I feel like for a while I adapted into this narrative that my success as a musician was synonymous with perfection: that mistakes were not acceptable, and that suffering in that way was somehow a testament to my art. Then the suffering led to burn out, the burn out led to apathy, and the apathy led to resentment. I had no choice but to take a step back and question it. What is perfection anyway? Beauty is in the eye of the beholder…so I had to unlearn that art is not about perfection. It’s actually about wholeness. To be whole is to embrace humanness in its entirety – the parts of myself that are insecure, scared, angry, embarrassed, determined, joyful, creative, inspired…and they can all co-exist and tell their stories to create a piece of work that has the potential to resonate with others. So, as I continue my journey down this path, I now honor my imperfections. The beautiful thing about art is that it reflects the human condition. The human condition is far from perfect, so why are we creating these false expectations around perfectionism? In an ideal world, I want to continue to see us question it all so we can unlearn what’s holding us back from true authenticity and humanity.

Leilani: A lesson I had to unlearn was the notion that I had to be a formally trained musician with intensive music theory “training” as an essential component to being a part of musical spaces. This idea stemmed from an insecurity of mine, due to the fact that I did not attend a rigorous music conservatory, or complete a music degree. This, in turn, led me to believe that because of my lack of formal musical training or studies, I was “less” of a musician. However, through continuous self-reflection and introspection, in addition to experiencing musical communities that foster connection, creative self-expression and acceptance, I realized that this was far from the truth. Through my deep, innate love of music and the pure joy I feel by connecting with others through musical experiences, I wholeheartedly believe that people are all creative in some way; and that we are meant to connect to something bigger than ourselves. Music, for me, is so embedded into who I am as an artist, a professional, and a creative being. And regardless of training, music can be and is FOR everyone. It is a resource that one can have access to, so long as one is open to connecting with it.

Rianne: I had to unlearn the idea that things need to sound good to begin with. It ruins creativity to not just start with any idea that pops into your head; that’s the only way to mold something. I’ve felt this way about songwriting for most of my life and it’s something I continue to work on. I like to use the analogy of a sculpture : you start with a clay block and you don’t make a few tweaks of it and think you’re supposed to be done – you continue to mold it until it takes some kind of form, then mold it further to create the fine details. In terms of where this faulty perspective comes from, I’m sure

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

As a band, we have learned to navigate significant changes and adapt to each other- both on and off the stage. Given the three band member’s musical abilities and musical histories, we continue to learn to find a balance between honoring each individual’s musical identity and preferences, while also finding a cohesive sound that is reflective of each others’ unique and artistic, creative styles. We’ve also done quite a bit of evolving – Our ability to navigate change has truly developed our resilience in the midst of the continuous, creative process. We have been able to stay consistent and communicative as we gain traction. Livelihood as an artist isn’t always easy, but because of our motivations for coalescence- we’ve always been able to express our differences and no matter what, come to a solution. It speaks volumes towards the creative process working with other
women who align with such loving and confident qualities. Everyone wants the best for everyone, and everyone wants the best for our art.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @urbanscarletband

Image Credits

Antonio Arroyo
Fred Scott