ARTIST
Miko Marks
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Miko Marks was born in Flint, Michigan. After attending Grambling State University in North Louisiana, she moved to Nashville in 2005 with the intention of making it as a commercial country star.
Although Marks grew up listening to different kinds of genres, she largely performed R&B in college. But that was also when she discovered country. "That's when I found out, 'Hey, I might want to do this kind of music, because it's speaking to my soul so much, the stories'", she told NPR.
In Nashville, Marks earned spots at CMA Fest, but the industry largely ignored her talents because of her race. Where did a black country singer fit into a genre so largely white and male?
Despite those setbacks, Marks released two albums, 2005's Freeway Bound and 2007's It Feels Good. Ultimately, she decided that she was tired of playing a game that always changed the rules on her. She moved west, to California, and continued working on country music.
In 2021, Marks returned with her third album Our Country.
Miko Marks - Feel Like Going Home
After years of trying to live up to the industry’s limited idea of what her music should sound like, Miko Marks is expanding to her full, kaleidoscopic range - more sharp-sighted and grounded in her truth than she’s ever been before.
LONG READ•Rissi Palmer's Color Me Country: Championing Change
“Platforms like Color Me Country have completely changed the game in country music. The work that it's doing for Black, Indigenous and other artists of color is incredible".
INTRODUCING•Premiere: Effie Zilch featuring Miko Marks - 'Room For Us All'
The new single from Effie Zilch is a masterpiece of bluesy southern rock that never stops reaching upwards and pushing onwards, like a wise old companion for navigating the fears and frustrations of everyday life with dignity and hope.
INTRODUCING•Premiere: Miko Marks - ‘Feel Like Going Home’
A spine tingling southern rock spiritual of self-discovery, Miko Marks premiers her new single 'Feel Like Going Home' exclusively at Holler.
INTRODUCING•Video Premiere: Miko Marks' 'Whiskey River'
The country singer has released a new video for her version of Willie Nelson's classic song 'Whiskey River'.
INTERVIEW•One Hot Minute: Miko Marks
Miko Marks talks about her comeback to country music, and how she's had to overcome the racist structures within the Nashville machine.