Samantha Gongol of Marian Hill

Samantha Gongol is the lead vocalist of the band Marian Hill, an American songwriting duo formed in 2013 with co-writer and producer Jeremy Lloyd. Together they’ve written songs that have garnered hundreds of millions of streams and views across multiple platforms, and have had songs synced across film and television.  

The long-time friends and collaborators starred opposite one another in their high school production of “The Music Man” as Marian Paroo and Harold Hill. While their band name may be a mashup of Broadway characters, their sound is leagues away from the whimsical show tune. 

Gongol’s sound is piercing and pure, soaring over hazy synthesizers and a deliberate backbeat. Billboard praised the band’s “signature dark pop production and jazz-inflected melodies,” while Mother Jones noted their “well-balanced tincture of electro-pop, old school jazz, and R&B that feels rebellious but controlled.”

Their song “Down” was featured in an Apple AirPods commercial in 2017, which landed them their first Top 40 hit. They have performed at festivals and headlined shows around the world, and have made several television appearances, from “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon” to “Later… with Jools Holland.” 

They’re scheduled to release new music this year. You can check out their latest projects on Creatively here.

What is the first creative project you remember?

I’m sure if I dig through the recesses of my memory, there were a myriad of early creative projects. However, one that really sticks out to me, for some strange reason, was an invention fair in third grade. We had to invent a product, and I created a glow-in-the-dark balloon—which I thought was revolutionary at the time. Really bringing that extra pizazz to all the parties.

Describe your aesthetic in three words.

Magnificent, dazzling, resplendent. (Haha! Isn’t “resplendent” a great word?) 

What was the most fulfilling collaboration you’ve worked on?

I’ve been lucky to work with a lot of talented people. But Marian Hill has, up until this point in my life, taken up the most creative space. Jeremy and I have been working on Marian Hill consistently since 2013.

What’s one creative project that taught you something fundamental about yourself?

Not to be a broken record, but Marian Hill has taught me more than I sometimes give it credit for. It’s been the defining project of the last eight years of our lives and I’m very grateful for it. I sometimes have friends and family remark that I’m “living the dream,” and while that’s often true, this business can also be really challenging. 2019 and 2020 were particularly difficult (2020 for obvious reasons!). 

Jeremy and I have been lucky to celebrate the highs, but we’ve also had to navigate the lows. And let me tell you, there are lots of them, haha. And while it’s amazing and necessary to enjoy the highs, the lows have been the real teachers. They’ve taught me the importance of listening to the power of my own voice. I know that sounds cliché, but when things are tough it’s really easy to let it consume you. No one can fight your battles for you, and I had to learn that often the hard way. 

2020 has also made me realize that I hate livestreams and they will never be a substitute for a live audience—not even close. Even when they’re unruly and talk through all the quiet moments, I love our fans so much. And like Tinkerbell I become starved for applause if I don’t receive it. I guess that’s problematic, if that’s a fundamental truth of mine. 

Do you think creativity is something you’re born with or something you’re taught?

Both. I think everyone has the potential to be creative, but some are encouraged and allowed the time to flourish while others don’t get the chance. A great tragedy.

What’s the last dream you had?

Literal dream? I’ve had stressful COVID dreams lately about my life and it’s lack of forward progress. I’m trying to ignore them.

One hundred years from now, what do you hope people write about your work?

That we were resplendent! Haha! This question is also so hard to answer. I think all creatives want to be remembered as moving the conversation forward. Contributing to culture. Making the world a better place, even for just one person. 

In terms of live performance, I hope people say it was empowered and joyful. That they left feeling better than when they came. Maybe they were transfixed, brought into another world when they experienced our work. Even for just a moment in time. That we left a small yet bright and indelible mark in this vast and beautiful creative universe. 

[Laughs] Okay, I’m done! I barely know what I’m doing tomorrow and thinking too far into the future makes me really anxious. I literally can’t process one hundred years from now. I’m just trying to leave my house these days and imagine a pandemic free world—which is hopefully in the not too distant future.

Follow @MarianHill on Creatively.

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