Bernice Marsala

Bernice is a longtime singer/songwriter and classically-trained guitarist. She studied music and audio production in college and graduated Magna Cum Laude with her Bachelor’s in Music Business.  She is originally from Sycamore, IL and now resides in the Nashville, TN area with her husband (who is the drummer on many of her tracks) and their almost two-year-old baby girl.  Her early works are primarily in the Folk/Singer-Songwriter genres, but she has since leaned more into Alternative Folk/Folk Rock and enjoys dabbling in different musical styles. She has often been compared to Michelle Branch, Ingrid Michaelson, Natalie Imbruglia, Avril Lavigne, and others with a similar sound and writing style.

Her debut album, "Save Me," was released in 2020, displaying her unique style of infectious melodies and intricate lyricism.  True to her origins, the production of the songs on this album clearly showcases how these songs were originally written – with the focus on her empowered vocals and hypnotic guitar parts.  Her leading single, "Left Behind," was featured internationally on Radio Alfa in Salerno, Italy, and is still widely a fan-favorite.

She released two singles in 2021 while continuing to extend her reach and grow her fanbase. Then in 2022, deviating from the softer writing style that her audience had grown accustomed to, she released “Little Fires.”  Compared to her previous releases, this track and music video exploded! Reaching over 15k streams and 500+ views, respectively, in just a little over two months, and it received airplay on numerous radio stations worldwide. It also made the Top Ten for "Best Alternative Song" and "Best Music Video Production" in the World Songwriting Awards.

With the beginning of 2023 came her single, "Burgundy," and her second album of the same title was just released in April on her 30th birthday. This album contains all of the singles she released from 2021 onward, as well as a few previously unreleased tracks. One of the tracks is “What Happens Now,” a previous single that, while retaining Bernice’s beloved ballad-style, also contains elements of rock with the heavy-hitting drums and singing electric guitar. It’s likely this fusion of styles in addition to the captivating lyrics and melody that have made this such a popular track of hers, and it’s also nominated for “Folk/Americana Song of the Year” in the 2023 Josie Music Awards.  This, along with most of the songs on this new album have a slightly harder rock sound than anything she’s released prior, and her fans seem to be loving the evolution. 

Bernice was voted the International Singer Songwriter Association’s (ISSA) Folk Artist of the Month in 2022, and recently took home the Bronze award for Female Songwriter of the Year at the 2023 ISSA Awards.