Marianne Nowottny – “Marzanna”

Marianne Nowottny has been putting her own spin on covers for years, but “Marzanna” is the first time she’s gone all in on it. Released under her longtime alter ego, this album focuses entirely on reinterpretations of songs by artists like Kate Bush, David Bowie, Joni Mitchell, and Siouxsie and the Banshees. These tracks have clearly been lived in and reshaped over time.

One thing that stands out is how much patience and grit went into finishing this. It took five years, with a bunch of false starts and tech headaches, including a full hard drive crash. A lot of artists might’ve scrapped it altogether, but she stuck with it, you can feel that persistence in the final product.

There are some pretty cool collaborations here too, “Winter Moon” has this dreamy guitar from Rhea Thompson and came together with Sonisk Blodbad. “Stella Maris” is sung in German with Christian Corea, and “Both Sides Now” features harpist Katie Lo. The orchestral arrangements also bring something extra without overdoing it.

“Marzanna” is personal, detailed, and full of personality, definitely worth a listen. Keep an eye on Marianne’s socials to stay updated on what else is coming in the rest of 2025.