Mermaid Unveil Intimate Single 'On A Cloud'

Los Angeles-based alternative R&B duo Mermaid (Brittany Campbell and Candace Quarrels) return with their newest single + video, “On A Cloud,” the latest track off their upcoming debut album Iridescence, out October 20.

The song is an intimate, lo-fi lullaby. Breathtaking vocals harmonize, gently floating across a simple and serene guitar chord as the duo invite listeners in on their reflections of the past, musing on feelings of heartbreak and sadness.

“This song was written in a time where I was really struggling,” Campbell says. “I had come out to my mom about Candace and she stopped speaking to me. I wrote this 4 or 5 months into our estrangement.” She continues, “This was the only song I was able to write for a while. It’s about sadness and experiencing a new kind of heartbreak. It’s also about the inability to see or feel anything but my sadness. I’d never experienced anything like it before, and there wasn’t anything else for a long time.” 

Quarrels adds, “I always tap into the floaty loneliness that is the heartbeat of this song. Britt was grieving so much during this time, and I was grieving a certain loss of innocence as well. I lost so many friends in the birth of this love. It was shocking and hurtful, but we gripped each other tighter and kept it moving. This song captures that feeling so well, both with our harmonies and the lyrics.”
 
Even the greatest skeptic will believe in soulmates upon hearing Brittany Campbell and Candace Quarrels’ story. After individually winding their way through the worlds of theater and Broadway, appearing in major shows such as A Christmas Carol and The Book Of Mormon, the duo met while starring in the Chicago production of Hamilton.

As Campbell and Quarrels discovered their musical and relationship compatibility, the pair went on to form Mermaid. They even quickly won the attention of Alabama Shakes’ Brittany Howard in 2020, who handpicked their song “Find Me” for NPR’s Tiny Desk Top Shelf contest.

Mermaid’s 13-track debut album Iridescence – the majority of which was recorded in their Highland Park home studio – captures their boundless intention, and then some. Teaming up with co-producer Sam Hoffman (Mereba, Durand Bernarr), the project explores tones ranging from soul and R&B mixes in a heady combination of alt-rock, jazz, punk, pop, and metal. Regardless of what sonic shade Iridescence adopts, Campbell and Quarrels build stunning, genre-defying compositions out of sublime harmonies and a true, unabiding love for each other.

"This album is for anyone seeking the catharsis of a scream, a sigh, a moan, or a triumphant shout. Mermaid should be a space that feels boundless and free,” the duo says. “Mermaid is a journey in love, openness, and friendship. It’s us having fun and sharing our hearts.”

Photo Credit: Lawerence Agyei 

To post a comment, you must register and login.