When the Coronavirus shut down the live music industry at the beginning of the year, musicians all over the world were forced to find new ways to maintain their creativity while also staying connected to their fans- without their usual outlets.

It was during these months that artists such as Ireland’s Ren Marabou took to the recording studio to create new music that would keep both him and his fans engaged and hopeful. 

After building a following through his time playing with Kerouac, Marabou and as of late Peralis, Marabou stepped out on his own and made his solo debut earlier this year with the release of his full length album Significant Progress.

But that wasn’t where his year of creativity ended. In the following months, the songwriter released his sophomore album Solar Systems, as well as several singles as recently as his Halloween release “Blood Witch.”

We had the chance to chat with Marabou about this hectic year, his string of new releases and to find out more about how he is handling the uncertainty that lies ahead.

You can read our full Quarantine Questionnaire with Ren Marabou below, and be sure to stream his latest single “Blood Witch,” out now.

Second Society Report: How are you holding up during this insane year that is 2020? Hopefully your friends and families are staying safe and healthy!

Rob Marabou: Holding up quite well thanks, all safe and healthy. We’ve been very fortunate.  

SSR: Did you have any big releases or tours that were put on hold because of the pandemic? How has that affected you? (could be personally, financially, morale wise, etc.) 

Rob Marabou: Unfortunately I had to cancel a small tour but I was lucky to still be able to release my new album Solar Systems. Overall 2020 has been a mixed bag, the lack of touring has hindered the promotion of my album in some regards but it has given me more time to engage with fans online and to spend more time in the studio. 

SSR: How have you been spending your newfound “downtime” while the world has been essentially shut down?

Rob Marabou: Since lockdown I have been able to spend a lot of time in my home studio. It’s given me the chance to write and record alot of music and experiment with different musical directions. So it’s been a very productive time all things considered. 

SSR: Have you picked up any new hobbies while quarantining that you’d like to share?

Rob Marabou: I’ve kept myself very busy with music but I did have the chance to get back into drawing and photography. 

SSR: Have you worked on any new releases during this time? Any that are already out or that we can get a sneak peak of? 

Rob Marabou: I actually released my albums Significant Progress and Solar Systems as well as a Halloween single called “Blood Witch” during this time which are all available on all major platforms including Spotify, iTunes and Amazon Music etc. November will see the release of my new single “Darkening Skies” and my Christmas Charity song “Happy Christmas Punk.” I’ll be kicking off 2021 with a new single “Made of Glass” on Jan 1st and my new album Ultra Mega in late January.  

SSR: If already out- what was the inspiration for the release? Have you written any songs specifically about the state of the world right now? 

Rob Marabou: Both Significant Progress and Solar Systems are written with the current global situation in mind. Tracks like “This Great Emergency” and “Welcome to Utopia” hit on the topic in particular. 

SSR: How has it been being an artist in a time when you cannot tour? How have you been working to promote your music and expand your reach? 

Rob Marabou: This time has actually given me the chance to expand my reach and connect with more fans and grow my online presence. Had I been rehearsing with my band and touring etc I probably wouldn’t have had the chance to do as much.  

SSR: Do you have any words of advice for fans that are feeling particularly bummed out about the live music world coming to a halt? 

Rob Marabou: This too shall pass! Live music will return all be it with a few limitations at first but you’ll be rocking out in the mosh pit in no time! 

SSR: When the world returns to a safer spot and we are able to (hopefully) attend live shows again- say in 2021- what do you hope to achieve?

Rob Marabou: I’m currently working on rescheduling my Solar Systems/Ultra Mega tour for summer 2021 so I hope things will be back on track by then. I can’t wait to play my new tracks live. 

SSR: Is there anything you wish your fans would know about you or about the current state of the music world? Rob Marabou: Well my new album Ultra Mega is set for release in late January 2021 and is going to reveal my new musical direction which I’m calling Glitch Rock. It has a mix of Post-Rock, Alt-Rock, Nu-Metal, Industrial, Dark-Synth and Retro-wave. 

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