MERCE: Make It Good to Be Alive

This episode is dedicated in loving memory to Richard “Dixpop” Nichols

Singer, songwriter, and producer MERCE joins Jeremiah for an intimate conversation about music, love, loss, and finding the road back to feeling alive.

As a founding member of the Jazzyfatnastees, Mercedes “MERCE” Martinez helped shape the emerging neo-soul movement, contributing to Philadelphia’s fertile musical landscape and leaving an indelible mark on the city by founding Black Lily: A Women in Music Series. Initially conceived as a weekly live-music showcase in Philadelphia, the series became a pivotal launchpad and vibrant community space for a remarkable wave of neo-soul, neo-funk, and organic hip-hop artists. It provided early exposure to iconic figures such as Jill Scott, Alicia Keys, Bilal, Floetry, and Jazmine Sullivan, paving the way for their future success.

Now, MERCE steps forward with her debut full-length solo album, Alive—a deeply personal project created in the wake of the loss of her husband, creative partner, and mentor, Richard “Dixpop” Nichols.

MERCE discusses growing up immersed in music, finding her own sound beyond genre, learning to trust emotion as her creative compass, and returning to the studio after a devastating loss.

She also shares how songs such as “Overcome,” “In Time On Time,” “Come and Go,” and “Alive” trace a journey from questioning whether she could move forward to recognizing the gift of still being here.

With her new single “My Guy,” MERCE arrives at another realization: what is truly meant for us will never pass us by.

A conversation about light and shadow, the people we carry with us, and making the most of the time we have.

Today’s music soundtrack includes new music from MERCE, from her debut solo full-length album ALIVE, created with longtime collaborators Rick Friedrich (The Roots) and Kush Oxford (Estelle) - COMING SOON

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MERCE on Instagram.  | @mercesingersongwriter

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