Maximal Music Sync is absolutely fired up about welcoming moody and mesmerizing pop singer and songwriter Merci Raines to our roster!

With a mood that mirrors her home state of Louisiana, Merci Raines writes pop songs with an undeniable dark side. She claims inspiration from all art forms, from Cabaret shows to Shel Silverstein. Her path to music started early, sitting in on her mother’s band rehearsals as a child, and even sometimes being pulled onto the stage herself when she could sneak into a show. Her educational pursuits eventually took centerstage as she studied psychology in college, but it wouldn’t be long before her focus was back on music. Between graduation, Merci decided to join a band and head 80 miles down the interstate to her hometown’s less conservative sister city, New Orleans.

It’s her first year living in New Orleans that she credits for her decision to pursue music full-time. Walking the city at dusk, she was inspired not only by the flood of classic jazz musicians and street performers, but the more alternative, modern acts as well. Merci was just beginning to get a feel for life on the road, playing shows from New Orleans to Austin, when her band unexpectedly decided to part ways. This lead to her teaming up with producers Chris Leon and Elliot Jacobson in Brooklyn, NY, where she would continue developing her sound and would go on to record her first single, “Moon City”. With spellbinding vocals, driving beats, and a sometimes cinematic flair, Merci Raines conjures the essence of a city best known for its eclectic character and mystique. Her songs range from ghostly and enigmatic to danceable exclamations of perseverance.