Merce – My Guy
Los Angeles–based singer, songwriter, and producer Merce creates music that moves fluidly across genre and emotion, blending alternative soul, pop, and electronic textures into immersive and cinematic songs that linger long after the music ends. With a voice that drifts between ethereal warmth and rich harmonic layering, her music invites listeners into a deeply personal yet sonically adventurous world, where curiosity and authenticity lead the way.
Raised in a musically rich home, Merce was immersed in rhythm, melody, and performance through her father, a Cuban salsa musician, singer, and composer who played bass and flute. Classically trained in piano, she developed a strong musical foundation while absorbing the eclectic sounds of the ’80s and ’90s, an influence that continues to shape her genre-fluid approach today. Her professional journey began at sixteen, when she joined the vocal group Shy!?, developed under the mentorship of acclaimed musician, producer, and educator Reggie Andrews who has collaborated with the likes of Rick James, The Pharcyde, Kamasi Washington, The Dazz band and more.
In 1992, Merce, performing under her given name, Mercedes Martinez, became a founding member of the quartet The Jazzyfatnastees. The group signed to Fathouse, an imprint of Tommy Boy Records, led by her brother, JSw!ft, producer of the seminal West Coast hip-hop album Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde. The Jazzyfatnastees recorded an unreleased album at Fathouse before departing the label.
Positioned at the rich intersection of ’90s R&B and hip-hop, and at the genesis of what would become the neo-soul movement, The Jazzyfastnastees were invited to collaborate with The Roots and relocated to Philadelphia. Amid industry and personal transitions, the quartet ultimately evolved into a duo alongside Tracey Moore. They would become some of the most sought-after background vocalists of the late ’90s and early 2000s, collaborating with artists including Eric Benét, Meshell Ndegeocello, De La Soul, Stevie Wonder, and The Brand New Heavies.
Their debut album, The Once and Future, released on Motive Records (The Roots’ imprint on MCA), featured contributions from Questlove and producer Scott Storch. The Jazzyfatnastees released three albums to critical acclaim and performed internationally at renowned stages, including the Montreux and North Sea Jazz Festivals and London’s Jazz Café. In 1999, they were nominated for a Soul Train Lady of Soul Award and received press coverage from major publications such as Billboard, Time, Vibe, The Source, and USA Today. They also appeared on the soundtracks for The Hurricane and In Too Deep.
In addition to the success of The Jazzyfatnastees, the group, alongside their manager and producer Richard Nichols, co-founded the influential Black Lily, a women-centered live music series dedicated to artist development and creative community. Blending a house band, artist residencies, and a signature open-mic format, Black Lily became a vital platform for emerging and established artists alike.
Launched in 1999 at New York’s famed Wetlands, the series later found its home at The Five Spot in Philadelphia and also hosted events in San Francisco and Washington, D.C. What began as a grassroots movement quickly grew internationally, with Black Lily events in France and Japan. The platform later evolved into two Black Lily Film & Music Festivals, featuring artists such as Toshi Reagon, Amy Winehouse, Alice Smith, Jean Grae, Jill Scott, and Kindred the Family Soul.
Now, with her debut solo project ALIVE, Merce steps fully into her own artistic voice, marking a profound turning point both creatively and personally. Written after the loss of her partner in life and music, Richard Nichols, the album became a source of strength during a period of uncertainty while navigating life as a solo parent caring for their son with autism and developmental disabilities. ALIVE represents Merce’s journey through grief, resilience, self-discovery, and renewal.
Created with longtime collaborators Rick Friedrich (The Roots) and Kush Oxford (Estelle), ALIVE moves seamlessly between acoustic and electronic elements, grounded in her signature harmonies and emotionally resonant plainspoken lyricism.
It is her most introspective work to date, as she takes full creative control as an independent artist, creator, and producer, shaping not only the sound, but also her visual and live performance experience through multimedia expression.
The leading single “My Guy” is a slow-burning atmospheric musical embrace.
Merce confides, “My Guy is less about a guy I didn’t align with and more about reassuring myself that there’s no need to cry. Who or what is meant for me will not pass me by. The music is atmospheric and moody with a march-like quality that feels like the path I’m on, the twisting, winding road to my highest good.”
With ALIVE, Merce enters a new phase, one defined by clarity, authenticity, and creative freedom. It is the sound of an artist stepping fully into herself, embracing all the possibilities ahead.
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