Biography

Marian Hill is an American songwriting duo from Philadelphia consisting of production artist Jeremy Lloyd and vocalist Samantha Gongol. Their name comes from two characters, Marian Paroo and Harold Hill, from the musical The Music Man. Lloyd releases solo music under the name Clear Eyes.

The duo released their debut EP, Play, in 2013, which featured improvisational jazz musician Steve Davit. Two years later, they announced their second EP, Sway. They made their television debut on The Late Late Show with James Corden in September 2015. A track that appears on both EPs, “One Time”, entered the top 40 on US alternative radio in December 2015. The duo released four singles throughout 2016, leading up to their debut album Act One.

After meeting each other at Haverford High School, Lloyd studied music theatre at Yale University, Gongol then attended Muhlenberg College before transferring to music business at New York University, and Steve Davit music industry at Drexel University. “Whisky”, the first song Lloyd and Gongol ever wrote together, describes a woman in control of her own sexuality. They moved on to create songs like “Lips” and “Got It”, mixtures of blues, jazz, heavy bass, and delicate vocals.

In a review of their EP Play, The New York Times wrote that it “shows a flair for methodical, crisp and spare electro-R&B”.