With her gospel roots, classical training, and powerhouse voice, Mare makes timelessly intimate R&B for the modern age. It’s a sound that’s taken her around the world, from the churches of Philadelphia — where she sang her first songs as a toddler — to shows alongside Lauryn Hill, Sam Smith, Lizzo, and the Bacon Brothers. That sound reaches a new milestone with Becoming, an empowered solo album that finds Mare telling her own story after years of supporting others.

“I’m saying goodbye to my old life,” she sings during “Home.” Propelled by piano chords and pop melodies, the song encompasses Mare’s journey toward self-discovery — not only as a musician, but as a human being, too. “It’s a melting pot of everything that represents me,” she says. “‘Home’ has a twofold meaning. I finally found my sound, while simultaneously settling into this new version of myself. When I think of that feeling, moving into a new house came to mind. I wanted the song to feel and showcase that same emotion and excitement, because this indeed feels like home.”

Mare’s first idea of home was the devoutly Christian household where she was raised. It was a sheltered existence, and music quickly became a refuge. Enrolling in Philadelphia’s historic Settlement Music School at three years old, she began studying classical piano while her peers were still learning their ABCs. The education continued back at home, where the entire family would gather around the dinner table during holidays, singing gospel classics in harmony.

She channeled that unique upbringing into release like 2020’s Wish Me Well. The album captured a solo artist in evolution, building a bridge between her gospel influences and the R&B music she discovered later in life. Mare’s artistic tastes only broadened from there, as musicians of all stripes began hiring her as a keyboardist, harmony vocalist, and bandleader. She performed with chart-toppers and Grammy winners. She traveled the world. Even so, Mare shone brightest as a solo act, where she could showcase the full range of her artistry with emotionally-charged songs that highlighted not only her playing and singing, but her song craft, as well.

Becoming begins with “Nothing,” a sparse piano song punctuated by stacked gospel harmonies that nod to Mare’s churchgoing days. Her voice is gorgeous — a nimble instrument that croons, coos, and climbs, able to wring emotion from every note — and her songwriting blurs the dividing lines between genres. As the record continues, Mare sustains that beauty with songs like “Pearl” (where she wrestles between self-confidence and self-doubt) and the rhythmic, relationship-focused “Bad Habits.”

“This album is about letting go of the negative things that don’t align with my life, and having the strength to move forward while opening myself up to new experiences,” she says. Deeply felt and unflinchingly personal, Becoming never shies away from revealing hard truths about its narrator. After all, Mare isn’t just adding her own chapter to Philadelphia’s long history of classic soul and R&B music; she’s breaking down walls within herself, too, making music that’s more influenced by emotional landscapes than the geography surrounding her. With Becoming, she blends not only the classical with the contemporary, but the personal with the universal, too. This is a record for anyone wishing to discover who they really are, delivered by a musical lifer who’s never sounded more like herself.