Marley Howard (She/They) is a vocalist, composer, and visual artist based in New York City. She is a bold and innovative artist set to be a force in the city’s art scenes. Her music is steeped in the blues, folk, and jazz traditions with emotive conviction. Marley prioritizes the soul of Black American Music no matter the genre she sings in.

Growing up Marley fell in love with, and took inspiration from Billie Holiday, Nancy Wilson, and Abbey Lincoln, which led her to become a 2020 Young Arts Finalist in Voice. Howard has studied under Jazz greats such as Gerald Cannon, La Tanya Hall, Eddie Henderson, and Sullivan Fortner while earning a degree in Jazz Performance from Oberlin Conservatory. She has performed at Carnegie Hall twice, Jordan Hall, Dizzys, and a variety of other music venues across New York City and New England. She is now pursuing a Master’s Degree in Jazz Arts at the Manhattan School of Music under the tutelage of Jean Baylor.

Howard’s artwork, like her music, is evocative and vibrant. Marley specializes in surrealist mixed-media pieces combining printmaking, collage, and painting. Her works often revolve around reckoning with identity, the body, gender and the understanding of the world around her. Her artwork is influenced by the literature she reads and her lived experiences. Marley was a 2-time recipient of the Oberlin Entrepreneurship grant in 2024 for her artwork. Howard recently made her debut in “Out of Many: A Caribbean Art Exhibit” at the Loop Gallery in Manchester, Connecticut, and is set for a second group exhibit to go up in mid-July.