Kristen Rae Bowden’s, “Marry Me Once” is an Ode to Self Love

The song “Marry Me Once” by Kristen Rae Bowden is a soulful expression of the hardships of love. A listener can hear the inspirations of a variety of styles such as folk, soft rock, and a resemblance to country that intertwine themselves together to create a spiritual experience for all audiences. This song serves as an anthem for those who treasure the freedom that comes from finally mastering self-love. The soft piano melodies followed by the rocking drums represent the highs and lows of the artist’s experience that inspired the song.

Kristen Rae Bowden states, “This song is about carrying your own emotional burden and not asking others to do the tough work for you of getting to really know yourself and love yourself. When I wrote this song I’d been noticing how common it is for people to covertly expect their partners to do this work for them. I’ve been that person myself, and it’s bad for everyone involved. You can’t fill your own emotional void with someone else’s love. That won’t get you through.” This message is clearly expressed through the song. The longing and torment is heard especially through Kristen crying out through her singing. This makes for a very emotional piece.

Kristen is very similar to artists such as Stevie Nicks or Carole King in the passion in which she sings and because of the similar folk/rock style her music is in. These are also both artist who write from a very personal and emotional place, which Kristen Rae Bowden excels in. There is a delicacy as well as a strength in which Kristen sings. She conveys how personal the song is through her lyricism and passion in her voice.

The music video for this song features lots of imagery from nature. Kristen embraces an earthy as well as vintage vibe as she showcases her song. The style of this music video contributes to defining the song as a folk song. It also adds to the spiritual element for the listening experience. The style in which she dresses creates an almost goddess-like presence for the artist. In the video, she reflects on her past where she used to crave marriage, but in the present, she has embraced her freedom and self love. She does this while standing on a mountain, representing the clarity and perspective she now has on the matter.