Flash-Rock’s Neon Revolution

Flash-Rock’s Neon Revolution – Since bursting onto the South African scene in 2018, MARENE have built a reputation for explosive live shows and genre-defying releases. Now, they’ve unleashed their most cinematic chapter yet. The heart-on-sleeve single “Finchie” and its neon-washed video, followed by the shapeshifting five-track EP Nevermine. Fresh from rocking WinterFest’25, where pyrotechnics met pulsating synth-rock and left the crowd breathless, MARENE are poised to redefine what modern Flash-Rock can be!

Q: “Finchie” began life as a teenage demo – what was the moment you collectively knew this intimate, synth-laced love song deserved to become a full-blown MARENE centrepiece?

MARENE: I always knew. From the very beginning even as a rough demo. Finchie always had one of those choruses that just stuck. When I first wrote it, I had this feeling like, this could be something special. Maybe even a masterpiece. It just had that kind of weight to it.

People often ask me how I write music, but the truth is, it’s not really about how I write the music. It’s more like how the music decides to write me. Songs like Finchie don’t come from chasing a formula. They show up when they’re ready. And when they do, you feel it. That’s when you know it deserves a bigger spotlight.

Q: The “Finchie” video’s nostalgic, neon-washed aesthetic feels like a retro teen movie. How did you translate the song’s bittersweet narrative into those cinematic visuals?

MARENE: Honestly, we kept the video simple on purpose. The aesthetic was meant to capture that nostalgic, neon-soaked feel and help set the mood, but at the heart of it, we didn’t want the visuals to distract from the song. A lot of times, artists put a huge concept or storyline in a video to cover up a song that maybe can’t stand on its own. We didn’t want to hide Finchie behind a video we wanted to showcase it. The idea was to let the melody speak for itself. Let people hear it. Feel it. Fall in love with it, without all the noise. The visuals just set the stage for the song that was always meant to be the main character.

Q: Having just unveiled yourself again, live at WinterFest’25, can you share a standout moment or unexpected challenge from that set that crystallized MARENE as a festival powerhouse?

MARENE: To be honest, we hit a few technical bumps during the set. At one point, Arian’s guitar just stopped working, right in the middle of it. So for about two and a half songs, we had to find a workaround on the fly. When you’re playing a festival, you’ve got a tight slot. You can’t stop the show. You’ve got to respect the festival, respect the crowd, and respect the bands coming after you. If we had paused to fix it, we’d have lost the time to play two or three songs… and that wasn’t an option. So we pushed through, held the energy, and trusted Arian to get it sorted. And of course, he did… like a pro.

We ended the set with a tribute to Ozzy Osbourne, playing Paranoid, and the crowd just went nuts. But I think what really makes MARENE special is that no matter who’s in front of us, whether it’s a full house of metalheads, Stellenbosch students, or indie kids who’ve never heard a rock track in their lives, we will pull you in. That’s what we do. We invite you into the experience, no matter your genre preferences. By the end of the night, you’re not just watching a show, you’re part of it. And more often than not, you’re screaming along to Turn It Up & Rise like it’s your new favourite anthem.

Q: What inspired the EP’s title “Nevermine”? How does it tie together the emotional through-line from “Finchie” through your chosen covers and remixes?

MARENE: The title Nevermine is a bit of a play on words. On one hand, it’s “She was never mine”… kind of like that sting of unrequited love, but on the other hand, it echoes “Nevermind”, like maybe it didn’t matter in the grand scheme after all. That duality really resonated with us. We felt like it tied in beautifully with the emotional thread running through Finchie and Reptile, kind of like that shift from infatuation to disillusionment. There’s a sense of longing in both, but also this undertone of letting go. And that’s what Nevermine represents. It’s a nod to what could’ve been, but also a kind of peace with how it turned out.

Q: You reinvented Sabrina’s “Boys (Summertime Love)” and The Church’s “Reptile” with your signature Flash-Rock flair. What draws you to a song when deciding it’s ripe for a MARENE transformation?

MARENE: Both Sabrina’s ‘Boys (Summertime Love)’ and The Church’s ‘Reptile’ hit me in different ways. Sabrina’s track? That one just felt fun, unapologetic, high-energy. The kind of thing you could imagine blasting at a MARENE show with lights flashing and the whole crowd jumping. It had that infectious groove that made me think, “Yeah, we can take this, crank it up, and make it ours.”

Reptile, though was the opposite. It’s moody, dark, and honestly, it felt like the last thing you’d expect at one of our shows. But that’s what made it exciting. That contrast, that duality, it’s what Nevermine is all about. One song invites you in with a wink. The other keeps you at arm’s length. I loved the challenge of bringing both into the MARENE world.

Q: Revisiting “Something’s Out There” and “Bad Intentions” in 2025 productions bridges past and present – how do you balance honouring the original spirit while injecting fresh energy?

MARENE: We didn’t change the performances, those are exactly as they were. What we did change was the way we mixed and mastered the tracks. Back when we first put them out, we were working with limited time, limited gear, and let’s be honest… limited experience. But the heart was always there. Revisiting Something’s Out There and Bad Intentions was giving those songs the sonic treatment they deserved all along. We wanted to honour what made them special in the first place, but also inject the clarity, punch, and polish that comes from everything we’ve learned since. It’s about respecting the rawness and pushing the sound forward, that’s how you bridge past and present without losing either.

Q: Across “Nevermine,” the band traverses gleaming synth anthems to shadowy alt-rock. Can you walk us through a moment in the studio where you pushed outside your comfort zone and discovered something unexpected?

MARENE: We’re always trying to push the sound forward. That’s just built into the DNA of MARENE. And that’s what I love about this band: we can experiment, try something completely unexpected, and it never feels like we’re breaking what makes us us. In the studio we never have a moment outside our comfort zone because everything we do on a song is well thought through and has a reason for being there.

Q: You describe your style as “Flash Rock” – thunderous riffs, shimmering synths and theatrical drama. How do you ensure each live performance remains unpredictable and immersive?

MARENE: Lately we’ve been called Theatrical Alt Rock, and I think that fits, and for us, live shows are where were come to life. When we’re on a bigger show lineup, we know we’ve got to earn people’s attention. You can’t just walk onstage and hope the crowd cares. You have to give them something unforgettable. That’s why we bring in the sparks, the smoke, the bubbles, the pre-planned moments that let the audience feel part of the show. We want it to be immersive, unpredictable, just like a rock show that has collided with a theatre production. A lot of us were theatre kids growing up, so injecting that sense of performance into our sets feels natural. That’s how we stand out. That’s how we turn a set into an experience.

Q: With five creative personalities how do you maintain unity of vision while honouring each member’s voice?

MARENE: You know, something we learned a few years ago from PHFAT, was during a show we played with him, and it really stuck with us. He told us while we were busy warming up that, “Every band needs a dictator.” And as intense as that might sound, it makes a lot of sense. If five people are all trying to steer the ship in different directions, you just end up spinning in circles.

So for us, we’ve found a system that works. We all believe in the vision of MARENE. Everyone has room to speak up, bring ideas, raise opinions. That’s an important part of a band. But at the end of the day, someone has to make the call that serves the band and the brand best. It’s not always easy, and yeah, sometimes it means tough conversations. But that leadership keeps things moving forward instead of getting stuck in indecision.

Q: Now that “Nevermine” is out, what can fans expect from your live shows in the coming months? Any dream venues or festivals you’re aiming to conquer next?

MARENE: We’ve always wanted to bring the show back to RAMfest… that crowd, that energy, it just fits what we do. And Splashy Fen is another big one on the list. It’s such an iconic South African festival. We really believe the crowd there would connect with what MARENE is all about.

There are a lot of stages we’d love to hit. Wherever there are people ready to sing, sweat, and scream, we want to be there.

Q: What avenues of sonic or visual experimentation excite you most as you continue to redefine MARENE’s bold new era?

MARENE: Now that Nevermine is out, it feels like the right time to get back in the saddle and start writing again. We’ve got a tribute show coming up to honour the late, great Ozzy Osbourne. Diving into those songs has been a whole new kind of inspiration. There’s a rawness, a theatrical edge, and a sense of attitude in that material. It has really been lighting a spark for us.

So who knows what’s next? I’ve got a feeling that after studying and performing songs on this setlist, something really exciting could make its way onto the next full album. We’re always looking for ways to evolve. Sonically and visually. I think this next chapter could take MARENE somewhere totally unexpected, but totally us.

As Nevermine cements their status as South Africa’s premier Flash-Rock provocateurs, MARENE invite you to dive headfirst into their neon-highway soundscape. Stream “Finchie” now. Watch the cinematic video, and let the thunderous riffs and soaring synths carry you straight through to the next MARENE spectacle. This band is only just getting started. Stay tuned for the next move in their ever-evolving saga.

Stream the ‘Nevermine’ EP from Marene here

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