Singer-songwriter Serra Marinheiro continues her creative rebirth with spells in my living room, a captivating new single that further establishes the sound and identity of an artist embracing a newfound confidence and freedom of expression following her departure from her former musical project, POESY.
Serra Marinheiro
Released over Halloween weekend, spells in my living room brings together two defining sides of Serra’s musical personality: intimate, confessional piano-led songwriting and a darker, gothic-tinged pop sensibility. Anchored by her striking, powerful vocals, the track combines atmospheric production with an alluring sense of theatricality, creating a sound that feels both vulnerable and spellbinding.
While its imagery draws on witchcraft, sorcery and the supernatural, the song’s central theme is rooted in everyday experience. Its references to spells and rituals become a metaphor for the small personal practices people turn to when life feels overwhelming – the things that offer comfort, protection and a sense of control when everything else seems uncertain.
Serra explains: “However heavy, painful, or difficult life gets, I’ve learned how important it is to give those moments their spotlight in their own way. Songwriting is my way of taking all that weight and making something interesting out of it – and if I’m really lucky, turning it into something that feels cathartic when it’s finally spoken out loud, instead of kept as a secret.
“I wrote spells in my living room on a day when I was feeling stuck, powerless, and watching everyone around me get on with their lives. Growing up in a religious community taught me to always look for answers outside myself, and as I got older, that spiritual search evolved into magic and doing little daily rituals just to feel in control. When life becomes overwhelming, some people become practical, but for me, my first port of call to protect myself has always been through imagination.”
As with her previous single cataracts, spells in my living room was written alongside regular collaborator and producer Matt Ingram, whose production credits include work with Florence + The Machine and Laura Marling. The track was recorded at his Urchin Studios in Hackney, London, continuing a creative partnership that has helped shape the developing sound of Serra Marinheiro.
The new release marks another chapter in a personal and artistic journey that has seen the Canadian-born, Portuguese-heritage, London-based musician step away from POESY and establish an identity that gives her greater space to explore her experiences and perspective. Themes of queer identity, self-empowerment and creative independence sit at the heart of this new direction, with her songwriting offering an honest voice for anyone navigating questions of identity, belonging and personal change.
Influenced by artists including London Grammar, Florence + The Machine and Tori Amos, Serra’s new musical chapter began with the way a woman sounds, a song exploring the process of finding the confidence to stand up for who you really are. She followed it with DO WHAT YOU DO TO ME, which explored the consuming nature of love and desire, demonstrating another side to her evolving sound.
Her first public performance under the Serra Marinheiro name took place this summer at SE London Pride. The intimate appearance was particularly meaningful, bringing her new artistic identity into a community where she had first found a sense of belonging and acceptance.
With spells in my living room, Serra Marinheiro continues to build on that foundation, turning deeply personal experiences into atmospheric, emotionally charged pop. The single’s combination of intimate storytelling, gothic textures and commanding vocals offers another glimpse of an artist finding strength in vulnerability and using music to reclaim her own narrative.
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