Marnie Stern

New York-based guitarist, vocalist, and composer Marnie Stern possesses a signature approach that pairs technically dazzling finger-tapping guitar shredding with songwriting rooted in melodic art rock sensibilities. That fully formed approach surfaced on her 2007 debut album, In Advance of the Broken Arm, where her intricate guitar compositions found ideal support in Zach Hill’s equally frenzied drumming. Roughly a decade passed before she issued new material, during which she served as guitarist in the house band for Late Night with Seth Meyers. Her return arrived in 2023 via her fifth album, The Comeback Kid.

Born and raised in New York City, Stern took up the guitar in her early twenties. She cultivated a personal technique built around intricate finger-tapping, integrating that method into compositions marked by melody, intensity, and forward motion, thereby occupying a category resistant to easy classification. After submitting a notably strong demo, she joined the roster of Kill Rock Stars in 2006; the label issued her debut, In Advance of the Broken Arm, the following year. Recorded with Hella (and later Death Grips) drummer Zach Hill and bassist John-Reed Thompson, the album earned strong critical notice. The second album, This Is It and I Am It and You Are It and So Is That and He Is It and She Is It and It Is It and That Is That, appeared quickly with the same musicians and reached stores in 2008. By the release of her third, self-titled album in 2010, Stern had built substantial critical momentum and a devoted audience for her singular playing and songwriting, resulting in frequent appearances on “greatest guitarists” lists compiled by Spin and Rolling Stone. Her fourth album, 2013’s The Chronicles of Marnia, marked the first occasion without Hill behind the drums; Oneida’s Kid Millions assumed that role. Following the touring cycle for that record, Stern began filling in on guitar with 8G, the house band for the late-night talk show Late Night with Seth Meyers. She later became a permanent member, devoting the bulk of her attention to the program and to parenting until her departure in 2022. In 2023 she resurfaced with her fifth album, The Comeback Kid, her first substantial solo release after ten years. Arcade Fire’s Jeremy Gara produced the record and contributed to its performances; Joyful Noise issued it in November 2023.