Marika Straw (they/them) is a queer writer, singer-songwriter, and community organizer from Wallowa County, Oregon. Their intimate indie folk/pop songs for piano and voice have been described as “the sound of naked emotion.”

Marika’s musical training spans jazz piano and voice, classical piano, church organ, and Indian drumming. Their musical journey has been varied, including time studying classical piano and pipe organ at Lawrence University Conservatory of Music in Appleton, WI, a stint as a church organist and music educator in Asheville, NC, and two seasons and an international tour with a drumming ensemble from Pune, India.

Marika weaves music and social change work through endeavors such as ethnomusicology research on drumming and social change in India (2012 & 2016), co-creating and leading a songwriting course at a women’s prison in North Carolina (2019), and creating/piloting the Rural Queer Open Mic Tour (2024).

Marika’s musical honors include playing pipe organ on the Bach Vespers Series at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in NYC (2013), performing a piano concerto with the Salem Pops Orchestra (2009), and winning second place in the Brown Bag Songwriting Competition in Asheville, NC (2017).

Marika released their first full album, “Love, the Heartache,” on July 11, 2025. It is available for listening and purchase now on their Bandcamp as well as several other platforms (visit the album page for more information). Please reach out via the contact form if you are interested in booking them for a gig or a house show.