Perceived as a bit of a star on the sidelines of mainstream culture, Marina Diamandis has built an avid following through the use of her ethereal pop music and differing personas. From her “Electra Heart” album, she created the persona Electra; a character dripping in glamor, who served as a vehicle to critique and analyze American domesticity.

Yet since then, and in her follow up album Froot, Marina acknowledged the pitfalls of the rote performance of being a musician today, and the issues with the nonstop exposure celebrities are subjected to through social media and other platforms.

Our generation now demands too much of our idols, and Marina noticed. She chose to step back and explore her experiences. She journaled her psychological battles online,  which gave a public face to what many of us struggle with daily—this before the recent push of mental health transparency online.

In preparation of her return, Marina teased the title of the new single by changing the artwork for her top songs on Spotify, with each showing a different letter. Her voice throughout glides along dreamily. Accompanied by instrumentals, she bounces from hushed lows to a porcelain falsetto, with her harmonizing voice. In the few songs that have already been released, there is no drama, there are no characters, no storyline to dominate the scene, just Marina, and herself – something I believe her true fans been waiting for.

Watch the music video for “Handmade Heaven” directed by Sophie Muller on YouTube.