Peach Martine Inverts the Love Story Narrative with “Romeo and Juliet”

You might see the title of Peach Martine’s latest single “Romeo and Juliet” and think, “Not another love song.” 

Yet, Martine, a prominent TikTok star, rides the growing pop-punk revival wave, taking a tongue-in-cheek approach with lyrics and pairing it with more energetic, if not sometimes aggressive, production.

The result paints a more chaotic, realistic young adult love story about keeping a relationship alive.

Just 19 years old, Martine has made a strong impression over the past few years. As a singer, she first emerged on American Idol, where she received a ticket to Hollywood Week after an original song performance.

Martine, however, made the decision to embark on a touring career, instead going on the road with High School Nation.

A multi-instrumentalist influenced by an eclectic combination of classic rock, country, disco, and modern-day pop, Martine plays piano, guitar, violin, electric bass, and harmonica.

As a songwriter, she sticks to no particular sound: You can hear this on her debut, poem EP Love, Peach, which has already gained millions of streams.

Into 2022, the Miami-based singer and songwriter has already made a notable impression with “I Would Have Given You the Moon” and “True Story,” released through a partnership with Facebook. 

We had a chance to speak with Martine about her latest track and plans for performing:

How did you get into singing and songwriting?

I’ve been doing both since before I can remember! My mom always says I was singing before I could talk. She has pieces of paper with my first “songs” written on it that are just random letters. It’s all I’ve ever wanted to do!

You describe your sound as having no specific genre. What inspires you when you write a song?

I would describe my genre as expressing how I’m feeling at any given time. Lately, I’ve been writing a lot of punk-rock and musical theater. I’m a lyrics-first kind of girl, so I let the story lead me to chords and a genre. 

“Romeo and Juliet” has an early 2000s new-punk vibe. What was your influence for writing this song?

I’d been listening to a lot of Blondie and Green Day while falling completely head over heels in love. 

Considering the variety in your sound between this track and something like “Disco Barbie,” what should listeners expect from you next?

I like to really branch out when I do features like “Disco Barbie,” but “Romeo and Juliet” is the single off my first ever album. I feel like this sound really reflects the rest of the album and who I am as an artist this year. 

What are your plans for performing live or touring over the next year?

I plan to have my first headlining tour very shortly after my album comes out, if world events permit! I’m so excited!

Right now, you have over a million followers on TikTok. How have you been using this platform to get your music heard?

TikTok is amazing. It seems to magically connect more and more people who would like my music to my music and eventually to my profile.

A few of my songs have gone viral as sounds, and a few videos of me playing my original music have gone viral. I LOVE my listeners that found me through TikTok! Reading their comments and looking at their posts is so fun!

For you, what’s different about TikTok compared to other social media platforms?

On TikTok, I can really show my personality, my process, my real life, and my gradual growth as an artist. You just can’t get that from a few pictures or text posts a month. 

You’ve also done a bit of acting. How did you get into acting?

I’ve always been a fan of musical theater, and I think acting is very enjoyable. I’d love to be on Broadway someday or in a movie-musical!

Between singing, acting, and being a social media presence, where do you see your career going next?

First and foremost, I’m an entertainer. I’ll write the best songs I can, sing them the best I can, and spread as much joy through my music as possible. I’m so excited to get my album out and meet my fans on tour!