A Clevelander’s Song On ‘Criminal’ Display
By Ella Schuellerman
In the newest episode of “Criminal Minds,” local Cleveland singer-songwriter, Marina Strah, will have her song “Coming Home” featured for the whole country to hear. Strah, a Kent State University graduate and Westlake, Ohio native, is making her mark in music. Strah’s featured song on the popular CBS network show is about her life in Cleveland.
Strah began her rise to fame when she won Ryan Seacrest’s cover song contest back in 2014 with an acoustic cover of Taylor Swift’s renowned “Shake It Off.” After posting her acoustic version on YouTube, Strah unexpectedly caught Seacrest’s eye.
“The crazy thing is that I didn’t actually submit my video. They just picked it out of all the covers on YouTube,” Strah said.
The same year, Strah won an “Ohio’s Got Talent” competition which features local, regional and performers from throughout the state of Ohio. The competition is based on audience vote which made Strah a fan favorite as she was the only acoustic performer out of the majority hip-hop acts. In 2015, Strah went on to be named one of Cleveland Magazine’s Most Interesting People of 2015.
“Getting a song placed on a show or movie has always felt like a bucket-list goal for me,” Strah stated.
This is one of the first steps, Strah believes, that makes people feel like they belong in the music industry. Strah likes to describe her music material as Amy Winehouse inspired, infused with blues, jazz and classic pop. Her catchy lyrics and melodies show off her energetic and intrinsic personality.
With her newly released single “Coming Home” making waves on “Criminal Minds,” expect to hear more about Strah as she continues to make her mark on the music industry and the city of Cleveland. Stay tuned in on the local because Strah’s plan is to release a new album in the late summer of 2018.
Editor’s note: Information from clevelandmagazine.com was used in this report.
