DENISE MARSA

When Denise Marsa first moved to Greenwich Village, NYC, every night she would sneak into the New York University music building practice rooms to teach herself piano and to write songs. The guards knew that when they asked her for her pass, they asked in vain…and yet they allowed her to stay and play. Eventually, she appealed to the Dean of Music to allow her to purchase a pass, paying what she could afford. She still has that pass today.

Marsa was born in Trenton, New Jersey and raised in both Trenton and Tucson, Arizona.  She has lived and worked in New York City, London, Los Angeles and Morristown, New Jersey, and has enjoyed success as a singer, songwriter, producer and PR/marketing professional.

Among Marsa’s various credits, she was the featured vocalist on two top-ten hit records. The first was in Great Britain, on the famous hit Lucky Stars, a duet with Dean Friedman, and  the second was the international dance record, Helpless (You Took My Love), one of The Flirts’ biggest hits. While living in London, she wrote songs under contract with Warner Brothers UK Ltd.  Later, while in Los Angeles, she wrote songs under contract with Warner/Chappell.  Marsa’s songs have been featured in film and TV, and several international recording artists have recorded their versions of her work, including Misako Honjoh in Japan and Lisa Moorish in the UK.

In 1998 Marsa formed her own indie label, KeyMedia™ Group.  She self-produced, promoted and paid for all aspects of her debut 11-song CD, and aptly called it SELF.  The eagerly anticipated album garnered much critical acclaim, and in 2009 the CD went live on iTunes. Marsa’s success in promoting her own record led to a variety of opportunities with other artists, theaters, book publishers and other entertainment entities. 

In 2008 Marsa created KeyMedia™ Public Relations to support her work as a public relations and marketing consultant.  Throughout her career, she has helped dozens of clients in the arts & entertainment industries. Some of the more notable clients with whom Marsa has worked include: Egmont, USA, Children & YA Books Publisher, The Celebration Theatre, Los Angeles, City Lights Young Theater, NYC, The City of West Hollywood, CA, Pascal Rioult Dance Theatre (RIOULT), Simon & Schuster Publishing (Sales & Distribution/Children’s Editorial), Atria Books, (Publicity), Mouth Public Relations, Kris Carr, Author, Crazy Sexy Cancer, Dr. Cheryl Delasega, Professor Penn State and Author, Mean Girls, Peter Golenbock, 7 Mickey Mantle and Richard “Digger” Phelps, Undertakers Son, Notre Dame Basketball Coach. Marsa is also known for mentoring and launching new young talent including Christopher Dallman, Rachel Millman and Nicole Berke.

Marsa studied Fine Arts & Theater at the University of Arizona and English Literature and Psychology at The College of New Jersey. In 2005, she was a featured panelist on the How to Become a Successful Entrepreneur for the NYU Office of Career Services during the University career week program. Denise Marsa Productions, LLC was created in 2010 to serve as the umbrella company for all of her endeavors, including The Music Mentor™, a documentary series currently in development. Marsa currently operates DMP, KeyMedia and Sand Hill Studios, out of Morristown, New Jersey.