Exploring the Emotional Connection Behind Merch
A discussion with emerging artists, Deloyd Elze and mer marcum
Written by Max Himelhoch
As the economics of being a musician get more difficult via streaming and touring, the one stronghold musicians have carved out for themselves is merchandise. It’s direct support from the fan: cash from your pocket to theirs. I wanted to explore this a little deeper, so I reached out to a couple of my favorite musicians to hear about it from their perspective.
Deloyd Elze is a new country act in Los Angeles, blending traditional country influences with contemporary lyrics and computers. He and his band are a force live, and their merch has always caught my eye. After a great set last summer at Permanent Records Roadhouse in LA, I flipped through some of their hand-printed shirts – second-hand tees with camo print or NASCAR graphics, now sporting a fresh Deloyd Elze logo sitting pretty on top.
When I asked Elze about the importance of merch, he didn’t mention money at all. Instead, he explained, “It’s really fun to come up with unconventional merch. It leaves a lasting impression with people and shows them your tastes and interests.” And I have to agree – just by looking at each tee, I get to know Elze a tiny bit better: what he’s about, the aesthetic, the messaging. His merch is a visual representation of his music, inviting me to connect more with him and his songs.
I’m sure I wasn’t alone at that show – floored by a powerful set, curious to learn more, maybe even take home a keepsake to remember the experience. That impulse is familiar to Elze, too. He recalled the first piece of merch he ever bought, saving up as a teen to see Cage the Elephant when they came to his hometown of Jacksonville, Florida. He got hooked seeing them live that night, and had to have the shirt to show for it. Merch offers us a way to make the ephemeral real: proof of what just happened, proof of the connection we have to the community.
It can be proof of connection to the musicians, too. The merch table has become a friendly place to meet after shows. Depending on where an artist is in their career, they might be the one pulling your new shirt straight from the box.
For mer marcum, a Brooklyn-based indie rock artist, these moments of connection have helped bring digital relationships into the real world.
At marcum’s shows you’ll find unique merch. It’s always something creative, handmade, and fun. Her “undermer” line has been a big hit: hand-stamped or hand-embroidered underwear featuring her name and the silhouette of a horse (now a staple of her visual identity). Her fans walk away with a truly one-of-a-kind piece.
With the perspective I got from Elze, I now see marcum’s merch as an incredibly effective way to get to know her sensibility better, too. Much like her music, there’s a beautiful balance of elegance and rawness. The intimacy of a pair of underwear, the imperfections of the hand printing, the cheekiness of selling ‘undermer’ to begin with. Her songs thrive on the same push and pull: heart and edge, soft and sharp.
When we chatted, marcum reflected on how, sometimes, the bigger picture surrounding the merch purchase can be humbling.
“I played a show in Boston,” she told me, “and a sweet girl who was coming to the show DMed and asked for a pair of undermer. I had this moment on the Flix bus from New York to Boston: I was hand-stitching my name on a pair of underwear, to meet someone who had been a fan of me online, and give them this merch, this gift. I thought about how lucky I am, and how silly, and how cool. And I don't take it lightly!”
Not only is this fan walking away with special merch, but both sides earn an even deeper bond.
In an often cold, one-way digital world, marcum finds genuine, human connections to stay grounded. These little moments bring her closer to the music she makes and the people who deeply connect with it, whether online or in person at a show.
Big thanks to both Deloyd Elze and mer marcum for the reminder of how meaningful these little joys can be and for highlighting the care and creativity behind a truly heartfelt merch line. It’s a perspective I’ll certainly be carrying with me the next time I head into a gig!
Check out the artists:
You can follow Deloyd Elze here and listen here.
You can follow mer marcum here and listen here.
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Our blog covers fan art, album releases, merch trends, niche pop culture communities, and other topics at the intersection of music, visual art, and fandoms.
Max Himelhoch (he/him) writes and curates Max's Music Mondays, a music discovery newsletter on Substack. You can also find him throwing special shows with up-and-coming artists through Mendel Records, both in his hometown LA as well as NYC. Beyond the music, you can find him solving today's NYT Crossword Puzzle.