A dedication to Marion Raven: Catching up from almost zero
老實說，對 M2M 的認識，一開始是偏向「對 Marit 比較熟、對 Marion 幾乎從零開始」。在演唱會公布之前，我對 Marion 的印象，大概還只停留在「另一位美眉」這樣的程度。
直到演唱會消息確定、歌單流出，補課進度才正式啟動。看著別人分享的現場影片，常常可以聽到很多人超熱情地在台下大喊她的名字，那個瞬間會讓人好奇：「欸，我是不是錯過了什麼？為什麼大家一叫就是『Marion～～～』？」於是這陣子開始用比較「考前衝刺」的方式，聽著她的作品、重聽 M2M 的合唱，邊補課邊把這份好奇帶進演唱會現場。
每一個眼神、每一個走位，都很像在對全場說：「放心，交給我。」
那天 Marit 的嗓子狀況不算完美，有時候聽得出來有一點吃力。但 Marion 在旁邊，彷彿立刻幫她把舞台的重心撐起來——聲音上給和聲，氣氛上帶動拍手和大合唱，時不時還會用眼神去確認她的狀態。那種搭配感很微妙，像是「大寫的 E」把場子撐寬，「小寫的 i」把情緒拉深，兩個人合在一起，才是我們記憶裡的 M2M。
有趣的是，對我來說，Marion 的故事有一條完全不同的情緒線。
長大之後走進演唱會，才發現原來「另外一半」的魅力，是要到現場才補得起來。
但她在台上的樣子，又會讓人覺得——沒關係，喜歡從今天開始也不遲。對她來說，能站在台北這個距離，跟這麼多已經當爸媽、還願意來吼歌的歌迷一起大合唱，本身就是一種遲到但很真心的回應。
還包括了那些當年沒看見、但現在終於來得及欣賞的那一個人。
A dedication to Marion Raven: Catching up from almost zero
To be honest, when it comes to M2M, my knowledge was always a bit one-sided at the start. I was much more familiar with Marit, while my understanding of Marion was almost starting from zero. Before the concert was even announced, my mental image of her was basically just “the other girl in M2M”, which is admittedly not very fair.
It was only after the tour date was confirmed and the setlist started circulating that my “catch-up course” really began. Watching clips from other shows that people shared online, I kept hearing the crowd shouting her name with so much enthusiasm. In those moments I found myself wondering: “Wait, what have I missed? Why is it always ‘Marion～～～’ echoing through the venue?” So over the past weeks, I went into what felt like exam-cram mode: listening through her solo work, revisiting the M2M tracks, and carrying that growing curiosity with me into the Taipei show.
The moment the concert started, I immediately understood why everyone loved calling out her name.
On stage, Marion is pure capital E – very extrovert in the best way:
she walks with big, confident strides, jumps with full energy, and the moment she starts singing, her presence is undeniable.
Every look, every step across the stage seems to say to the entire crowd, “It’s alright, I’ve got this.”
That evening, Marit’s voice was not in perfect condition; at times you could tell she was pushing herself a bit. But with Marion by her side, it felt as if she instantly shifted the centre of gravity of the whole stage to support her. She added harmonies in all the right places, led the clapping and sing-alongs, and kept checking in with Marit now and then with quick glances. Their dynamic was very subtle but very real – like a big, confident “E” holding the space wide open, and a quieter “i” pulling the emotions deeper. Together, they became exactly the M2M we remember from our younger years.
What is interesting to me is that Marion’s story follows a completely different emotional line in my head.
Back then, my attention was mostly on Marit’s songs and her melodies.
It took walking into a live show as an adult to realise that “the other half” of the duo is someone you can only fully appreciate when you see her on stage.
Listening to her perform the songs I had only recently rushed to catch up on, I kept thinking:
“How am I only really listening to you properly now?”
But the way she was on stage made it feel okay – as if she were saying that it is never too late to start liking someone’s music. For her, standing in Taipei, sharing this moment with so many fans who are now parents themselves yet still willing to shout and sing along, is already a very genuine, if slightly delayed, kind of response.
Maybe this is what another kind of “catching up” looks like with M2M.
When we were young, we only remembered the melody of “Pretty Boy”.
As adults, we finally understand the weight of Marion’s presence.
Our youth was never just about a few songs on a playlist –
it also includes the people we did not fully notice back then,
but are finally ready to appreciate now.
