About my memoir
UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS
A musical memoir WITH 32 ORIGINAL SONGS
This musical memoir, releasing on 1 January 2026, is not just a book; it’s a multisensory experience that combines writing, original music, and video.
Her story comes alive through all the senses — sight, sound, taste, smell, and touch — with special evenings at the new Dare2Dream dome restaurant at Forum Homini Boutique Hotel in the Cradle of Humankind, where guests can experience the food and music in a fairy-tale setting.
More about the book:
“Knock-knock, anybody home?”
For 20 years, Karina Marais and her partner have lived apart together in a shared residence—his bachelor pad upstairs, her retreat downstairs—connected by a staircase that links their spaces while preserving their independence. No unannounced visits, no dull routines, just passion, freedom, and a love story shaped on their terms.
In Upstairs Downstairs, Marais shows how they successfully manage a Living Apart Together (LAT) relationship where love, ambition, and independence coexist. But her memoir isn’t just about love, it’s also about passion and daring to dream. Some of her dreams took flight, others fell short, but she didn’t want to leave this world without chasing them. That drive makes her jump out of bed every morning, a trait many aspiring entrepreneurs share.
Through multisensory storytelling with words, lyric readings, music, and videos, she brings to life the emotions behind love, loss, and the pursuit of dreams.
BOOK WEBSITE:
AUDIOBOOK:
https://open.spotify.com/show/33MJoq8621yJ0U3rAMYvrr?si=_CVRhVxJS3yZnsE4xdBZLQ
THREE ALBUMS:
1. Upstairs Downstairs 🎵 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/6HUJxiQXbMDjvpKJ4QqXWI?si=z-8uH2gsSyyi-
©Karina Marais Music 2024
2. Living Apart Together in Love 🎵 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/3AyWS0IdsL7FJ2aVwtEW6J
℗Karina Marais Music 2025
3. Living Apart Together in Love(2) 🎵 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/2lTvIQgWADx1aAG43U16KH
℗Karina Marais Music 2025
Her music videos can be found on her YouTube channel, Karina Marais. They offer an intimate soundtrack to the experiences that have shaped her.
https://www.youtube.com/@KarinaMarais