The María's

Sometimes it takes a single song for one to jump off the diving board into the deep end of a band’s discography. A thing like no other, which grabs you by the ears and shows you what a sound can really offer. “Care For You” was the first song that introduced me to The Marías, a Latin American band that embraces their unique background. In the “Submarine Diaries,”  video blogs made by the band, María Zardoya talks about her return to Puerto Rico to perform her “coming home” concert. Since then, the band has grown their following, making a handful of their top songs popular on platforms like TikTok. During the first week of “Yours Truly,” a student-run DJ show on 89.3 WGSU, (Tuesdays from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m,) I played their track, “Sienna.”

As I've said, sometimes a deep dive is necessary for one to truly understand an artist’s sound. I have a vast appreciation for The María’s who have broadened my musical awareness, yet exceeding expectations is simply another way of saying that one doesn’t know what you're capable of. During this dive, I found their cover of Radiohead's “Exit Music for a Film.” The top comment read, “It's so refreshing to hear Maria's voice in a way more melancholic and darker tone” (@anotherlee_). This observation, though four years old, exemplifies this idea. Having known The María’s after hearing their songs like “Little by Little,” or “ All I Really Want is You,” I didn't think this cover or that their new album was much of a surprise; they had hinted at their range before. Their recent releases took it to a new level, perhaps this is one of the parts which fascinate me the most.

A significant part of what makes this band so special is how María uses her talent in both English and Spanish. They have a number of songs that utilize either languages, or likewise alternate between the two. This uniquity occurs even though the other members of the band do not share her bilinguality. I join these members in being unfamiliar with Spanish, yet all of their instruments speak with their musicality, bypassing language. María can sing interchangeably between her double tongues without jeopardizing her sound. It stretches beyond the bounds of the two languages, not bilingual, universal. She speaks on this in their second video diary, with recognition to the other members of the band, who have embraced Spanish as if it is their own, while being unaware of the depths of the lyrics they sing.

This band has had quite the year. After their time on NPR Tiny Desk, they've gone to open for Billie Eilish, perform at Camp Flog Gnaw, and commence their Submarine Tour. The success is rightfully deserved and becoming of them. As they stepped into their new found  spotlight, they have not soon forgotten what truly remains important to them. During their time on Tiny Desk, they shared with us the importance of appreciation. María left us with the message to seize the day, enjoy the outdoors, and to be conscious of what’s important. The María's share something with us that is the sound of the next generation. To hear their songs on-air, be sure to check our instagram page @wgsu893 to find out more information. 

Aubree Yokota is a Freshman at SUNY Geneseo, she currently hosts "Yours Truly" on WGSU, 6 PM on Tuesdays.