Stop Sleeping on the Marías

Is there a bigger Latin-music-inspired indie-pop band right now than the Marías?

Probably not. The band has already sold out the first of two shows at the Fillmore Miami Beach on Saturday, July 27, and Sunday, July 28.

Since 2016, the Los Angeles-based band, consisting of singer María Zardoya, drummer/producer Josh Conway, guitarist Jesse Perlman, and keyboardist Edward James, has been combining indie-pop flare with traces of the sounds of Zardoya's Puerto Rican background to the acclaim of both critics and fans.

Blowing up during the bedroom-pop explosion of the late 2010s, which saw acts like Clairo, Cuco, Wallows, and Omar Apollo become internet darlings thanks to a blend of intimate lyrics, softly sung vocals, and lo-fi production, the Marías stood out due to their willingness to sing songs in Spanish and incorporate elements from other genres, such as jazz and psychedelic soul. Zardoya herself has one of the softest voices in the indie sphere, with silky vocals that have a vintage quality. Her voice feels like a mix of Julieta Venegas and Lana del Rey, two indie-pop princesses who helped bring honest lyricism to mainstream audiences.

The group's debut EP, 2017's Superclean, Vol. I, not only introduced the band to the world but also included early fan favorites like "Only in My Dreams" and "I Don't Know You."

It was a good start, but the band wouldn't gain momentum until the release of 2018's Superclean, Vol. II EP, which included the band's first viral song, "Cariño." The track found an audience on social media, and the band became known as the "perfect LA band" for its use of guitar chord progressions, Spanish-language lyrics, and trumpets, all of which have since become the Marías calling card.

The band took advantage of the attention and began releasing songs like "Drip" and a cover of the oh-so-iconic "...Baby One More Time." Like many artists, the pandemic affected the band, who delivered tracks like the spacey, minimalist fan-favorite "Care for You" and the bass-heavy "Bop It Up!" during this time.

In 2021, the group inked a deal with Atlantic Records and released its debut album, Cinema, featuring sensual lyricism and soft, hypnotic instrumentals. The album's third track, "Hush," proved to be its most popular, topping Billboard's Adult Alternative Airplay chart in 2021.

Around this time, the group also released a music video in conjunction with the South Florida suburban development Downtown Doral for the song "I Like It" off Superclean, Vol I. The footage shows Zardoya and Conway exploring various parts of the commercial district.

In early 2022, before embarking on a tour in support of Cinema, the band covered Bad Bunny's hit song "Dákiti" as part of the Spotify Singles series. It served as a teaser for what was to come when, a few months later, Bad Bunny revealed the band was set to appear on his massively commercially successful album Un Verano Sin Ti on the track "Otro Atardecer."

The song quickly became a fan favorite for both fan bases and served the Marías' first proper foray into the Latin American market. It also brought a lot more attention to the group, introducing a whole new audience to the Marías' music catalogue.
After the touring for Cinema concluded, Zardoya and Conway quietly ended their romantic relationship, which had begun with the band's inception. Weeks apart were spent penning songs for what would become the band's sophomore album, Submarine. Much of 2023 was spent working on the group's dynamics, changing how the band wrote music, and moving away from the visual aesthetics that fans had expected. The only releases for the band that year were a collaboration with Cuco, "Si Me Voy," and an appearance on super producer Tainy's album Data. On "Mañana," Tainy brought the Marías with Puerto Rican rapper Young Miko on a reggaeton beat that pairs well with Zardoya's velvety vocals.

Finally, in March of this year, the first single for Submarine, "Run Your Mouth," was released, which touches on Zardoya and Conway's breakup.

Of course, a romantic relationship between band members disintegrating isn't exclusive to the Marías. However, they can go either the way of Fleetwood Mac, where the members begin to hate each other as they make great music, or No Doubt, where the members mourn the loss and find a way to work together.

From the outside looking in, it seems like Zardoya and Conway have no bad blood — many of the songs on the album were penned between the former couple. The band released Submarine without controversy and was warmly received by critics. In his review of Submarine, Clash's Robin Murray writes, "Building on the success of their debut while never being overshadowed by it, The Marías move past the barrier of the tricky second album with no small degree of confidence."

The Marías. With Automatic. 8 p.m. Saturday, July 27, and Sunday, July 28, at the Fillmore Miami Beach, 1700 Washington Ave., Miami Beach; 305-673-7300; fillmoremb.com. Tickets cost $49.25 to $98.50 via livenation.com.