How a chance meeting at a deli sound booth birthed a Grammy-nominated pop band
In short: The Marías began not in a studio, but at the Kibitz Room inside a Los Angeles deli. When lead singer María Zardoya met producer Josh Conway while he was managing sound for her set, they immediately began writing music. Today, they are a Grammy-nominated force blending jazz, pop, and bilingual lyrics.
The band's origin story is rooted in serendipity. María Zardoya, born in Puerto Rico and raised in Snellville, Georgia, met Josh Conway in Los Angeles. Their creative partnership flourished after they were initially tasked with writing music for a television project that never materialized. Instead of abandoning the work, they repurposed the recordings into their debut EP, Superclean Vol. I, released in 2017. This early experimentation with visual and sonic aesthetics defined the band's identity, which now includes guitarist Jesse Perlman and keyboardist Edward James.
Their sound is a deliberate fusion of diverse influences. Zardoya draws inspiration from icons like Selena, Sade, and Nina Simone, alongside the cinematic vision of Pedro Almodóvar. Conway, who handles production and a wide array of instruments, brings a different palette, citing Radiohead and Tame Impala. This blend of perspectives allowed the band to embrace bilingual songwriting, incorporating Spanish-language tracks that resonated with a wide audience. Zardoya has described her personal aesthetic as gothic fairy, a style that complements their atmospheric, alternative pop sound.
The band's trajectory has been marked by significant collaborations and mainstream recognition. They have worked with artists ranging from Bad Bunny to Eyedress, and their 2024 album Submarine produced the viral hit No One Noticed, which reached number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100. Their rise culminated in a nomination for Best New Artist at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards in 2026. Beyond the band, Zardoya has expanded her reach, performing for crowds of up to 80,000 people alongside Bad Bunny and launching her own solo project, Not for Radio, which gained critical attention in 2025.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: The Marías
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