MARIS discusses Julia Roberts, aerobics dance, & playing first festival at Boston Calling

MARIS, the LA-based up-and-coming pop sensation, performed her largest show to date at Boston Calling this May. WRBB's BellaJoli Gedeon sat down with the artist to discuss musical influences, upcoming projects, and dancing!

Bella: How’d it feel to perform Boston Calling this weekend?

MARIS: Oh my God! It was a dream come true. It's my first festival and it was the biggest production I've ever had for my music. I got to work with Berklee students, so we had a 10-piece band with dancers. It was so insane considering the last time I performed on the East Coast was in a dive bar. I couldn’t have had a better crew around me and I love everyone on my team and everyone that made it possible. It was a lot of love.

Photo Credits: Curie Cha

Your latest single, Julia Roberts, is a hit. It’s definitely a song I resonate with.

Julia Roberts! I love her.

It’s evident that you use your experience to connect with listeners. Do you find it cathartic to pour those emotions into the music making process?

Yes, I actually think that I was writing songs before I could even write, like before I was literate literally. I always needed music as a place to put my feelings. I’m from Montana. My dad lived in the middle of nowhere, so I used to walk around and sing songs to myself about what’s going on in my life and how I was feeling about things. I always needed music in a codependent, unhealthy way. It’s super cathartic. I will feel like I have feelings under the surface and I can’t get to them, but as soon as I sit down the words will pour out. Then, I’ll look at it from a distance and be like “Oh, that’s how I felt.” It’s soothing and it helps me understand myself better.

That’s amazing. Who are your current musical influences and how have they helped shape the direction you like to take as an artist?

Oh my God, I love so many people! I mean the tried and true. I have the legends on my mind all the time. We’re going to see them today, but The Killers. Prince. Whitney Houston. A lot of my songwriting inspirations like Donny Hathaway or Steve Wonder. Songs in Key of Life. I listen to that at least once a week because I just need it in my life to understand the world. I love Madonna, especially her older stuff. I’m really attached to Cyndi Lauper. I’m inspired by so many of the greats and the legends. Recently, I’ve been super inspired by MUNA and Chappell Roan like a lot queer pop artists. It feels really amazing. My song, “Heavenly Bodies,” is about this girl I was obsessed with in high school. I remember being excited to see how people connected to it and now it’s amazing to see all these queer icons coming up and just shining. It feels like a long time coming and about time.

For sure! There were a lot of style icons that you named too.

Freddie Mercury, I didn’t even mention Queen.

It really shows in your personal style!

Thank you!

You seem to use a touch of your own!

You know, you’ve got to remix it a little bit!

Exactly! I noticed that your music videos use a lot of dancing. Do you like to choreograph your own dances?

Oh, I had the absolute pleasure of working with choreographers. For “False Idol” and “Heavenly Bodies,” I got to work with David Grannum and we rehearsed in his bedroom since he has big mirrors. He was teaching me that dance. I have never been professionally trained, so I felt gawky or nervous in my body sometimes. I was super inspired by an aerobics woman from the 80s. I was super inspired by her videos. For “False Idol,” we went full aerobics. Super simple moves, but more of a workout than actual dancing. I worked with moreBerklee students. Asha and Sophie were the dancers. I sent them a video saying “Here’s the dances we’ve had for these songs, here’s the dances we don’t have yet, and here's what I’ve seen on stage and naturally I’m inclined to do. I want to see your ideas and what you're thinking.” The moves that we added to “False Idol” and “Heavenly Bodies” were the Asha and Sophie special, so I had the opportunity to work with choreographers. I move naturally. I dance all the time, especially in my room by myself. I always dance in circles. In terms of working with real choreographers and people who understand movement of the body, I had the pleasure of working with super talented people.

You're set to have a season of upcoming shows?

I hope so! We’ve got a few lined up, but I want more, more, more!

Are there any plans for working on new material or releasing new music soon?
Yes, I have three songs still that are lined up for the next couple months! And, I have a month of writing and it’s been a whirlwind the past few months and so I know I have a lot on my mind. I’m just excited to see where it goes directionally. I kind of want to maybe start working on an album, but my first album has got to have the time, space, and resource for everything that needs to be done to make it my chef’s kiss. My first baby. I’ll have the time, money, blood, sweat, and tears. I’ll have the tender love and care that it needs to be a masterpiece, but that will happen when the time comes. Obviously, I want more shows, more, more, more!

It was lovely speaking with you.

Thank you for having me!

Check out MARIS' new single "Julia Roberts" here, or on all streaming platforms.