Artists often proclaim to be involved in every aspect of their work, from the creative direction to marketing themselves, and of course, crafting gold-standard music to perform. However, for Maria Alexa, such a claim can be said with authority, as the NYC-based singer-songwriter couples her pursuit as a full-time musician with an accomplished role at music marketing, advertising and creative agency, NOISE.
As a founding team member of NOISE, she’s integral to the company – “I don’t sleep,” she explains below, as she juggles an array of creative endeavours at any one time. “For me, It’s now or never, so I rather work really hard while I can to make my dream a reality than look back and have any regrets,” she continues. It’s a resoluteness you would imagine to be synonymous with an artist responsible for a track as gorgeously assembled as latest single “Wake Me Up”. An all-consuming moment of catharsis, crafting the piano-centric ballad marked the beginning of her healing process following a particularly challenging few years.
Head below to listen to “Wake Me Up” now, and read our chat with Alexa about everything from connecting with fans of her music, her upcoming EP, and writing songs in the shower…
Hey Maria! How are you doing today? Where are we speaking to you from?
Hi, I’m so excited to chat with you! I’m currently in my home studio writing a verse to a new song. I’ve challenged myself to write a new song everyday – I’m on week two!
Just to name a few of your professions, you’re a musician, director and founding member of NOISE. How do you juggle everything you do?
I don’t sleep! For me, it’s all about balance and prioritizing work. Some days I’m more productive than others, however, I remain positive by recognizing all that I have achieved thus far. And when burnout happens, I give myself days off to relax and be present. That can be, being with my family, journaling, therapy, travelling, or just being outdoors – they’ve all really helped. For me, It’s now or never, so I rather work really hard while I can to make my dream a reality than look back and have any regrets. I’ve never been more hyper-focused on anything in my entire life and it feels really good.
Where would you say your passion comes from? Do you have any particular inspirations?
My passion to be a singer was fueled by my parents. They knew how much I wanted to be a singer and encouraged me to perform and supported my dream with singing lessons. My parents would constantly fill the house with music from Andre Bocelli, Billy Joel, and Harry Connick Jr. I would sing and perform “shows” of Britney Spears songs. My parents have always supported me to be the best version of myself. They are incredible role models as they are the most hardworking individuals I’ve ever met – I would be nowhere without them. Their spirit lives in me every day, especially when I’m having a tough time balancing it all.
What is most important to you within your line of work?
I truly want my songs to connect with the listener emotionally and hope it makes them feel like they are not alone. That is what singing has meant to me since I started at a very young age. I started journaling and writing poems at eight years old. Putting my thoughts and feelings on paper allowed me to express myself in ways I never knew possible. So songwriting was a natural transition and has become a huge part of my daily life and has helped me navigate through loss, heartbreak, trauma and love.
Top & skirt – Scarlet Sage (@scarletsage.online)
Top & skirt – Scarlet Sage (@scarletsage.online)
Congratulations on the release of “Wake Me Up”! What was your mindset when writing this particular track?
Thank you so so much! It feels good to finally have new music out again. The process has been hard, however, it has led to a natural evolution of identifying my sound, writing, and going through a few personal experiences that changed my life in a profound way. This past year, I’ve dealt with a devastating loss, followed by extreme anxiety and a breakup. All have impacted me in a deep way and part of my process to start healing was to capture all the emotion on paper. And when I started it just poured out of me and within three hours, ‘Wake Me Up” was written.
Who did you first play it to? What was their reaction like?
My cousin Jovanna is normally the first person to hear it she’s also my roommate and best friend so she has no choice in the matter, and my parents as well, as they were going through a lot of what happened to me, with me, so they were able to connect with the song that much more. They’re honestly my biggest fans but they’ll also tell me when things can be better which I always appreciate. My mom usually compliments my writing, my dad normally cries to it, and my cousin will play it on repeat until I can’t even listen to it anymore lol. I feel extremely lucky to have them.
The track is hacked from your forthcoming EP, would you say the effort explores similar themes to that of “Wake Me Up”?
Yes, absolutely. There are several beautiful ballads that are relatable to everyone that listens to them. From upbeat to melancholic to hopeful, my music speaks to real-life issues and feelings. It’ll be a small project but one that I am very proud of and very eager to get into the world! I’m excited to perform my original music in front of a live audience and may have a few performances coming up….stay tuned.
Top – Hanifa (@hanifaofficial), trousers – AKNVAS (@aknvas)
Top – Hanifa (@hanifaofficial), trousers – AKNVAS (@aknvas)
What made you decide that now was the time to fully put your music out there?
When I first put out music in 2020, it was more of an experiment as I always sang but never had the time to really go for it. Like everyone during this time, I really had no excuse but to work on writing and recording something I wanted to be part of my musical journey. With this whole process being new to me, plus the fact that I was running a company full-time, managing other artists, writing, recording, figuring out my sound, and educating myself on the music business, while also trying to stay sane – it felt like my heart wasn’t fully in it. I mean how could it have been? With that said, I’m happy I put a few singles out in a short period of time but I wanted the music and me as an artist to be better. So in these last two years, my priority became artist development, creative direction, figuring out my own unique sound along with honing in on my inspirations and my goals. With that tunnel vision came a lot of pivoting and the creation of songs I’ve always dreamed of having, now just sitting on my phone waiting to be released. It’s truly extraordinary what you can do if you wholeheartedly believe in yourself.
What are you most excited about?
I’m just really grateful to be at this point in my life and finally feel like the stars are aligned. I’m most excited for my music to reach a broader audience while building a fanbase that can share this journey with me. I will continue to write new music and collaborate with the incredible partners I have met in the industry from other musicians, writers, and producers. I value these relationships as they have had a positive impact on who I am as an artist. I look forward to going on tour someday and stretching myself as an artist.
And finally, what are some fun/surprising facts about yourself that I wouldn’t be able to find on a press release?
I write most of my songs either in the shower, at the gym, or in the middle of sleeping – yes I’ll wake up and whisper a voice note into my phone lol.
I have eight tattoos, all within the last two years, dedicated to either a loved one or my music.
If I wasn’t a musician, I would love to either start my own fashion brand or be a chef and have my own restaurant.
I actually only get four-five hours of sleep, but I’m working on changing that!
