The Marías, the Grammy-nominated psychedelic-soul lovechild of Puerto Rican-bred, Atlanta-raised María Zardoya and Los Angeles native Josh Conway, have once again captivated the music scene with their new album “Submarine.” Joined by close friends Jesse Perlman on guitar and Edward James on keys, the band celebrated the album’s release with a surprise free show in Los Angeles earlier this summer. The electrifying performance, their first in nearly two years, drew over 6,000 fans who were treated to a mesmerizing live experience of “Submarine” for the very first time.
Amid their “Submarine Tour,” Latina caught up with lead singer María Zardoya, who shared insights into her latest projects, including their new album and her transformation into a mermaid for Apple’s new “Shot on iPhone” film “Suerte.”
Set against the vibrant backdrop of a Lotería game and the soulful strains of Musica Mexicana, “Suerte” unfolds with Regional-Mexican artist Ivan Cornejo playing a young musician. Through a series of unusual friendships, he embarks on a journey back to his roots in search of inspiration. The short film, directed by the Mexican American duo CLIQUA—comprised of Pasqual Gutiérrez and RJ Sánchez, known for their work with Bad Bunny and The Weeknd—is an ode to Latinidad. The film explores the duality of the “200%ers”—those who live in the U.S. but maintain deep ties to their homelands.
Image courtesy of Apple.
Zardoya’s transformation into a mermaid was brought to life by Emmy-nominated prosthetic designer Stephen Bettles. “María’s mermaid look used every technique we had to bring it to life,” Bettles tells Latina. With just eight days to build the mermaid, three teams worked around the clock. The tail was hand-sculpted, molded in lightweight waterproof foam, and fabricated to a custom undergarment for comfort and ease of wear. Hundreds of individually made cactus leaves, created by freezing, 3D scanning, and molding real leaves, were hand-painted and stitched to the tail’s core. A custom foam latex prosthetic seamlessly blended the tail into Zardoya’s body, while a silicone chest piece and custom tattoos completed the transformation.
Despite their busy schedule, having just released their new album and amid a tour, Zardoya found the film project refreshing. “It was a nice change of pace,” she reveals. “We were working intensely on the album rollout, so taking a few days in Mexico City to focus solely on the film was much needed.”
It’s fitting that Zardoya took part in this project, as her role in the film mirrors the themes of their latest album. Much like a mermaid submerged in water, “Submarine” delves into the complexities of solitude and exploration. The album navigates the intricate interplay of human emotions, highlighting the pain and beauty intertwined within the choice of solitude.
“Our new album, ‘Submarine,’ is visually and sonically inspired by water,” Zardoya explains. “During the creative process, I learned that 95% of the earth’s waters remain unexplored. I think the same can be said about our emotions. Who knows, maybe mermaids exist after all. Maybe I am one in real life.”
Looking ahead, María shares, “We’re about to embark on a world tour for ‘Submarine’! We’re also working on a follow-up EP and the next album. My mind is always racing with new ideas, which keeps things fun, interesting, and somewhat intense,” she laughs.
Despite the intensity, Zardoya approaches life with a mindfulness that keeps her grounded. “I take it one day at a time. I try not to think too much about the future or the past. Of course, I love planning things, but once planned, I try not to dwell on them. I’ve been practicing being more present, since that’s really all we have. While writing ‘Submarine,’ I got into Buddhism and meditation. The basis is to be fully present in all your senses.”
The Maria’s next tour stop is set for July 16th in Oakland, California and they’ll continue their tour hitting major cities across North America including New York, Miami, Chicago, Toronto and more followed by a second leg in Europe.