Co-founded by lead vocalist María Zardoya and drummer-producer Josh Conway, the group grew into its current lineup when the two recruited close friends Jesse Perlman on guitar and Edward James on keyboards.
Together, these four musicians have built a devoted global following through their lush, cinematic sound.
“From early EPs to a Grammy-nominated run with their sophomore album Submarine, The Marías have proven that their lineup is more than the sum of its parts.
Meet the people behind the songs you can’t stop playing.
Overview of The Marías
The Marías is an American alternative pop band based in Los Angeles, California, formed in 2016 by María Zardoya and Josh Conway.
The Marías genre is best described as a fusion of indie pop, alternative pop, dream pop, and psychedelic soul, built on jazz percussion, reverb-drenched guitar riffs, synthesizers, and occasional horn solos.
What makes their sound immediately recognizable is Zardoya’s bilingual delivery, weaving between English and Spanish in a way that feels completely natural rather than novelty.
Their sophomore album Submarine (2024) reached No. 17 on the Billboard 200, and the standout single “No One Noticed” hit No. 22 on the Billboard Hot 100, their first solo entry on that chart.
The band received their first Grammy nomination as featured artists on Bad Bunny’s Un Verano Sin Ti (Album of the Year, 2023), followed by their first solo nomination for Best New Artist at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards in 2026, where Olivia Dean took home the win
Meet the Marías Members
The Marías members consist of four musicians, each playing a distinct and essential role in shaping the band’s signature sound.
María Zardoya: Lead Vocals & Guitar
| Co-Founder | Lead Vocalist | Guitarist |
María Zardoya is the creative heart and frontwoman of The Marías. Born in Puerto Rico and raised in Snellville, Georgia (in the Atlanta metropolitan area), she brings a rich bilingual upbringing to her songwriting.
The band is named directly after her, a fact that reflects how central her voice and vision are to the group’s identity.
Her vocal influences include Sade, Norah Jones, Nina Simone, Selena, Julieta Venegas, Erykah Badu, Billie Holiday, and Carla Morrison, a cross-cultural mix that explains her ability to move effortlessly between English and Spanish across the same song.
She co-founded the band in 2016 after meeting Josh Conway in Los Angeles, and her songwriting has shaped every release from the early EPs through CINEMA (2021) and Submarine (2024). In 2025, she also independently released a solo debut album EP, Melt, under the project name Not for Radio.
Josh Conway: Drums, Percussion & Production
| Co-Founder | Drummer | Producer |
Josh Conway is the drummer, producer, and co-founder of The Marías, and the architect behind the band’s layered sonic aesthetic.
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Conway grew up immersed in music, learning piano, drums, and production from an early age. His musical influences, spanning R&B, jazz, and indie rock, as well as Tame Impala, Radiohead, D’Angelo, and The Strokes, are evident in the dense yet transparent textures he creates in the studio.
Conway met María Zardoya at the Kibitz Room, a bar and music venue inside Canter’s Deli in Los Angeles, where she was performing, and he was managing the soundboard.
As producer on both CINEMA and Submarine, Conway’s production style, emphasizing warmth, space, and psychedelic depth, has been widely praised by critics.
Jesse Perlman: Guitar
| Guitarist | Backing Vocals |
Jesse Perlman is the guitarist of The Marías and has been part of the core lineup since the band’s formation in 2016.
A close friend of both María Zardoya and Josh Conway, Perlman was recruited shortly after the band’s founding duo began writing together.
Known for his smooth, reverb-rich guitar tones, Perlman’s playing adds a hypnotic, soulful dimension to the band’s sound.
Throughout 2024 and 2025, he performed at major festivals and headline tours as part of the band’s expanding global presence.
He co-wrote several tracks on both CINEMA and Submarine and contributes subtle backing vocals in live settings.
Edward James: Keyboards & Synthesizers
| Keyboardist | Synthesizers |
Edward James handles keyboards and synthesizers for The Marías, and like Perlman, he joined the band in 2016 as a close friend of the founding duo.
His contributions are central to the dreamy, atmospheric quality that defines the band’s sound.
James layers synthesizers and keyboard textures with a restraint that makes the music feel both lush and breathable, a key ingredient in what critics have called The Marías’ “cinematic” and “velvety” aesthetic.
During live performances, he occasionally switches between keyboards and guitar, adding flexibility to the band’s live sound.
His work on CINEMA and Submarine demonstrates a sophisticated approach to ambient texture, elevating every track he appears on.
Past and Touring MembersCarter Lee served as the band’s bassist in its early years but departed in 2018. Gabe Steiner performs trumpet for The Marías during live shows and occasionally contributes as a multi-instrumentalist. Neither Carter Lee nor Gabe Steiner is considered part of the core four-member lineup |
What Genre Is The Marías?
The Marías genre sits at the intersection of alternative pop, dream pop, and psychedelic soul, a combination that is both approachable and deeply textured.
Their sound incorporates jazz percussion, reverb-drenched guitar riffs, atmospheric synthesizers, and occasional horn solos, all anchored by María Zardoya’s bilingual vocals.
The Sonic Layers
Indie Pop & Alternative Pop: The foundation. Melodic, emotionally direct songs built to connect immediately, with strong hooks and clean song structures.
Dream Pop & Psychedelic Soul: The atmosphere. Dense, warm production textures, soulful vocal phrasing, and improvisational moments that recall bossa nova and 1970s soul. Conway has cited Tame Impala and Radiohead as production influences; Zardoya draws from Sade and Erykah Badu.
Bilingual Vocals: The identity. Zardoya’s fluency in both English and Spanish, rooted in her Puerto Rican heritage, gives The Marías a cultural dimension most indie acts don’t share, and a crossover appeal that led to collaborations with Bad Bunny (“Otro Atardecer,” Un Verano Sin Ti, 2022), Tainy, and Cuco.
How Their Albums Reflect It
Every release has pushed their sound further; here is how each album maps to the genre blend The Marías have built.
| Album | Year | Genre Emphasis | Chart Peak |
|---|---|---|---|
| CINEMA | 2021 | Indie pop, alt-pop | “Hush” No. 1 Billboard Adult Alt. Airplay |
| Submarine | 2024 | Psychedelic soul, dream pop | No. 17 Billboard 200; “No One Noticed” No. 22 Hot 100 |
For a band that started from a chance meeting at a Los Angeles bar, The Marías have come a long way, and they’re only getting started
Final Thoughts
The Marías members, María Zardoya, Josh Conway, Jesse Perlman, and Edward James, have built one of the most distinctive sounds in contemporary pop music.
María’s bilingual songwriting and ethereal vocals, Conway’s psychedelic soul production, Perlman’s reverb-rich guitar work, and James’ dreamy synthesizers each contribute something irreplaceable to the group’s identity.
The Marías’ genre, spanning alternative pop, dream pop, and psychedelic soul, has earned them a devoted global fanbase, a No. 17 peak on the Billboard 200, and a 2026 Grammy nomination for Best New Artist.
No matter if you are a long-time fan or just discovering them, start with CINEMA or Submarine for the full experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is María’s Band Named After?
The band is named after its lead singer and co-founder, maría zardoya, who was born in Puerto Rico and raised in Atlanta, Georgia.
How Did the Marías Members Meet?
María Zardoya and Josh Conway met at the kibitz room at Canter’s Deli in Los Angeles, where she was performing, and he was managing the sound. They recruited close friends Jesse Perlman and Edward James shortly after to complete the lineup.
What is María’s Most Popular Song?
“Hush” was their first No. 1 on the Billboard Adult Alternative Airplay chart (2021). “No One Noticed” from Submarine Peaked at No. 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2024, their first solo entry on that chart.
Are There Any Past Members of the Marías?
Yes. Carter Lee played bass in the early lineup but departed in 2018. Gabe Steiner performs trumpet as a touring musician. Neither is part of the core four-member lineup.
Did The Marías Win a Grammy?
Not yet. They were nominated for Best New Artist at the 68th Grammy Awards (2026) but lost to Olivia Dean. Their first-ever Grammy nomination came earlier, as featured artists on Bad Bunny’s Un Verano Sin Ti for Album of the Year in 2023.
