meet mariel

hello mariel!

First of all — congratulations. You just shot your album cover and you’re so close to release. How are you feeling in this moment?

Thank you!!! I am feeling super excited and eager for everyone to hear this album. It’s been in the works for about a year and a half at this point so I’m ready to go, especially because this is going to be the first music I’ve released since 2023. I devoted a couple years to just writing and for a while I had convinced myself that I was just going to write with and for other artists. While I still do a LOT of co-writing and collaborating, I kept writing songs alone in my room that were entirely autobiographical and decided I needed to get back to releasing my own music. This album is 10 songs and it really feels like 10 glimpses into my brain and innermost thoughts. I hope that translates when people hear it!

Let’s rewind a bit. When did songwriting first become more than just something you enjoyed — when did you realize it was part of who you are?

I first started writing poetry in elementary school and quickly became obsessed with words and putting them together. I carried a notebook everywhere with me and would constantly write things and ideas in it.  I also vividly remember singing random little songs I made up around the house and I had an infatuation with Britney Spears so I dreamed of becoming a pop star too. Fast forward a few years to middle school, I started teaching myself guitar via Taylor Swift songs, obviously. Middle school was rough for me so learning guitar, coupled with needing an emotional outlet, led me to songwriting. Once I found it, I was entirely addicted. I would run home after school, grab my guitar, play the same four chords and pour my little heart out. I was impressively prolific for a middle schooler and I attribute that to having no pressure on it, writing was merely an outlet for me and I had absolutely no thoughts of monetizing it. At that time though, I used to be so embarrassed of it. No one at school knew, it felt too vulnerable. I barely told my family but they obviously heard my singing nonstop in my room. I know my sister was sick of hearing me since our bedrooms shared a wall.

It’s funny because I can’t imagine that now, it’s my entire personality but people literally learned that I wrote songs when I graduated high school and headed off to Belmont University in Nashville to major in songwriting. This fear of accepting myself and my dream of being a songwriter as my truth ultimately led me on an incredibly winding road with music. I had extreme imposter syndrome and always felt not good enough, despite auditioning and getting into the schools and rooms I was in. I wound up transferring to Berklee College of Music in Boston and after about 24 hours of being there, I panicked and dropped out, thinking I didn’t belong there. I gave up entirely on music school. That was one of the hardest moments of my life. I finished my college career at Fordham University with a degree in Sociology and after a year or so post grad I was miserable so I decided I needed to go to Nashville again and get back to music. I’m now back in New York but pursuing music more fervently than ever. I’ve found my music community here and I am the most excited I’ve ever been about the music I’m making. I’m writing with my artist friends too and have so many amazing things on the horizon. The quote “if it’s your calling, it will keep calling” rings true for me. Every time I tried to walk away, I circled back to my music. It’s my one true love and I have finally realized it’s something that I can never walk away from again. Now when people ask what I do I can’t wait to tell them “I’m a songwriter.” Twelve year old me probably wouldn't believe it.

You’re not just a singer, you’re a songwriter. Where does your writing usually begin — melody first, lyrics first, or a lived experience you can’t ignore?

Honestly, it can be any of the above but I pride myself on being a lyrics person. Most often for me, it’s words first and I tend to write with a concept or even title in mind. I’ll be out with friends and they’ll say a phrase that immediately stands out to me and I can’t ignore it so I jot it down and revisit later and build an entire song around it. Sometimes though, I am spiraling and talking to myself about a situation that’s on my mind and I do find myself reaching for my guitar with a melody in my head. In that case, the words follow. There are also moments where it feels like I’m stumbling into a fully fleshed out song and wonder how the hell I got there. It’s wild because writing always reveals what I’m thinking and feeling even if I have yet to admit it to myself. The words always come out, sometimes in 10 minutes and sometimes over 5 hours. I joke that when I die, my notes app, Google Drive and voice memos need to be burned because truly all of my unfiltered thoughts are within them. I can look back on any given period of my life and I get a glimpse at what I was going through, which I think is pretty amazing.

With an album about to come out, I imagine there’s a mix of excitement and vulnerability. Does it ever feel exposing to release music that’s so personal?

100%! I often write incredibly specific lyrics with the intention of no one ever hearing them. This album feels like I took ten of those “who cares no one’s ever going to hear this” songs and recorded them so it’s exceptionally scary for me this time around. Some of the characters who I have written about were made aware by the simple fact of me detailing the very specifics of our situation. Some of my friends are literally also namedropped (I asked forgiveness not permission). I also have a song or two in this mix with my innermost obsessive thoughts that I thought I would NEVER tell to anyone, but alas, I now post TikToks with those “embarrassing” lyrics every day. But I wouldn’t have it any other way. Music has always been there for me and if writing songs about my very personal, and sometimes painful experiences, can help even just one other person in the world feel less alone, it is entirely worth it to me.

For those reading, creating an album isn’t just writing songs — it’s months (sometimes years) of refining, recording, producing, and emotionally reliving certain chapters. What was the most challenging part of this project for you?

You’re not kidding! I truly wrote hundreds of songs prior to deciding to record this album. That absolutely did not translate to all of them being contenders for recording but it made it both easier and more difficult to decide what to record. Easy because I did have tons of complete and well-written songs (many bad ones too when you’re writing that much) about my life in recent years, but I’m indecisive so it was impossible for me to narrow! That was one of the toughest things for me. We stopped this album at 10 songs but I’m already thinking about my next project and already have a lot of material for it. 

How do you know when a song is finished? Is there a moment where it just clicks?

As mentioned, I often write in the Nashville way where I have a title and concept in mind. With that, I have a solid idea of the direction the song is going before I even get into the weeds of writing it. This makes it easier to follow the north star of the idea and it can make it easier to decide if the song is good or not based on whether or not the initial idea is solid and if my execution of it served the hook. I tend to do my editing then and there, call it done and move onto the next. When it comes to locking the “finished” songs into a final recorded version, that’s where I get myself into trouble because I am a chronic overthinker! I will get into the studio and question whether or not my words are even coherent. I have a tendency to question the literal "ifs, ands, and buts" in the songs I previously called finished. In those moments, I rely on the people I’m working with to snap me out of it. My producer for this album, Harper James, has been pivotal in the process for me this time around. You can really change and edit things forever and ever but Harper made it easy to call these songs "finished” by taking my sad girl guitar songs and making them anthemic with earworms that I hope get stuck in everyone’s head as much as they’ve been stuck in mine.

The music industry can be both beautiful and brutal. How do you stay grounded in your artistry without getting distracted by trends, numbers, or outside noise?

I genuinely think it took me time and getting older to finally accept myself where I’m at. In fact, I haven’t even publicly said this but my upcoming album is titled, Where I’m At Now. There is no title track but I did pull the line from a song on it titled, “Stoop That Low,” in which I sing about how I won’t settle for someone ever again. In the song I sing “I’m alright where I’m at now and I’m good on my own / even if it gets lonely, I won’t stoop that low.” Don’t get me wrong, I am human and still struggle with comparison and dwell on what ifs but, at the end of the day, it is my journey. It isn’t supposed to be the same as anyone else’s. Over the past few years, I’ve really taken this to heart. I’ve honed my own voice and sound and learned there is a place for my music too. There’s a place for all of us. I’m so excited to put this music out because it’s entirely me. I didn’t chase trending sounds or clickbait titles, I just wrote my truth and I have found that to be an amazing way to connect with people. I’m more than alright and can’t wait for people to meet me “where I’m at now.”

You recently shot your album cover — which feels like such a defining visual moment. How did you approach the creative direction for it? Did it come naturally, or was it something you went back and forth on?

The one thing I can say I’m confident in at this point is my songwriting but when it comes to visuals, I am almost always uncertain.  I do not write a song and envision a whole world around it. When it came to this album, I did know the feelings I wanted the visuals to evoke. The whole album was recorded in a super organic matter with live drums, a real piano and acoustic guitars. It really just feels like songs I wrote in the comfort of my apartment but taken up a notch, with Harper's production. For that reason, when it came to this album artwork I knew the feelings I wanted the visuals to evoke but that’s about it. I envisioned myself existing in an apartment and it being captured on film. That’s it. I didn’t know how to execute it but I found photographer, Hellen Elizondo, who did. She helped creative direct and develop a visual world for it. We did a whole shoot on film in the coolest Williamsburg apartment. This album is truly a relaunch of my artist project and the artwork is a key component of that.  I can’t say enough how excited I am for everyone to experience it.

When you imagine taking this album on the road, what does that look like in your mind? Are there specific locations or venues that feel like they match the energy of these songs? And has your approach to performing live evolved with this project?

I am a sucker for a good song on just an acoustic guitar or piano but with this album, my approach is absolutely evolving and I’m excited for people to hear it as we recorded it with a full band. I played most of these songs with a full band for the first time in December and have been itching to do it again since. I plan to have many more full band shows in 2026 and beyond so stay tuned! When it comes to venues, I love intimate spaces with good sound where the music is the focus. Some of my favorite venues in the city are The Bitter End, The Loft at City Winery, and Pete’s Candy Store for that very reason. I also recently discovered the honky tonk East Village bar, Lucinda’s, and am eager to play a show there too. It’s so fun and matches the vibe of my music, a bit of Nashville in New York City. Hopefully we can make that happen soon!

Is there one track that feels especially close to you?

This album truly feels like my diary. I cover everything from body image issues to worries about running out of time to realizations that I was loved for the person I pretended to be to weird moments with a friend of a friend in Texas and more! One of the songs I felt especially compelled to record for this album is a song I wrote that I truly thought would remain on my hard drive called, “I’m Dying A Gesualdi,” which in true me fashion has become an emblem of my stubbornness. I wrote this song after a girl told me my name was long but not to worry because I would change it one day when I was married. I immediately became defensive and went home to write this song. The song wasn’t even me intending to make any other statement besides expressing love for my name and who I come from and the fact that even if it’s long, it is mine and will always be. I am one of two sisters and we are the last Gesualdis in our lineage so I plan to never not be. Simply put. I love that I got to include this song on this album. It is 100% an album track and even though it’s incredibly niche, I hope people can relate to the sentiment of it.

And outside of music — how do you disconnect when you’re not creating?

I’m a simple girl. I kid but it’s kind of true! I love people and being in the mix so I really do enjoy hanging out with my friends, going out in the city, seeing shows and traveling. Nothing also hits for me like a walk through Central Park on a nice day in New York. That recharges me like no other and reminds me of how lucky I am to live in this city and have the opportunity to pursue my passion. For 2026, I could stand to add some new, non-music related hobbies into the rotation too. Let me know if you have any ideas!

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Thank you for being part of this segment. Watching someone pour their life into art and then bravely release it into the world is something special. I can’t wait for everyone to hear what you’ve created.