March 18, 2024

Hey Mariah!! So excited to be chatting with you!! You are gearing up for the release of your highly anticipated EP. What does this EP mean to you?

Helloooo! So excited we get to talk! I am gearing up for this release and I can’t believe it. This EP project is my first ever so it means a lot. I am ready to show the world me as an artist, entertainer, and person!

What do you hope your supporters will think of the new music?

Gosh, my supporters are amazing and I hope they think the new music coming is fun and EMPOWERING! I am not here to release music that you listen to once and are like, “Huh, that was nice.” I want to be an artist that halfway through the song you are already restarting it because you are not mentally ready for it to be over. To me, that is how I know an artist has done their job well.

How did the idea for this EP come about?

The EP came about because I met a very talented pop songwriter, Alyssa Wendzel. She had written these songs and was searching for a voice, and I was searching for a writer who shared the similar values of female empowerment and independence! These songs scream those messages. We decided to collaborate, with my vocal talents and her writing talents, on this EP and get our feelings out to the world.

Any fun moments while creating the EP?

Creating these songs had so many fun moments. I got to travel to the Bay Area to work out of Focal Productions and work with a really talented team. Just being around them and soaking up all the knowledge was so fun, BUT there was a moment during a song where I got to practice my acting chops. One of the producers, Ed, had me screaming and shouting into the mic to put attitude into the songs. I felt so silly and could not stop laughing, but hey, it worked!

What’s the process of writing one of your songs?

Songwriting has been something that I have always been afraid of and I could not put my finger on why. Was I too scared to experience challenging things in my life over again? Was I wanting too much to try to not be like someone else, I mean every good song has already has to be written by now, right? WRONG! Once I reminded and pushed myself to stop thinking these things I discovered a love again for writing. My writing is very sporadic. I get inspired by people watching, by talking with fans, while thinking of memories. Then I record little blurbs in my phone so I don’t forget it, and right when I get home I sit down with a guitar and flush out the chords and sounds. I cannot take too long to write pieces here and there, it’s all or nothing. You will all get to hear some of my writings soon enough!

Will you go on tour to promote your new music?

I would LOVE to go on tour to promote the new music and that is definitely on my to do list. I am originally from a small town in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and I have so many fans and connections on the east coast I am vying to get back. My heart wants nothing more than to travel back east and go to Philadelphia, NYC, Boston, D.C, Baltimore, etc. There are so many new people to meet and so much good music to be performed! So watch out east coast, I am coming to a venue near you 😉

What song are you most excited to perform from this new EP? 

There is a ballad song called, “Your Paradise” that is super strong and emotional. I love to belt and really leave it all on the stage, and this song is the one that helps me do that.

What does it feel like to perform your own music live in front of your supporters?

Unreal. You know when you are a little kid and you dream of being an astronaut, a princess, etc? Well I am living my dream of a singer! To look out in audiences and watch people mouth the lyrics with me, or after the show when they come up and say how something has impacted them – that is what it is all about folks.

Does your fanbase have a name?

My fans are called Lil Ryders. All of my friends and family growing up have always called me, “Rye”, “Rye Bread”, etc (trust me the possibilities are endless). I am glad my fans have a name that make them included in my friends and family because that is what we are – a big happy fam!

How do you want your relationship to be with your supporters?

GENUINE AND OPEN! I strive to be an open book and share my successes and struggles with my supporters. So much of what we see on social media is personified and unrealistic. People don’t usually feel comfortable sharing the lows, and that’s something that a lot of people get down on. “Look her life is so perfect, why can’t I be like that” or “Darn, he is always on vacation and I am stuck at work” are types of phrases I never want my fans to think when they hear my name. I want them to see it is okay to struggle and be low because something positive will come sooner than later.

What was the craziest fan encounter you have had?

Oh goodness, I don’t even think I have enough space to type the craziest things that fans have done/said. People amaze me daily.

What social media platform do you use most to stay connected to your supporters?

So there are two apps that I love to use to stay connected in different ways.

  • Smule – the app that started it all. Sing! by Smule is a singing app that allows users to sing songs together on a screen. This can be any song from broadway, to metal, to pop! The spectrum is endless. I love using Smule because it is all about the singing. I get to find new talented singers that inspire me daily, talk with them, and even meet up with them. I found the love of my life and moved 3,000 miles to be with him because we met on Smule! (We can save that for a different story 😉 ) Music is so powerful and Smule is really changing the way that artists can connect with their fans globally. I also have my two singles, “Empty Spaces” and “Lie to Me” on the app where people can come on and sing them with me and make them their own. It’s amazing.
  • Instagram – I spend so much time on Instagram meeting new artists all over the world! This has inspired collaborations, new friends, and Instagram is the best place to grow your brand and name (in my opinion) because so many people are constantly on it.

What’s an average day for you look like?

The beauty of being an artist for me is that every day is DIFFERENT! I wake up and have no idea what is going to come. Sure, I will have weekly goals though, and some of the daily essentials include:

  • Talking on social media to my supporters
  • Creating and planning creative content (photoshoots, recording music, brainstorming)
  • Contacting venues for shows
  • Practicing material for gigs and/or writing new songs
  • In my downtime you can usually find me cooking or playing video games

What goals have you set out for yourself in your career and in your personal life?

I am a goal oriented person. I have big goals: getting signed by a label, having my music on mainstream radio, going on a world tour, but getting caught up in the big goals and not having small goals to get there is a big mistake. Smaller goals include: selling out a show, impacting people daily with my platform and music, taking vocal lessons and stage performance lessons. In my personal life I always have one main goal: Be happy. Being someone that manages anxiety and depression in a field of constant rejection and lack of stability is rough. So many people go through this. I strive to find small things that make me happy and live one day at a time. I do not ever want to lose sight of why I started everything in the first place!

How has this whole music career experience been?

You know this music career experience has really been everything I wanted and more. It is one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life and I am so happy to be challenging myself. I take every day one step at a time and learn from every obstacle that presents itself. The greatest part for me is meeting new friends and fans. They are what make it worth it, they are my drive to get up and keep pushing myself to be a better artist and PERSON. I am constantly inspired.

Do you have any last things you want to tell your supporters?

Thank you. I am eternally grateful for every ounce of support I get from you. I know you are going to love what is to come, and I am in this mission of love, strength, and HAPPINESS for US!

Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to do this interview with me.

Absolutely! It really was my pleasure, and I hope we can catch up soon 🙂

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