Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Mariah Maynes. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Mariah , appreciate you joining us today. Has your work ever been misunderstood or mischaracterized?

Oh man, do I have stories about being misunderstood and mischaracterized. This is kind of a long one, so bear with me. I hope that maybe by telling this story it’ll inspire some change, help someone avoid some of the mistakes I made, or teach someone to be nicer to their peers.

I’ve always loved songwriting, and I knew I wanted to pursue it from a pretty young age, but I wasn’t brave enough to take the plunge until the middle of my university years. Up until my first single ‘Main Street,’ was released in 2021, I was largely involved in large ensemble and orchestral playing at the University of Utah, I was good at it, but it never felt like it was my path. My colleagues regarded me highly, always naming me as a good player, smart, and on a direct path toward an orchestra job. In reality, I was over-working myself so that I could please everyone around me. I had a mindset that valued applause and validation over my own happiness and well-being. Everything changed with the release of my first single.

When ‘Main Street’ became available on streaming platforms during the summer between my sophomore and junior years at university, I found myself in the midst of an artistic identity crisis. I felt pulled in all directions, stuck between the false persona of a musician passionate about classical music that I’d created to appear impressive to my colleagues and mentors, and the artist I’ve always desired to be — a songwriter who writes music that is authentic, passionate, and original.

I returned to college that fall and began my junior year, still majoring in music performance. I was studying drum-set in my private lessons that fall, per the suggestion of one of my mentors, Dr. Michael Sammons. I struggled with the skill sets at the beginning, but quickly found myself catching on and connecting with the playing. Being behind the kit felt foreign, freeing, and natural. As I dove into the world of drumset studies and began playing along to some of my favorite tracks by the likes of Taylor Swift, Machine Gun, Kelly, and Avril Lavigne, I began to become more serious about myself as a songwriter. Suddenly, I had a track on Spotify, people seemed relatively fond of it, and I was finally studying styles I personally connected with.

Notice that I said my song was “relatively” well received.

My genuine friends applauded the release of my track. They had stuck by me through all of the other songs that I wrote but never had the guts to release, encouraged me to do so, and ultimately pushed me to make ‘Main Street,’ my debut single. Some of my colleagues approached me and congratulated me, saying it was refreshing to see one of their peers at the University of Utah School of Music doing something unique and unrelated to the strict demands of the orchestral work we were all studying. Some of them, however, weren’t so friendly. It’s only fair and natural that some people didn’t like the song or agree with my decision, and they’re entitled to their differing opinions, however, some of them acted like absolute children.

“Mariah Maynes ruined her career by going pop,” was a phrase I heard in the school halls one day before an October wind ensemble rehearsal. “She’s so dumb, and that song is garbage. She’s not a real musician anymore,” rang from around the corner. People are mean. I brushed it off. The music industry is brutal, and I’d grown a thick skin already. I continued to write songs in the practice rooms at the school, the art of songwriting became my refuge from the intense burnout I was feeling from overworking myself the first two years of my degree, the depression that I was developing, and the anger I was feeling from some tumultuous relationships that had ended in my lawyer’s office with a cease and desist letter addressed to my former best friend turned stalker.

As a result of those experiences, I developed an intense anxiety toward being in large groups of people that seeped into every aspect of my life. Some of my colleagues took notice but never gave me the courtesy to ask if I was okay. They chalked it up to my songwriting, said I’d become a ‘stupid wannabe popstar,’ and began talking more and more shit. It became evident which characters were on the bandwagon, because they eventually started saying it to my face. I’ll never forget the day I was called embarrassing by the one colleague who always preached about how music majors are family and should always support each other. I’m pretty sure that’s not how you show support my dude.

I spent the second semester of my junior year of university severely depressed. Like I said, I was burnt out from two years of not eating enough, not sleeping enough, and totally trashing my mental health in the name of music. The worst part is that I was aware I was doing it, and the same colleagues that eventually cancelled me were the ones encouraging and applauding that behavior. I really regret treating myself that way, and I have an intense disgust toward people who continue to push that agenda in any field. Self care is so important, as is encouraging the people around you to partake in it.

After one particularly intense night of depression, I wound up in the doctors office, and then on Lexapro. Thank god my mom recognized the signs and forced me to get help. As I adjusted to the meds and began picking myself up from a truly dark place, the same colleagues continued to act presumptuously and assume that my lethargy and decreased musical performance was somehow meant to sabotage the School of Music’s reputation. If I had a dollar for every time some hair-brained assumption was made about me, I probably could be driving my dream car, a Porsche Carrera by now.

That semester was the first time I fully focused on my songwriting. It became my saving grace. I made my first album, ‘Skeletons,’ in my basement apartment during that time, and my track ‘Deep Blue,’ is about how that semester felt; like I was living in a glass box, surrounded by all these haters and all this cancel culture, and there was no way to escape it. I spent a lot of time on the slopes of Park City Ski Resort that winter, and the mountains helped me feel human again. I faced the criticism with snark and grace, put on punk rock clothing, and ignored the negative people surrounding me. I had my friends, my mentors, my music and my skis, and I learned that’s all I needed.

Ultimately, I changed my degree to a Bachelor of Arts in Music, completely left behind the large ensembles at the school I was attending, and began pursuing songwriting full time. As for the haters, well, one of them is continuously lurking on my Instagram story even though he unfollowed me months ago, and we’re all graduated. When I was graduating from the University of Utah this spring, I proudly wore the cap I’d decorated with the title of my newest single ‘Cheers to the End,’ for my ceremonies. The song is about celebrating the end of a relationship that began happily but soured. It was inspired by my experiences at the University of Utah School of Music, and hope that maybe this story inspires some changes in the culture (and curriculum) at that school and in other university music programs around the world. No genre of music is superior to another, you never know what someone is going through, and it is never okay to label someone as an embarrassment.

Mariah , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’ve been writing songs from a young age, and I studied music at the University of Utah. So far, I’ve released a self-produced full length album and several singles, and I’m currently gearing up to announce my second album. I currently offer commissioned songwriting services, mentoring, and I am looking to add more collaborations and projects for other musicians to my portfolio.

Through my music, I aim to be honest, authentic, and inspire others to do the same. It’s important to me that my listeners feel proud of who they are, and that they know how important it is to be true to who you are. I believe that every person is a work of art, and that we are ever evolving and that is beautiful. I love inspiring others and uplifting them, and I believe in the importance of helping people cultivate their own self confidence. I want to inspire people in the way that my favorite artists and mentors have inspired me.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

From a young age, I’ve had a tendency to take things to the absolute extreme. While it is true that hard work plays a crucial role in success, resting and self care is also just as important. Through high school, I’d spend a good two to three hours a day practicing, and an additional two hours writing music. When I got accepted into the University of Utah School of Music, I felt this intense pressure to work even harder, and I had some colleagues that were older than me setting an unrealistic expectation of what success as a musician looks like – that you can’t have hobbies, that you aren’t entitled to eat dinner or sleep until you make it, and that you have to create art a certain way to be considered a “real” musician. It took a season of intense burnout and severe depression for me to learn that their expectations are bullshit, and I’m grateful to the mentors that helped me through the process of learning that lesson.

My first two years of university, I practiced an ungodly amount each day. We’re talking 8 hours a day, on top of the insane class schedules, demanding rehearsal schedules, and any other life events that were occurring. Ultimately, I sacrificed my own well-being in the name of ‘making it,’ and it landed me in a terrifyingly dark place mentally. When I arrived at my junior year of college, I finally burned out severely and developed extreme depression. That was the period in my life when I learned how important it is to rest, nourish your body and mind, and that you should have likes and interests outside of your career.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

When I was in music school, I faced harsh criticism over my decision to shift my focus solely onto songwriting. I’ve already spoken about it in great detail, so if you need a refresher, definitely revisit that part of the article. It was really hard, trying to break away from being an absolute people pleaser and begin doing what I’ve always wanted to, all while being in such a bad place mental health wise.

Each morning during that period, I had to wake up and remind myself that it was okay to not have the best days ever. That just trying was enough, and that it’s okay to have moments where you just need to breathe through the tough feelings. I had a lot of days where I left rehearsals as promptly as I could with tears streaming down my face, hiding behind oversized Gucci sunglasses so nobody could see. I had days where I broke down into sobs at the piano or behind the microphone. As a goal driven and creatively motivated person, it was incredibly hard to have a sort of stop and go pace placed upon my projects by necessity. It was frustrating, having a vision for a song but being so upset that all I could manage was crying on my bedroom floor. I really wanted to have an album out, but I also had to remind myself that healing was the most important thing, and that if all I did that day was survive, that I was still a valid human and I was still enough.

I want to take this moment as an opportunity to express my gratitude to those who stayed by my side through all of that, even if they didn’t know I was struggling. I wouldn’t have made it through without their applause and encouragement, and I want to remind all of you, dear readers, that it is okay to need help and that you don’t have to talk about your struggles until you are ready.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: instagram.com/mariahrmaynes
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxGvvFmEL1lYi4bjYdp5hUA
• Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6d0LbX2nyyJUeyVYe1F6ZI?si=ruljlhmoStG26KtSVUCjpg Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/mariah-maynes/1575274859

Image Credits
Silver Checkered Dress: Emily Treasure Performance Photos: Erin Blockston