The month of October welcomed orange foliage and a plethora of new album releases. From Taylor Swift’s highly debated release “The Life of a Showgirl” to Tame Impala’s house/EDM album “Deadbeat,” October kept fans and critics equally busy.
A notable release came from María Zardoya, lead vocalist of The Marías, under her new project name, Not For Radio. Her debut solo album “Melt” dropped on Oct. 10, containing ten enchanting tracks.
With the intention to remove herself from industry pressures, Zardoya embraces her newfound era of novelty. She expressed it was important for her listeners to cherish this album in the most intimate and solitary of moments.
Zardoya framed the project as an “alternative reality,” allowing her to step away from external confines and explore a new artistic identity after her breakup with bandmate Josh Conway.
“Post break-up, I had so many questions,” Zardoya said in an interview with Vogue. “Who am I as an individual after a seven-year relationship? Who am I without the context of a relationship? That led me to the question of who I am musically without the context of this relationship.”
The album’s central themes are rooted in intimate feelings of love and loss. Tracks like “My Turn” evoke haunting reflections on heartbreak through an ethereal, dream-like melody. The album is rich with imagery of the natural world, from wilderness to sea, drawing listeners into a hypnotic state.
While the album carries a similar dream-pop, floating-like sensation to The Marías, its lyrics reveal a deeper sense of intimacy and fragility. Zardoya’s melodic voice remains familiar to fans, whilst maintaining a noticeable shift to a more soft, gothic mood.
“The songs are a little bit lengthier than the average Marìas’ song. I love the vocal emphasis on this album,” said journalism senior Lauren Jones.
Zardoya confirmed her solo project does not mark the end of The Marías. Rather, she said, “don’t worry, the band will be here forever,” when she announced the new project on Instagram.
The album itself is not limited only to Zardoya’s “alternative reality,” but it speaks to the transcendence of her introspective journey.
With “Melt,” Zardoya embodies a new level of maturity both through her songwriting and display of vulnerability. The album strays from aiming to capture excessive attention from the general public. It solely captures her, through different lenses.
On Nov. 3, Zardoya announced her Winter In The Garden theatre tour beginning on Jan. 6, 2025 in select locations.
