Over time bilingual artists have grown immensely popular in our daily music routine. Coming from the frigid air of Montreal, Canada, French-Canadian artist Maryze has created a mix of bilingual electro-pop-R&B for her song “Dis- Moi”, whose video just recently dropped this year after releasing with her EP Like Moons last year.
Maryze created a lo-fi fever dream able to mesmerize with only lyrics she, with fellow Canadian Amanda Macchia [an Italian-Canadian], can artistically in the video aspect.
With their minds working as one, both were able to create the mesmerizing lo-fi fever dream Maryze portrayed in her song lyrics. In our interview she gets in touch with what it means to be a bilingual artist and what goals she hopes to achieve this year such as new music.
Itzel: So you being a bilingual artist, what does that really mean to you?
Maryze: It means having multiple worlds open up to me through different languages that can express different emotions. I identify strongly with my bilingual identity and am grateful to be able to channel that into my music.
Itzel: Being bilingual myself I understand the passion you have for your culture as do I, is that one of the reasons you started creating music in both languages?
Maryze : Well French is one of my first languages! I grew up in a bilingual home and i have always written songs in french and english.
Itzel: Wow that’s so interesting is that one of the reasons for deciding to create a bilingual EP?
Maryze: Adding to what I said earlier bilingualism is a big part of my identity and I want to incorporate that into what and everything I create. My French heritage means a lot to me – it’s a way for me to properly express my story.
Itzel: Clearly heritage and where you come from means a lot so what inspired you to get into music?
Maryze: I don’t really remember a time when I wasn’t inspired to write music, I think maybe having a radio DJ dad might have helped kick start it. Truthfully he was always bringing home new records to share with me and as a kid I got obsessed with pop music. I would coop up in my room with the latest CDs and memorize them from start to finish, it became something I would do without thinking about it.
Itzel: For your track ‘Dis-Moi’ off of your debut EP Like Moons, what does ‘Dis-Moi’ represent to you?
Maryze: ‘Dis-Moi’ means ‘Tell Me’ in french, so the song is really about wanting your partner to tell you they still want you there. Even when you have opened up, you want them to accept and love every part that you’re ashamed of and that you have kept hidden from the world.
Itzel: Does this song come from a personal point of view? If so, what experiences caused you to open up as much as you did?
Maryze: All my songs really come from all my own experiences. I wrote this song when things started to get more serious with my partner, and I wanted to open up to him. It was a lot about my mental health struggles and to be completely transparent but I was so scared of his reaction. That is the one thing that kept holding me back from saying anything to him at all. Before we got together I went through a difficult period of depression and self-destructive behavior that I was really ashamed of. I really think a lot of us keep our struggles to ourselves out of fear of how our loved ones will react.
Itzel: You’re an open book through your music. For this music video, I know you worked with fellow Canadian Amanda Macchia, how was that?
Maryze: This was actually my second video with Amanda and on both shoots our styles seem to click quite quickly and easily. She understood the eerie but vulnerable tone I was going for with “Dis-Moi”. She brings an art film aesthetic that I love, and truly believe the visuals we make together echo the feel of my music as well.
Itzel: I see the passion in your work as you both describe and as I hear your music; what can we expect from you in the upcoming year?
Maryze: My first full length album is on the way! It’s been really fun to dive into new styles and themes for that. Sadly, some of my North American Tour Dates just got cancelled due to the ongoing CoronaVirus situation. I’m honestly keeping my fingers crossed I’ll still be able to make it to Europe for my first festivals out there in 2020.
Itzel: Well, hopefully things get better within the coming months for you and your music. I truly wish you the best of luck, would you like to say anything else before we wrap up?
Maryze: I’m really hoping a Europe tour will be able to happen this fall after the current COVID-19 chaos. My North American tour was just cancelled – a lot of 2020 plans have been postponed within the music industry. But I’m using this time to focus on finishing my first full length album and I’m really excited about what’s coming together! You might hear some singles in the coming months!
By Itzel Giron