Los Angeles transplant the Marías have released their sultry new single “Un Millón” from their forthcoming debut album Cinema. While “Un Millón” is only the second track from the group’s pending record, Cinema is due via Nice Life Recording Company/Atlantic Records on June 25 and will mark their first release with the major label.
While the band previously released two EPs, one in 2017 and one in 2018 respectively, they have utilized their strength as a bilingual group to connect with their audience. Releasing tracks in both English and Spanish, it was a “very natural decision” according to vocalist María Zardoya. “Un Millón” is one of several tracks featured on Cinema that will be performed in Spanish. Across the single, María passionately expresses her love for her birthplace of Puerto Rico. Amplifying the group’s upbeat, soulful rhythm and production, María builds on the momentum of the group’s highly-anticipated debut record.
You can listen to “Un Millón” below.
Additionally, the Marías also recently released a hypnotizing album teaser trailer leaning into the record’s clear love letter to classic films and directors such as Wes Anderson, Quentin Tarantino, Pedro Almodóvar and more. Opening with deep red theatre curtains, the trailer reveals María on a silk-laden bed in the middle of the desert. While soft instrumentals play against the background before revealing María’s mesmerizing vocals peeking through, the short trailer plays similar to a telenovela, exciting their audience for what’s to come.
You can watch the trailer teaser below.
“Un Millón” is the follow-up release to the group’s single “Hush” which will also appear on Cinema. “Hush” was accompanied by an intoxicating video to highlight the group’s lead single. You can watch the video for “Hush” below.
The Marías recently spoke to Alternative Press for the June 2021 magazine. You can read an excerpt of that interview revealing what the group hopes fans will take from the album and more below.
Where did your interest in creating music for movies and scenes come from? What was it that motivated you to take that path so early on in your musical career?
MARÍA ZARDOYA: Honestly, for me, I was working three jobs at the time. I just moved to L.A. from Atlanta and was still getting used to [it] and rent prices. And the money was good. That was an initial factor for me, for sure. But then once we did the first couple of songs together for pitches, I enjoyed the process and ended up just wanting to do it for fun.
When you were tasked with writing music for a scene, you would watch the actions on screen and begin to create a sound that matched the tone. Is there a similar process when creating a track for the band?
MARÍA: Yeah, I think it depends on the song. We approached each song pretty differently, especially the songs on the album. The conceptions of them were all very different. There’s one song on the album called “Heavy” that started from Josh [Conway] showing me a photo. I came up with a melody based on what I felt from that photo. Sometimes it starts with that visual element, and sometimes it just starts with the song, and then the visual element will come very quickly after.
The name of the album is Cinema, which relates to the idea of film, and the band owe a lot to that concept. Can you describe how the title came about?
MARÍA: I was on a walk, and for some reason, it just popped into my head. Like, “What if we call the album Cinema and pay tribute to those early days of us writing for film and TV?” Because the Marías wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for those opportunities. It’s really a tribute to the conception of the Marías. The title is also spelled the same and means the same in English and Spanish. When we were trying to figure out a title for the album, I was like, “Well, should it be in English or Spanish.” Both of these languages are part of who I am. I grew up speaking both languages. We have songs in both languages. I think cinema is the perfect middle ground.
What are you hoping listeners get out of this record with all of your talents being utilized to pay homage to your love of cinema?
MARÍA: All we hope to do is to inspire people to create whatever it is that they’re passionate about, whether it’s visual art or music. If they’re a chef, maybe it inspires them to make a new dish. Anything that inspires them to do anything that makes them feel good. Hopefully, it acts as an escape from the world and their everyday lives.
You can read the full interview with the Marías in Alternative Press Issue 395, available now.