The Marías — the two-time Grammy-nominated indie pop band — released their new single, “Back to Me,” on April 3. The single was teased on Billie Eilish’s “Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour,” building anticipation and generating excitement among fans.
This single consists of “Back to Me” and “Nobody New” — the latter of which was a surprise bonus song. The band’s members María Zardoya (lead vocals), Josh Conway (drums, producer), Jesse Perlman (guitar) and Edward James (keys) embrace dreamy melodies with calming vocals, evoking emotions of love and heartache that truly resonate with their audience.
The single cover depicts a black-and-white image of Zardoya looking to the side, her hair covering her face as the wind blows. The background appears to be the beach, with the sun beaming behind her. The cover parallels the dream-like instrumentals and Zardoya’s soft vocals. Her expression in the cover evokes feelings of romantic longing and detachment, concepts that are painted beautifully in the two songs.
Similarly, the “Back to Me” music video — directed by C Prinz — presents a minimalist environment with a muted color palette. The slow-paced video and music deepen the feelings of heartache. The camera follows Zardoya crawling slowly along a ledge above the ground, not only highlighting the intimate, vulnerable nature of heartache and desire, but also honing in on the details and complexities of the lyrics.
The song, “Back to Me,” features steady drums and basslines with hints of psychedelic synths. Although the beat and lyrics are repetitive, it emphasizes the repetitive nature of her thoughts — as well as the readers’ — constantly thinking about the ex you lost because of something you did. As this song poses as an ode to an apology, it presents strong emotions of longing, regret and paranoia of a past lover having already moved on.
In the bridge, Zardoya sings, “Meet me in Montauk,” which is a reference to the movie “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.” This allusion carries themes of a lost love or memory erasure of one’s lover, highlighting the strength and power of love even in its absence. This especially correlates with the meaning of the song as a whole, enhancing the vivid imagery in their lyricism.
During this moment in the bridge, the background instrumentals also die down, leaving just the soft, whimsical sounds and a steady drum tempo. This transitions into the last chorus, where no instrumentals except a few sparse guitar notes remain. The lyrics, “I’m outside your apartment / But, baby, come back to me / I just built us a house,” displays her deep sincerity and dedication to the relationship while also being masked by obsession. In the closing line, “Will you run back to me?” displays her yearning for the lover to want her back and return to her with the same intensity. This use of minimal instrumentation draws the listener’s attention to the meanings behind her words, effectively capturing the emotional narrative the band is curating through song.
Their bonus track on the single, “Nobody New,” has a slower, more somber tempo compared to “Back to Me.” The Marías use echoes, adding layers of previous themes of longing and presenting new emotions of melancholy and emptiness.
The chorus, “Baby, I promise / There’s nobody new / I’m being honest / There’s no one like you,” is self-explanatory. She hasn’t been with anyone new since their breakup and in her pursuit to find someone to fill that gap, no one else measures up. These lyrics are a vulnerable confession, admitting there’s no one like them.
The Marías incorporate lyrics in both English and Spanish — a trend present in their previous two albums — as a way for Zardoya to weave her Puerto Rican identity into their music. This bilingual approach provides an additional level of intimacy and emotional depth which further resonates with their audience. In the second verse of “Back to Me,” she describes in Spanish how she can’t breathe without their love.
With heavy use of introspection in “Nobody New,” Zardoya reminisces on old times with her past lover, using lyrics and melodies to vent these overwhelming feelings.
In a recent Instagram post, the Marías mention that “Nobody New” was written after “Submarine” — their second album — and should be considered “a part of that world.” On the other hand, “Back to Me” is described as “an introduction to a new world.”
The Marías announced their extended “Submarine” tour, where fans can purchase tickets starting April 15 for artist presale and April 18 for public sale. From April to September, The Marías can also be seen at various upcoming shows and festivals, including Lollapalooza, a large annual music festival featuring many different artists and bands. With their rising popularity, fans will surely be buzzing to snag a spot to their atmospheric sets — performances that leave a lingering emotional impact even after the final note.
Jia Takayoshi is an Arts & Entertainment Intern for the spring 2025 quarter. She can be reached at jtakayos@uci.edu.
Edited by Corinna Chin and Mia Noergaard.