María Zardoya of The Marías Releases Solo Debut with ‘Melt

The Marías performing at The All Things Go Festival in September 2025. Photo via Deanna Minotakis '26

On Oct. 10, María Zardoya, lead vocalist of indie pop band The Marías, released her debut solo album titled “Melt” under the name Not For Radio. Zardoya announced her project on Aug. 20, assuring fans of the band in an Instagram post that “the band will be here forever. I love making music as The Marías, and nothing will ever change that. But I wanted to challenge myself to make a project that resonated with me in a different way.”  

The Marías, consisting of members María Zardoya, Josh Conway, Jesse Perlman and Edward James, have been making music since 2016, but only gained mainstream popularity at the start of the summer with their single “No One Noticed” off of their album “Submarine,” which was released on May 31, 2024. This album was their first release since 2021 and marked a new era for the band, with the song topping the Billboard charts at number one for nine consecutive weeks in May, and over 500k videos posted under the song on TikTok. 

Up until the release of “Melt,” Not for Radio’s Instagram account has garnered over 276k followers. In comparison to The Marías’ 2.2 million, this may seem small, but the traction that Not For Radio has gained through the notoriety of The Marías and Zardoya herself has allowed her solo project to reach a large audience that already knows and loves her sound. 

The album, which is about 44 minutes long, is like a peaceful journey through the inside of Zardoya’s mind, guided by her soft, dreamy voice and synthy beats. Though Zardoya’s music style is present in The Marías as well, this album clearly allowed her to explore her own production abilities and sound even further.  

In “Message 2,” which is a special audio track on Apple Music, Zardoya said, “I’ve been thinking a lot about how trees communicate with each other, and with us. (...)  Although silent to us, they nourish and protect each other. There’s a beauty in the silence, but I think you’ll hear their voices in these songs.” 

The first of ten songs, “Puddles,” has a peaceful yet gloomy tone, as she explores themes such as memory and loss through missing someone who is no longer here, ending with a symphony of percussion and guitar that feels as though it is somehow charged by the wind. This song, along with many others on the album, feels like an extension of nature itself. 

“My Turn” is yet another song that discusses loss, instead from the point of view of someone else who is missing her. The instrumentation is rich and almost jazz-like, and Zardoya’s voice and lyrics are contemplative and emotional. 

“Moment,” which is definitely my favorite, is beautifully crafted and intimate. The delicate piano and percussion create such a comforting ambiance, and the lyricism of this song in particular is beautiful, my favorite line being “I wanna melt inside you, form to water then to ice. But if it goes into the summer, don’t think that I’d wanna hide.” One of Zardoya’s greatest successes with this project was creating such a distinct atmosphere within it – her connection to nature shining through with her lyrics and sound. 

Songs such as “Back to You” and “Water On Your Nose” definitely lean closer to the slow, almost jazz-like sound of The Marías. “Back to You” is currently the most popular song on the album, with over one million streams on Spotify before the one-week mark of its release. 

“Swan,” a much faster-paced song, expresses her willingness and loyalty to love, comparing it to the way a swan mates for life in a peaceful ballad created with piano and synths.  

“Not the Only One” explores the complexity of emotional versus physical loyalty through lyrics such as “You’re not the only one in my head, yeah, that much is true. But you are the only one in my bed, I promise you.” The instrumentation is simple but rich, with gentle chords, bass and drums creating an airy mood that contrasts with the vulnerability of the lyrics.

“Magnet” is perhaps the dreamiest-sounding one of them all, with soft guitar notes mixing with her beautiful and haunting voice. This song is yet another emotional confession, using the metaphor of a magnet to express feelings of desire despite physical distance. 

“Vueltas,” which is my second favorite, is the only song on the project that is entirely in Spanish. The vocals and melody are extremely melancholic as she confesses to the vulnerability of losing someone she loves, because they will forever be stuck in her own memories. (She can’t keep getting away with this.)

The last song, “Slip,” is yet another beautiful and almost haunting song. Zardoya sings softly about begging someone not to leave, her voice heavy with emotion. Through a spacious melody and intimate lyrics, the album ends with one last acquiescence of intense vulnerability. 

On the day of its release in an Instagram post, María stated, “‘Melt’ my debut album as Not for Radio is out now. Listen in a garden, on a walk, under a tree, eyes closed, the moment is yours.

Her message explains how this album feels perfectly: a calm, delicately curated moment in time where the listener can take a second to sit and just listen. Though some stand out more than others, there is not a single song on the album that is skip-worthy, and I look forward to future releases from Zardoya under Not For Radio.