Maria Angeliq

from Rival Mag LA Issue 13: June 2022

by rivalmagazinela

Lee Majdoub

ANGELIC ANGELIC Mariah Angeliq 45

Mariah Angeliq

By: Olivia Vitarelli

Mariah Angeliq, the Miami born and bred singer who burst onto the music scene with her hit song Perreito in 2019, knew she was destined for life as an artist thanks to a passion for dance, a wait for the school bus, and a slew of powerful, inspiring women.

“I knew I wanted this since I was waiting for the bus to go to elementary school watching MTV music videos,” she says. “Seeing Rihanna and knowing that I could be great just like them one day.” The twenty-two-year-old artist, whose mother is Puerto Rican and father is Cuban, cites Jennifer Lopez as another essential inspiration, explaining, “I always wanted to dance, and seeing J.Lo as a Latin woman showed me that I can be impactful to the world as a Latina woman.”

Her greatest values in life are simple: “music and family.” And with a steadfast drive to keep her focused in a world of persuasion and distraction (a skill that she cites as one of her greatest strengths), Mariah has accomplished a feat only dreamt of by many: “to make music as a career and sustain [herself] off of it.” Now, with over 11,500,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, the singer is gearing up for her second European tour, as well as the upcoming release of the “biggest record of [her] life.”

When creating music, Mariah says, “I usually just go off the vibe of what I’m feeling at the moment. I listen to the beat, I go into the booth, I mumble my melodies, and when I step out I turn my mumbles into words. My team steps in to help refine the concept and direction of what we all think will make it a hit. By the time you know it, we got a banger.” With a blooming discography – featuring one album and a prolific body of singles – Mariah rejects the notion of defining her ever-evolving and ever-individual sound. “I wouldn’t describe my sound, it describes itself,” she says. “Take a listen, there’s only one Toxica.”

The singer finds joy in embracing her creativity – in following her dream unapologetically. “The best part about being an artist is that I get to remain who I am and live off of expressing myself as a creative human being,” she explains. “If I wasn’t singing, I would be working on being an artist.”

Recently, she collaborated with a slew of talented artists on a Coca-Cola ad, covering the beloved Queen song A Kind of Magic. “Working on such a big project with Coca-Cola has been such a fire experience,” she says. “From recording the legendary Queen song, to meeting new artists, vibing with the Coke team, and shooting the campaign; it’s honestly been an uplifting and career-changing moment for me.”

Mariah, a self-described “unapologetic, empowering, and fly” performer, infuses flavors of confidence into her songs, music videos, and live performances. “[Performing] is a surreal feeling because I remember when I didn’t think this dream was possible for me. It’s motivation to keep making music knowing how many people support me from the beginning.”

Ultimately, Mariah hopes “to prove that it’s not impossible to be the biggest artist in every genre.” And, beyond thrilling career goals, she hopes to inspire her audience and help make a positive difference. The singer says, “Even though I don’t have complete power to change everything, I can only do my best to empower women and others like me to continue to strive for greatness and be the best them. Believe you have something special to offer without needing validation from anyone.”

Photographer: Heather Koepp Creative Director:Oththan Burnside Wardrobe: Oththan Burnside Mua: Nelly Santiago Hair: Chatwaka Johnsoni MARIAHANGELICMARIAHANGELIC