Mariah The Scientist

Interview by Noor Kalouti / Images shot by @coughs

Mariah and I spoke on a lazy Thursday morning. She’s in Atlanta right now, — her home — and had spent the whole morning cleaning and packing up her apartment. She’s moving, and the moving process includes listening to beats while meandering around the house.

• For those who have yet to hear your music, talk a bitabout how you got started and what kept you going as anartist?

A few years ago I made a spontaneous decision to make a song for someone. I thought it would be really sentimental. A better, more intimate gesture than any materialistic alternative. After I played it for my friends, they encouraged me to explore my newfound craft. I had no idea would eventually turn into a career, though I am grateful for what I’ve been blessed with.

• From your debut album, MASTER, do you have any favorite tracks, and why? Since your music is so vulnerable, I wonder which songs were the hardest to share.

It’s always hard to pick a favorite. Any answer I could give would only change and be something different a week from now. That usually happens when I’ve made a new song that is definitive of my current emotions. ‘Not a Love a Song’ is my favorite to preform though. It’s one of, if not the most vulnerable song from MASTER but it feels so good to get it off my chest.

• You recently released a song with Lil Baby, didthat song come together differently because ofthe pandemic?

Our song, Always n Forever came together before the pandemic. I first met him in LA... I think it was Grammy weekend. He said he fucked with my music, which I appreciated and respected because he’s so established. Ironically, I got his verse on my 22nd birthday, back in October of 2019. It was an amazing gift but the pandemic made it extremely hard to decide when to release the song, and how we’d get to shoot the video.

• So the question on everyone’s mind is whether or notthere’s a new album in the works? What’s been cookingmusically?

There’s definitely a new project on the way. I can’t wait to drop. It’s in a very tedious stage right now but that’s usually where I put the most emphasis on the details. I’m very detail oriented when it comes anything creative, especially now that I’m working on the corresponding short film. It’s more work than I expected but I know it’ll be worth it.

• How has life changed for you since the pandemic? And what did you do to keep busy during the lockdown?

Honestly, I was home in Atlanta cooking and cleaning everyday. I was really on my homemaker shit. It was a huge curveball for my career though. I had just sold out my first ever show, which has been indefinitely postponed. It’s been devastating in some aspects, but fortunately it’s helped us all focus on what’s most significant... Maybe learn some new things. For me, I started to produce my own music. I also had the chance to strengthen the relationships that mean the most to me.

• And more importantly, how are you processing the revolution happening in the U.S right now? Have you been writing more?

Something about it I haven’t been able to process... Don’t get me wrong, I know what it is. I know it’s an undignified system. Very disturbing, very much a crucial time. I just wonder what it’s going to take to make our communities and society evolve as a whole. It’s definitely given me more to think about. More to write about.

• As your following grows, what are some ways you’d like to use that platform for change?

It’s a new experience for me. I’m usually a pretty reserved person, but I realize that it's bigger than any of my reservations. I must promote equality and awareness because it's what I believe in and because I am now considered an inspiration to some. I thank God for the opportunity to inspire the change I want to see in our world. I hadn’t properly accepted that responsibility before but I do now. I’ve even started to make music about it. I only hope that advocating for equality can become a domino effect. We must hold each other accountable for inhumane injustices.

• Who do you make music for? And how do youwant people to respond to your music?

I like to think I make music for everyone, but I suppose it’s mostly for people who need an outlet for expression, or for people who are learning to speak up for themselves. Hmm. The response I’m looking for? I don’t know, I just hope I can inspire someone to be more transparent and more true to self. Consistency in character can really help develop and define who u are. If you want to be the bad guy, be that... Stand on that.

• In terms of charts and streaming positions, do you pay attention to other artists within the music industry or do you tend to focus on your own circle?

I tend to keep to myself and I don’t think it’s good to make comparisons... We are all different for a reason. Everyone evolves at a different pace but I usually feel inspired when I see people I fuck wit going hard. Like right now my homegirl Mulatto is getting a lot of recognition and i feel like she really deserves it. If you’re doing things for the sake of comparisons and recognition, you’re probably doing it for the wrong reasons. You can’t deny great art and a great work ethic though and I will always give credit where it’s due. I hope people can do the same for me.

• Where do you see yourself in five years?

I’ll be 27 or 28, and probably prioritizing starting a family or focusing on the family I’ve already started. That’s always been really important to me. Marriage and children. Really generic, I know, but in actuality, who knows where I’ll be and what I’ll want by then.