Key facts on The Marías members: Meet Maria, Josh, Jesse, and Edward
Indie pop band The Marías have become a beloved band worldwide since the release of their debut album, CINEMA, in June 2021. Their music combines elements of multilingual lyrics paired with guitar riffs, horn solos, and jazz percussion to create their distinctive sound. Band members Maria, Josh, Jesse, and Edward each play an integral role in bringing the band's unique sound to life, with María explaining the band's legacy:
'I've gotten a lot of direct messages and letters in the mail from fans saying our music has helped them through different periods in their lives, and That they feel seen, and represented — with them being Latin and me being Latin.'
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- The Marías comprises four band members: María Zardoya, Josh Conway, Jesse Perlman and Edward James.
- María Zardoya is the lead singer of The Marías and co-founded the band alongside band member Josh Conway after meeting at a show in a Los Angeles bar in 2016.
- Although their debut album, CINEMA (2021), received critical acclaim, it was their sophomore album, Submarine (2024), that put them on the map.
- Submarine peaked at number 17 on the Billboard charts, compared to CINEMA's peak at 176, with their single No One Noticed off their sophomore album becoming certified gold in the US.
The Marías profile summaries
Full name | María Zardoya | Josh Conway | Jesse Perlman | Edward James |
Date of birth | November 21, 1994 | April 12, 1994 | Undisclosed | Undisclosed |
Age | 31 years old (January 2026) | 31 years old (January 2026) | Undisclosed | Undisclosed |
Birthplace | Puerto Rico | Los Angeles, California, USA | Los Angeles, California, USA | Los Angeles, California, USA |
Current residence | Los Angeles, California, USA | Los Angeles, California, USA | Los Angeles, California, USA | Los Angeles, California, USA |
Nationality | Puerto Rican-American | American | American | American |
Profession | Singer-songwriter | Drummer and producer | Guitarist | Keyboardist |
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The Marías consist of four members and hail from Los Angeles
The band consists of the following members as of 2026:
- María Zardoya (lead vocalist)
- Josh Conway (drummer and producer)
- Jesse Perlman (guitarist)
- Edward James (keyboardist)
The Marías were conceptualised by lead singer María Zardoya and drummer Josh Conway after they met at an event at a bar in 2016. Josh was running sound for María in his capacity as a sound engineer at the Kibitz Room at Canter's Deli, Los Angeles.
The duo began dating soon after meeting and decided to call in close friends Jesse Perlman and Edward James to form the band once they began writing music together. Once they gathered members, the band released their debut EP, Superclean Vol. I, in 2017. It received positive reviews, and their second EP, Superclean, Vol. II (2018) also received critical acclaim.
Source: Getty Images
María Zardoya
Although the band was formed in Los Angeles, members hail from all corners of the globe. María Zardoya was born in Puerto Rico but grew up in Atlanta, Georgia. Her ambiguous background helped her establish the bilingual, multicultural aspect to the band and her work separate from The Marías, and The Santa Barbara Independent quoted her as saying:
'Maybe it is a conscious choice for other artists to sing songs in Spanish and showcase another side of their culture. But, it comes natural for me to write music in both languages, because that’s who I am.'
Josh Conway
Drummer and producer Josh Conway is no stranger to the music scene, having worked as a sound engineer before joining the band. Josh played piano for eight years as a child, and played in different bands throughout high school before working at a recording studio straight out of high school.
His father, Lionel Conway, is a veteran music publishing executive, and likely had a profound impact on his pull towards music. Speaking to The LA Times, Josh explained how he found his passion for music at a young age via instruments:
'It wasn't until my [two half brothers] got me ProTools as a birthday gift, did I realise how much more drawn I was to songs as a whole rather than just instruments.'
Jesse Perlman
Less is known about Jesse's personal details compared to those of band members María and Josh, but he became a guitarist for the band through his close friendship with Josh. Jesse had known Josh since grade six, both being avid music lovers by that point. Jesse began with drums, then went on to the piano before discovering his love for the guitar. The same LA Times interview quoted Jesse explaining he and Josh's shared love for music and playing together:
'We recorded many not-so-great-sounding Garage Band demos.'
Source: Getty Images
Edward James
Like Jesse, Edward remains a private figure, but shared some insights into his childhood and the impact music had on it during the same LA Times interview. He also joined via Josh Conway, and Edward's first memory of music was when he wrote a song for a girl he was 'head over heels' for and jokingly stated it was a mistake, saying he is 'certain it led to losing her interest shortly thereafter.'
Carter Lee (former member)
Although not part of the current line-up, Carter Lee was the international indie band's original bassist when the band initially formed in 2016. He was still on the line-up during their early EPs, Superclean, Vol. I (2017) and Superclean, Vol. II (released in 2018).
Frequently asked questions
Where did The Marías get their name from?
The band is named after founding member María Zardoya, after she and Josh joined forces. The band initially considered other names before collectively settling on her name to respect them as a unit.
What is the ethnicity of The Marías singer?
María is Puerto Rican, but grew up right outside Atlanta, Georgia, embracing both sides of her culture growing up. The same LA Times article quoted above mentions how María was ostracised for her heritage growing up, saying:
'They’d make fun of my school lunches because my dad would pack jamón con chorizo sandwiches in a baguette instead of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.'
Source: Getty Images
Which Marías members dated?
Josh Conway and María Zardoya were in a relationship for seven years, quickly becoming an item after meeting. However, María and Josh broke up before the release of Submarine, with both parties attending individual therapy to navigate their new dynamic in a healthy way that may allow the band's partnership to continue.
What are the most popular The Marías songs?
Many of The Marías' Submarine songs were a hit, including No One Noticed, Love You Anyway, Run Your Mouth, If Only, Sienna, Echo and Lejos de Ti being other beloved songs off the album. Other hits include Nobody New, Loverboy, Basta Ya, Si Me Voy and Un Millón.
Final word
The Marías have established themselves as a unique band with a plethora of genres and sounds that make up their distinctive sound. Despite facing personal issues regarding the two founding members breaking up, The Marías continued to create music together, becoming one of the indie-pop genre's most prominent artists.
READ MORE: Meet the Fuerza Regida members: Jesús Ortiz Paz and the band
Briefly.co.za wrote about another band that embraces their cultural roots, Fuerza Regida. Fuerza Regida is an American regional Mexican band that formed in 2015 out of San Bernardino, California.
The band initially began as a cover band, but began releasing original music in 2017 and 2018 on YouTube. Their song, Radicamos en South Central, became a viral hit, and they released their first live album, En Vivo Puros Corridos, after the song's critical acclaim.
Source: Briefly News
