Mariae Cassandra has already been crowned the winner of a nationally renowned music competition, toured the country with massive names, won hearts at a number of music conferences and played to festival crowds at Laneway – and she’s still only a teen. Get a load of the rad up-and-comer this-a-way and spy our chat with Mariae below.

You were 16 when you won triple j Unearthed High in 2024. What’ve you been up to since then? I’ve had the opportunity to release more music, perform at festivals like Laneway, showcase at BIGSOUND, and open on tour for BoyWithUke and Spacey Jane. I’ve also toured nationally alongside artists like Wafia, Kita Alexander and Maggie Lindemann, and have met and worked with so many incredible people in the industry. The biggest change has been growing into myself creatively. I was so young when I won and I’m still figuring things out now, but the last couple of years have given me the space to experiment, make mistakes and become more intentional about the kind of artist I want to be. It’s definitely been a whirlwind, and is still an ongoing process, but I feel really grateful for everything that's happened and excited about where things are heading next.

Tell us about your single “Splinters”. “Splinters” is about wanting to fully embrace love and healing, while feeling held back by the emotional wounds you’re still carrying. It explores that internal conflict of wanting to give yourself completely over to something, but being scared of getting hurt or hurting someone else in the process. I co-wrote the song when I was 16, alongside Tom Eggert, about something one of my friends was going through. When I finished the first demo, I hated it because it felt too honest and emotional. When I came back to it at 18, I realised I actually related to it a lot and was able to rewrite parts of the song from a new perspective.

What’s the first music you fell in love with? Billie Eilish’s earlier music. I was 10 or 11 when I discovered her, and I think part of what drew me in was seeing someone who was also young, creating music that felt so honest and completely her own.

Favourite comfort food on tour? I only seem to crave strawberry matcha when I’m travelling – it’s become such a specific tour habit for me! Obviously, you can never go wrong with a good noodle cup either, especially when you’re travelling late or have just finished a show.

What are you excited about? I’ve been working on an upcoming project that I’ve been teasing a little bit here and there – although I don’t know if anyone has actually caught on yet! It’s something I’ve been quietly putting a lot of time, love and thought into behind the scenes, and I think it’s probably the most intentional body of work I’ve created so far.

Who would be your dream artist to collaborate with? Florence Road. I have been listening to them after I found them on Spotify early last year and I just have been obsessed. I'm really excited for their new music. I called it when I heard “Hanging Out To Dry” for the first time – they're gonna break through. They're exactly what the industry needs.

What’s your favourite song to perform to a crowd? My current live set-up is a two-piece with a drummer, so sometimes having a drum kit between us can make it a little harder to interact on stage. Honestly though, I love performing “Maybe It All Works Out In The End”. It’s groovy, it gives me the freedom to dance around, and it always feels like one of those songs where the crowd can really move and have fun with me. It’s also a song that means a lot to me personally – it carries such a wonderful message and is something I find myself affirming every time I get to perform it live. Or maybe “Theodore”, because it means so much to me.

What do you get up to when you’re not making music? Outside of music, I love doing things that allow me to slow down and get out of my own head a little bit. Journalling has become a really important outlet for me – I love being able to put my thoughts somewhere and reflect on everything that's happening in my life. I also love going to church and spending time in community, which is something that keeps me really grounded.

I enjoy painting and doing anything creative without necessarily having to be “good” at it or turn it into something productive. And, of course, I love spending time with my friends, whether we're doing something exciting or literally just sitting around and talking for hours. I also love going to gigs! It's always really inspiring for me to see other artists perform, but it's also just nice to experience music as an audience member and remember why I fell in love with it in the first place.

Anything else we should know about you? I think one thing to know about me is that I’m probably a lot more sentimental than I seem! I find meaning in little things and I’m always taking inspiration from the people, places and experiences around me. My faith is also a really big part of my life and keeps me grounded through all the craziness that comes with music.

I’m still so young and figuring things out as I go, but I think that’s what makes this chapter so exciting. I’m really passionate about creating things that are honest and make people feel something, whether that’s through music, performing or just connecting with people.

This ripper chinwag comes straight from the pages of issue 134. To get your mitts on a copy, swing past the frankie shop, subscribe or visit one of our lovely stockists.