People who discover music on a phone screen are highly likely to have come across Mary Ann Alexander — a girl humming a tune, strumming her guitar or ukulele, while covering R&B favourites or casually dropping an original song.
The Thiruvananthapuram-born singer grew up around the Malayalam music industry, accompanying her father, playback singer Alex, to recording studios and finding her own voice along the way.
Today, her simple, easy-going videos on YouTube and Instagram have gradually grown into a musical journey that has taken her beyond the borders. She was officially introduced to the wider Malayali audience when she sang ‘Sthuthi’ from ‘Bougainvillaea’, in collaboration with Sushin Shyam.
Her gentle, whimsical voice, layered with rhythmic beats and dreamy sounds, has found an audience worldwide, and yet her music videos remind everyone of her roots in Kerala.
As she continues to explore pop and R&B in her own style, Mary Ann sits down with TNIE to talk about her career and finding her place in a changing music landscape.
How did you begin your journey in the music industry?
When I was younger, my father would take me to the recording studios. I would go with him, sit in the studios and observe his process. He is someone who makes everything feel lighter and easier and has inspired me a lot in that way.
Also, from a young age, I was part of several small projects — singing in advertisements, church-related devotional songs, children’s CDs like ‘Manjadi’...
If not for those childhood opportunities, it would have been very intimidating to go into a studio and sing in front of a mic now.
How did you fall in love with R&B?
It happened very naturally. My father used to listen to a lot of music, and when I woke up in the morning, he would be playing Michael Jackson and the like on the cassette player.
I also used to watch VH1 and listen to countdown charts. The songs were all from from Afro-American cultures. I enjoyed R&B and hip-hop a lot. I also started making a lot of friends in High school, and the music we shared also had R&B influence. Posting covers online also built me a community and helped me connect with those who share the same musical taste. It kind of snowballed from there.
Two of your original songs have gained a lot of attention, both for the music and how you blended pop music with Kerala landscapes...
Both songs are from my latest EP ‘Love or a Lesson’. Shooting those in Kerala itself was intentional, as I wanted to show a part of my world through my music. Kerala Tourism shared the video. One random day I woke up and saw that Kerala Tourism shared it, and I was mind-blown.
You also write the lyrics...
Yes. Most of these songs on this EP were written on my first trip to London. It was a new experience for me because before that I had never written any songs in a room with other people present.
I like to do things in solitude when I am not being watched or seen. And on my first trip to London, I got to meet a lot of producers, and in the first session I came up with the song ‘Better Than This’.
The initial fear and intimidation slowly went away. It also gave me the courage to go into studios with almost anybody and come out with a song. Now, I take it as a phase of friendship, where people create something together and have fun while doing it.
How has social media helped you?
It started when I was around 15, as one of my tech-savvy friends insisted that I post songs on social media. He asked me not to worry about the setup and just sing. That little push got me a long way. I was able to build an audience through social media.
It was when I sang a song from ‘Athbhutha Dweepu’ that many figured out my father was singer Alex. It gave me the feeling that ‘actually ente appan oru killadi aanalle’.
Was ‘Over the Ocean’ in ‘Kolambi’ your first film song?
It was the first one that I wrote and also sang. I did that song when I was 15 years old. However, the film came out only after I turned 20. So I can see only a much younger me in that song. It came about because director T K Rajeev Kumar sir is my close friend’s father. He happened to hear it as she was playing it in her room. That is how the song came into the movie.
You also sang in ‘Bougainvillaea’. How was it collaborating with Sushin Shyam?
Sushin is a friend and collaborator of one of my close friends, Allen Varghese. He is a composer and a keyboard player.
Allen and I met when he was working on this song.
When I listened to the demo, it felt different from the usual commercial tunes. It was Allen who asked me to try singing it and said that he would show it to Sushin. At first, I was a bit reluctant, as my voice would sound a bit too young for Jyothirmayi’s character. And the song’s vibe was very dark and sinister, much different from my usual style.
But Allen insisted on just trying it out, and I did a rough recording. He later sent it to Sushin. After that, I forgot about it.
When it comes to movie projects, I don’t really expect things to happen. I had seen my dad’s experience in the industry.
A few weeks later, Allen called me saying Sushin loved it and wanted to record it properly. I did that, and next time I talked to Sushin, he said it was going to be in the movie.
You have worked with a lot of famous artists. Tell us about these achievements.
It was always my dream to have a very wide outreach and have a good impact on people. It was something silly, born out of watching Hannah Montana, who has a double life — as a normal girl and a pop star. I used to think that was really cool. It was kind of delusional and stupid.
But I wanted to build an audience, and I also believed that anything is possible.
My favourite part of being a musician is travelling and meeting artists who inspire me. And I get to be friends with them (chuckles). They also make you feel accepted, validated and are willing to learn from you. It also makes you understand that being humble and soft with your experiences will take you a long way.
Were you ever star-struck?
Yes, when I was in LA recording for a song, we were taking a break outside the studio. Then one of my favourite Afrobeat singers, Wizkid, pulled up in his car. He was very friendly, shook everyone’s hands and introduced himself to everybody there. It was amazing.
Another day I was in New York, sitting on a bench right outside my hotel. A girl was sitting next to me with a coffee in her hand. She looked very familiar. People look quite different in pictures and in person, right? So I said, ‘Hey, has anybody told you that you look like Charli XCX?’ And she said, ‘Ya, I am’. That was shocking, and I didn’t want to bother her any more. It was random but really cool.
Who are your favourite artists?
Of course, Michael Jackson is my biggest inspiration. He really pushed his limits, polished his skills and was very devoted to his passion. There is a singer called Brandy, who inspires me a lot. As a kid, I used to love Justin Bieber, who was so young and talented — I wanted to be that.
Your latest song is about NYC...
One day, my manager and I were in Washington Square Park. And we met a producer right there. He showed me a beat, and I was already jotting down things that came to my mind about the city. Travelling is a new feeling for me, as I never did it as a child. And while I was sitting there, I thought it was such a great opportunity to sing about New York itself. Thus was born my song, NYC.
You have a unique taste in fashion as well...
Since I was younger, I always had a strong sense of what I liked and what I didn’t like. I was also very much a Tomboy. But most of it was curated by our parents, of course. After joining college, I made friends who were very interested in fashion and would go buy things that they liked. That itself was a very new idea for me. Then I started experimenting a lot. Right now, I am inspired by creators on Instagram, and I try all things that catch my eye.
Any upcoming projects?
The next one is also going to be a six-song EP. After that, I am definitely gonna do an album. I don’t anticipate or actively pursue films. When it comes my way, and if it feels right, then I will openly do it.
Any advice for upcoming artists?
No matter what field or what you are trying to do, you need to believe in yourself and your instincts. Use every tool, like social media, to get an audience and network. Use them all. Have some guts; that is all.