Maryze Pushes Daring Queer Pop Frontiers with "Versed"

Maryze and Syd Kilroy, shot by Morganne Yambrovich

The taste of LA-via-Montréal pop artist Maryze has long been dubbed “stormy-sweet,” but their triumphant release “Versed” turns up the heat. Six months since its release, the single remains a rallying cry of unapologetic queer passion, signalling an uninhibited new chapter for the ever-evolving performer. Maryze’s X-rated fantasies are delivered with a staccato cadence, riding a classic techno pulse supplied by Siren Mars. And for the visual learners, the Priscilla Mars–directed music video hits like a feverish tableau, showcasing Maryze’s legion of sapphic collaborators – the fishnets, the Pleasers, and the reckless freedom of diving headfirst into desire.

Scroll on to explore how Maryze has settled into their new digs on the West Coast, and what’s to come from their next steps. Bonus: exclusive BTS photos from the “Versed” video shoot, captured by LA photographer (and close collaborator) Morganne Yambrovich.

Maryze and Siren Mars, photo by Morganne Yambrovich

Rebecca Judd for Also Cool Mag: Listening to "Versed," your sound has undoubtedly transformed since the days of 8. Boasting an evocative electro sheen, this new single feels like it's on the verge of a hedonistic explosion. Can you walk us through the personal and creative journey between these two phases of your craft?

Maryze: That's an interesting question. I think that 8 contained a lot of songs I'd been working on for upwards of eight years, and reflected on experiences from earlier on in my life. It was kind of an "up until now" project, whereas what I'm making now is very of the moment. Everything that I'm experiencing, I'm putting back out into music with a pretty quick turnaround. It feels more urgent, and kind of like a teenage level of intensity — taking in so many new feelings and trying to make sense of them. 

Michael Milton, Skyler Cocco, and Reaz Jafri, photo by Morganne Yambrovich

Also Cool: While you’re clearly thriving in Los Angeles, I can say the Canadian music scene feels your absence. What parts of Montreal continue to resonate with you—in art and spirit—and how has LA’s vibrance shifted your approach to self-expression?

Maryze: That's very sweet. I miss Canada, and Montreal specifically. I will keep praising that city, its nightlife, and DIY scene forever — it's truly a mecca for arts and culture. In terms of how LA has shifted my approach to self-expression, it's allowed me to put myself out there more authentically. I know people say it's a fake city, but I've found that creators encourage each other to take risks and squash self-doubt. Montreal's indie music scene has a coolness [that] I never really felt like I fit into, haha. I make and love pop, and that's always who I'll be.

Sadie Scheufler, photo by Morganne Yambrovich

AC: Since relocating to Los Angeles, you’ve immersed yourself in a vibrant community of queer femme creatives, many of whom played a key role in bringing "Versed" to life (like Skyler Cocco, Morganne, and Priscilla Mars). What does it mean to you to forge these creative alliances, especially as a queer artist?

M: I have to thank TikTok on this one, because I met the three artists you named on there! I'm so grateful for the friendships and creative alliances I've been able to make online before even moving to Los Angeles. As a queer artist, it kind of took me until the past few years to form the like-minded community I never had growing up. Montreal helped kick-start that journey. I feel very, very lucky — my close friends/collaborators inspire and lift me up every day. 

Morganne Yambrovich

AC: You’ve spoken extensively about the impact of artists like Peaches, Lady Gaga, and the trailblazing Princess Superstar on this record. What was it like to share the stage with PS at The Saguaro Hotel in Palm Springs – did it feel like a full-circle moment to collaborate with one of your musical touchstones?

M: That was wild. I met Princess Superstar at SXSW and was tripping over my words trying to tell her she inspired one of the tracks I was performing that night. To be invited to perform with her in Palm Springs was an honour! She has a super kind, mothering energy, but is also just incredibly badass. 

Maryze, photo by Morganne Yambrovich

AC: With this raunchy electroclash soundscape that anchors your sophomore album, you’re flirting with evolution – but given how 8 unfolded, we know there are always layers yet to be uncovered. Are there any unexpected genres or sonic experiments you’ve been drawn to, or sensations you’ve yet to explore on this record?

M: Without giving away too much, we're getting into some epic, cinematic drama and embodying new characters. Strings? Operatic high notes? Americana thriller music videos shot in the desert? Coming soon. 

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Maryze

Instagram | Bandcamp | Spotify | TikTok

Rebecca Judd is the Editorial & Operations Lead of Also Cool Mag. She is currently based in Ottawa.

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Public Appeal: The Fight for Queer Creativity

Public Appeal didn't come out of nowhere – her rise to notability is profound for all the ways they have worked to create music that people want and crave. Growing up in the rural south of France, Discord forums, and Internet algorithms fed her artistry, and moving to Montreal allowed for the exposure necessary to become a star. With mentors and inspiration coming from places like NYC and LA, Public Appeal has found her voice through years of listening to Club Eat and Charli XCX. 

When asked to describe her genre, they tell me there's no need for labels – her music is meant to serve and make you feel good on the dance floor. It's a pursuit I can't discredit in any way, shape, or form. I think communal love for Public Appeal comes from this honesty. In her music, there is an expression of something almost too real for simple minds to handle. With performance being center stage in this era of the Montreal music scene, brutally realistic and dystopian pop beats are what we need to make it through the weekend.

“Indie sleaze is where I draw my inspiration – the irony of playing with archetypes is where you have the most fun.”

When making her music, Public Appeal is asking questions. Her process could be compared to the Barbenheimer phenomenon: the brains of nuclear physicists, but an almost plastic-like beauty and playfulness going hand-in-hand. Indie sleaze becomes ultra-meta as a new generation of artists take on ideas of aesthetics, Tumblr and Instagram, allowing for nuanced forms of consumption. 

As we sit in a park discussing everything from childhood celebrity crushes and the meaning behind lyrics, Public Appeal runs me through her outfit. The level of indie sleaze that one can exude is showcased. The shirt is her father’s, her jewelry was found on the street, mismatched Doc Martens that got switched at a party, and Jack Antonoff spectacles without lenses. Everything from head-to-toe is a collage – a moment in time and an inside joke, yet still eye candy for strangers. 

Her music is similarly a family affair: it's perverse because we can all relate and imagine the scenarios expressed on her latest EP, Mind Your Business. This can be seen in “I Wanna Party With You”, which addresses the awkward dynamic of going out with a lover while being over the feeling of them – easy enough in a city like Montreal, and relentlessly relatable.  

Sometimes the care and attention given to artistry is not noticed when people are making their music on a laptop in their bedroom – yet I believe the best forms of expression come from raw experiences, and Public Appeal allows for that. They study histories of music and genre, searching through old interviews of favorite artists and diving deep into the Soundcloud ether to find inspiration. 

Recently, Public Appeal has delved into the history and sounds of electroclash, introducing even a music lover like me into a world I've never known. With hundred-song playlists and concert lists with footnotes, a sense of care and need for good music is instantly seen in her way of being. This is all the proof needed to express the love they have for music that wirelessly connects to listeners as well.  

“My music can't be labeled! It's androgynous and hot, it makes you feel like party drugs – careless but curious, let it take hold of you!”

Public Appeal is a lesson in balancing work ethic and production as well as attitude and style – the perfect equation for sexy music. They put in an effort within the scene that I can only attribute to the sanctity of protecting queer spaces. 

With so many people taking up space in the industry without the boldness that warrants the spotlight, her music lets her talent shine without ego or force. Self-awareness is used similarly in their music, as indie sleaze is used in all its campiness – allowing for a tangle of fun and intelligence that is an exact portrait of a time and place. As they've told me, music is a tattoo, something that comes from an ache and gets spread all over the city for everyone to feel.  Public Appeal knows her music will change completely with time. But right now, Mind Your Business is the moment and a force to be reckoned with, with future live performances and new music in the works, the possibilities are endless. 

The MIND YOUR BUSINESS REMIXES EP will drop in the new year, featuring appearances from artists like babynymph and bounce2. Stay tuned, as the sound of Public Appeal’s grows and evolves for all to witness, for the betterment of dance floors everywhere.  

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Public Appeal

Instagram | Spotify

Uma Nardone is a writer based in Montreal.

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