In August, María Zardoya, frontwoman of The Marías, began cryptically teasing a new solo project on her social media, described as her “alternate reality.” Through mysterious video clips of Zardoya in forests and cabins, she offered a glimpse of the eerie aesthetic and psychedelic world her solo album would grow to inhabit. Through the gradual release of teasers, fans pieced together that this new project wouldn’t be under her name, María Zardoya; instead, she would take on the stage name of “Not For Radio.” On October 1, Zardoya took to her official “Not For Radio” instagram account to announce her 10-track album titled Melt to be released on 10/10 (Oct. 10). In this post, Zardoya expands on the conception of this project: “My intention with this project was to make music for the love of experimenting, far from home, fully in the moment, open to whatever stream of consciousness unfolded around us. And that’s exactly what we did in the snowy woods, tucked away, as ice melted beneath our feet and as we melted into the songs. What grew from the melted ice is this album.”
Given the tremendous momentum The Marías has had in 2025, it’s surprising their lead would drop her solo project as they neared massive commercial success with hits such as “No One Noticed” and “Sienna” charting on the Billboard Top 100. However, Zardoya guarantees that going solo for this project does not signify the end of The Marías— it’s simply a further exploration of her artistry. She chose the name “Not For Radio” as a statement to the type of music she was creating; in an interview for Billboard, Zardoya says, “I went into Not for Radio with the intention of not writing any pop songs,” that is, songs that aren’t meant to be widely enjoyed, not for mainstream radio. She continues, “It’s a project with songs that I want people to experience the way that I love experiencing music — out in nature, lying under a tree or going on a walk. It’s written completely out of my comfort zone and away from the industry.” This motif of distance is reflected in the album’s sonic capacity— it’s an exceptionally cohesive series of tracks that take you through a dreamy, lush and slow-tempo wandering.
As a longtime listener of The Marías, I knew I was in for a real treat when I found out María Zardoya was releasing a solo project written and produced in the dead of winter in Upstate New York. Submarine, The María’s latest album, has been on repeat ever since its release, so I was hopeful for a round two of that same classic, vibey pop I’m used to from Zardoya. Anything that has her angelic, entrancing voice, I will listen to — Melt was no exception. The piano-driven songs come together through a beautiful combination of alluring melodies, poetic lyrics and soft yet emotional vocals, resulting in a wonder of modern gothic romanticism.
Beyond pure vibes, the album’s strength lies in its expressive and imaginative lyrics that guide the ten ballads. Melt is an album about love; its crux revolves around answering one essential question: Is love worth the pain? By approaching this question from different perspectives, she avoids sounding repetitive and keeps the lyrics fresh through imagery I can only describe as ecopoetic. The opening track “Puddles,” describes a walk where she encounters puddles that force her to face her reflection, submerging her in an introspective spiral where she reflects the possibility of love, hesitantly wondering if the all-consuming pain she’s used to is a risk worth taking for new love: “I'm seeing double, I'm already scared / Scared of what losing feels after we dare.” This song is my second favorite off Melt, as it’s not only lyrically strong, but also begins with a musicality that emulates what I would expect from The Marías. Zardoya mentioned that the album’s tracklist follows the order of the making of each song, so it makes sense that the first song off her solo project would cling to that classic psychedelic sound she’s used to.
Another lyrical high for this album is “Moment,” a ballad brimming with natural imagery and metaphors: “Man, I wanna melt inside you / Form to water, then to ice / But if it goes into the summer / Don't think that I'd wanna hide.” Track two,“Back To You,” has amassed the most success, as it appeals to fans looking for a slice of classic The Marías music, as it calls back to their popular, cathartic 2025 single “Back To Me.” In my opinion, “Back To Me” is a perfect song that can’t be beat, therefore “Back To You” doesn’t quite equate to the strength of its predecessor simply because of it’s repetitive chorus of “I hope it brings me back to you” over and over again. That’s not to say this song doesn’t have it’s share of good lyrics amongst the repetition, my favorite being: “Put your hand inside my pocket / If it's not you, I don't want it.”
In exploring diverging situations surrounding love, “My Turn” is written from the perspective of a partner who’s staggered by guilt from hurting their loved one. On the other hand, “Swan” is about longing to find “the one,” like the wild swans that mate for life. “Vueltas,” my favorite, is the only Spanish song, breaking away from the album’s piano-driven melodies into a Latin-inspired acoustic guitar.
The remaining tracks, “Magnet,” “Water On Your Nose,” “Not The Only One” and “Slip” continue to soak up Melt’s wistfulness and confessional lyrics.
Through themes of romance, heartbreak and longing on every track, Zardoya has crafted the perfect winter album that captures the beautiful fragility of nature during an endless February. I, for one, can’t wait to listen to this album on a walk in the snow when winter eventually comes— big shoutout to María Zardoya for giving me something to look forward to during Upstate New York winter.
Paulina Delgado Umpierre is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences. She can be reached at pmd99@cornell.edu
