Discover Nashville’s Newest Indie-Rock Talent Wilby
Photo by @lisacarrott
Nashville native Maria Crawford, also known as Wilby, uses her sincere, angelic voice to explore themes of tenderness, resilience, and mental health. The new songwriter fuses indie and rock to develop her soft yet strong vocals and meaningful wordplay. A true vocal talent, Wilby’s heavenly voice transcends listeners to flowery meadows and beautiful summer days. With only two singles out, Wilby has already received recognition from the alt-indie community.
Her most recent single “Mush” juxtaposes strong percussion and steady synths with Wilby’s meaningful vocals and unique timbre. The single explores the trials and tribulations of romance and the inability to express one’s emotions. For the hook, Wilby repeats “I’m so complicated, I don’t wanna say this,” to describe that feeling of being tongue-tied and incapable of expression. With the writing help of musician Thad Cockrell, production by Thad Kopec, percussion by Zach Bodman, and mastering by Ross Collier, Wilby drops a cohesive second single in “Mush.”
Shot and directed by Wil Kelly, the music video to “Mush” takes on an ethereal, retro vibe with soft lighting and warm tones. The video transitions between scenes in an old-fashioned diner to a childhood bedroom. With the visual talent of Wil Kelly and producing help of Linda Parrot, the music video to “Mush” excellently captures its nostalgic essence.
Predating the release of “Mush,” Wilby gained notable recognition with her debut single “Bad.” This track introduces listeners to her indie-rock style of silky, soft vocals layered with upbeat production and rhythmic guitar riffs. Wilby shows off her vocal range on “Bad” as she transitions from verses of lower-pitched vocalization to a chorus of high-pitched, whistle-like riffs. “Bad” explores themes of mental health with lyrics suggesting feelings of depression and hope for recovery. Like “Mush,” Wilby collaborated with Kopec and Bodman for “Bad” as well.
Making waves with only two singles out, Wilby is a great new artist to watch as she bursts into the alt-indie scene with more singles, EPs, and highly anticipated albums!
Written By Kiara Vaziri
