They say the internet is a gift and a curse as everyone who wants to be a popular artist can distribute their music online for the world to hear. There are a lot of unsigned talent who are on their daily grind trying to win fans over with their music. I came across a very talented Georgian born (NOT THE STATE), Brooklyn bred R&B artist who goes by the name of Mariami Bibilouri. When I first heard her single "Best Friend", I became a big supporter of her music and never looked back. I had the opportunity to chop it up with Mariami as she discusses her upbringing, the civil war between the Soviet Union and her native land Georgia, performing at the U.S. Embassy, her new single "Lucky Baby" and being called the "Georgian Beyonce".
Sincere: Can you share with our audience where you’re from and your early upbringing?
Mariami: I was born in the Republic of Georgia, came to America when I was 6. My family lived in Bedstuy when we first got here, it was the early 90‘s. Then we relocated to Vermont where I grew up and graduated from high school.
Sincere: Your family fled the Soviet Union during the early 90s. Can you shed some light on what happened and also are the relations between Georgia and Russia better today?
Mariami: First off, nice job on your homework. Pretty impressive that you know that. There was a terrible Civil War that erupted after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Internally there was pro-Russian aggression against anti-Russian aggression, my father owned a bar at the time and it was occupied by soldiers, they used it as a holding for their weapons and ammunition. It wasn’t safe to be in the streets. There was a huge wave of immigration at the time and my family took part in it. I think back and I wonder sometimes how different my life would be if I stayed in Georgia. It’s way different now, but only after decades of turmoil, political instability and struggles to strengthen the political and economic infrastructure of the country. Today the relations are in fact much better, but believe it or not there is still pro/anti Russia heat, that tension still resonates over politics, economics and land. I was such a happy kid growing up, but for some reason my music was always laden with sadness and these melo-dramatic lyrics. It mimicked in ways, the classic Georgian writing style. Georgian writers, lyricists and poets are incredibly soulful, but incredibly sad in their expressions. Georgian folk songs are almost like war hymns. The country endured occupation after invasion, even before the Soviet Union, so the people always sang of survival. It took me a long time to get to a place where I was writing happy songs.
Mariami: I was born in the Republic of Georgia, came to America when I was 6. My family lived in Bedstuy when we first got here, it was the early 90‘s. Then we relocated to Vermont where I grew up and graduated from high school.
Sincere: Your family fled the Soviet Union during the early 90s. Can you shed some light on what happened and also are the relations between Georgia and Russia better today?
Mariami: First off, nice job on your homework. Pretty impressive that you know that. There was a terrible Civil War that erupted after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Internally there was pro-Russian aggression against anti-Russian aggression, my father owned a bar at the time and it was occupied by soldiers, they used it as a holding for their weapons and ammunition. It wasn’t safe to be in the streets. There was a huge wave of immigration at the time and my family took part in it. I think back and I wonder sometimes how different my life would be if I stayed in Georgia. It’s way different now, but only after decades of turmoil, political instability and struggles to strengthen the political and economic infrastructure of the country. Today the relations are in fact much better, but believe it or not there is still pro/anti Russia heat, that tension still resonates over politics, economics and land. I was such a happy kid growing up, but for some reason my music was always laden with sadness and these melo-dramatic lyrics. It mimicked in ways, the classic Georgian writing style. Georgian writers, lyricists and poets are incredibly soulful, but incredibly sad in their expressions. Georgian folk songs are almost like war hymns. The country endured occupation after invasion, even before the Soviet Union, so the people always sang of survival. It took me a long time to get to a place where I was writing happy songs.
Sincere: Who were your musical influences growing up and when did you realize your passion for music?
Mariami: Realized very early on. My grandfather was the music director of a Georgian folk dance company. I grew up in and around his rehearsals from a very young age. He taught me how to play piano when I was 2. Music is a major cornerstone of many Georgian families. I went on to study classical music briefly, then Jazz, then recieved a minor in Music from Berklee with a Major in Theater & Cross Cultural Performance Arts from Emerson and voila, here I am.
Influences: Stevie Wonder, Earth Wind & Fire, Sade, Michael Jackson, Pink Floyd, Led Zep, and Phil Collins.
Sincere: Your style is very versatile as you blend R&B, Jazz, pop and Georgian folk in your music. Your latest album “Gates” has a lot of good tracks. One of the tracks that caught my ear is “Best Friend” which is produced by Daniel Riera. What was the inspiration behind “Best Friend?
Mariami: Best Friend is one of my favorites! Daniel is a long time collaborator. He went to Berklee and I met him my sophomore year through George Watsky (Bay Area based rapper who also attended Emerson). George, Daniel and a third member, Max, had a group called Invisible Inc. and I fell in love with their production style. Daniel’s musical vocab and style has always blended with mine. I find it really easy to write to his arrangements, I think it’s because he’s incredibly musical. He’s a perfect blend of Jazz, Soul, that outer space element I love, added with that something else factor. He sent me the instrumental for Best Friend and I literally wrote the whole song in my head while running one day.
Sincere: You have released your new single “Lucky Baby”, which is produced by Toronto producer McCallaman. How did you meet McCallaman and will the both of you work on any future projects?
Mariami: McCallaman and I met through Soundcloud. He reached out to me I want to say in 2012? I think he had heard my vocals on a Carmack remix and he asked me if I wanted to collab. I said sure and he sent me a few instrumentals. He sent me a track called Glad and I flipped out. It was the sound that became Gates. I made him double the length and wrote the song, recorded it, put it on Soundcloud and surprised him. I don’t think I even told him I was going to release it, I just dropped it. It was a beautiful moment for us both, people’s reactions, our vibe that we created together. It’s that Toronto x Georgia x Brooklyn sound. McCallaman is the truth.
Sincere: I would like to thank you for sending the Gates ballad remix to me. That track is on repeat in my IPOD. Is there a chance you are going to release the remix version in the future?
Mariami: I have a show in NYC on Jan 22nd around my birthday so it’s possible I’ll release it then, though I’d love to shoot a visual to go with it.
Sincere: A few months ago you have returned to your native country Georgia to perform “Nanina” on TV Imedi. The host called you the “Georgian Beyonce”. How does it feel to return to your native homeland and your thoughts on being called the Georgian Beyoncé?
Mariami: Haha, that was shocking! I was speechless. Everything on that trip was nuts. I went there scared to death that my own people wouldn’t like my music or that it’d be too American for them. I was hyperventilating on the flight over and the days leading up to my first radio show, but the response was out of control. Stronger and more vibrant than I’ve ever experienced here in the states. I think something lit up inside of me when I was there and I was truly singing and moving from the heart. It made me realize that I move kind of like an outsider here, though I always felt very American. Currently, I’d say I’m right in the middle, bridging that gap between America and Georgia. Hopefully, I get to a place where I’m not thinking about being American or Georgian, and I just seamlessly blend both. As for being called Georgian Beyonce, that gives me a lot to live up to holy cow!
Sincere: You have also had the opportunity to represent America and Georgia as you have performed at the American Embassy in Georgia. How was your experience performing at an important event such as the one I have mentioned?
Mariami: Performing for the US Embassy was an incredible honor and exactly that, representing America & Georgia dually on Georgian soil in an American establishment. It was so wild because I was in my own country but the minute I walked into the Embassy I felt like I was at home. I found out later that all American embassies (worldwide) are built to the same code, to look the same way and to make Americans feel like they are on American soil. It did exactly that. One second you’re surrounded by the Caucasus mountains and the next, you feel like you’re in America! I got to carefully curate a song selection that both honored my Georgian roots and that featured my english songs (and an acoustic cover of course of Ray Charles, Georgia On My Mind of course). In many ways it made me feel like I have a responsibility to uphold in my music and work, to give back to where I came from and to continue to bridge this gap. I had the honor of teaching master classes for internally displaced refugee children when I was there with the support of the US Embassy. I would love to make this a tradition where I bring my producers, musicians and colleagues from here over there to do these master classes as frequently as possible. It was one of the highlights of the trip.
Sincere: What are your thoughts about the current state of the music industry?
Mariami: To be honest, I have no idea and couldn’t say anymore. I can’t tell who has the power, who makes the choices, what the mainstream taste is? Sometimes I think labels still have all the power, sometimes I think radio is king, sometimes I think the blogs are running the game as tastemakers and some days I think the people ultimately decide. I’ve heard many of my peers say things like “there is no industry left anymore” but I see a lot of my friends out there touring, performing and traveling year round so I know that can’t be true. I just want to carve out my corner, move freely and share as much music as I can.
Sincere: What is your meaning of success and where do you see yourself in five years?
Mariami: To be a household name? Too much to ask? In 5 years I really hope I have a new beamer, a vineyard, real estate, a really diversified stock portfolio, a few more really successful albums and a baby :)
Sincere: What separates you from the average artist?
Mariami: Constitutionally, I think all musicians are built the same. With similar persistence, fire, drive, a wish to be different and passion to back it all up. I think what separates me is my wish to weave in slight Georgian elements kind of the way reggae first brought Jamaican culture to the stage. There is so much to our culture that even I have to take it in doses. I hint at it in my visuals when I can, and musically there are many nods to Georgian melodies in my songs.
Sincere: What I find fascinating about Georgia when I look at the photos is its rich history. When I saw the cave cities it really perked my interest. If I wanted to take a trip to Georgia, what places you would recommend for me to visit?
Mariami: Ahh! EVERYWHERE. I made my family take me everywhere on my trip. Top spots are 1) Kazbebegi and Gergetis Sameba (a gorgeous church on a mountaintop with a view of the tallest mountain in Georgia) 2) Kakheti, an incredible wine making region 3) Batumi, the Black Sea 4) Vardzia, where the caves are 5) Svaneti, some of the most gorgeous views of the Caucasus are there 6) Gudauri, if you like to ski 7) Tusheti, gorgeous mountains that you ride up on horses because it’s too steep for a car! What!?
Sincere: Outside of music, what is a normal day like for Mariami?
Mariami: I usually wake up and squeeze my mini pincher with kisses, have coffee, workout, meditate, eat, practice guitar, write, listen to new sounds, play, build, play, build. I live in New York so I work in my sleep. Never not engaged with music.
Sincere: 2016 is just a few weeks away. Will you release a new project for your fans and also do you have any upcoming shows we should be on the look out for?
Mariami: Lucky Baby was the last one for 2015. I do have a show at Bam on Jan 22 that I’m inviting everybody I know to. Literally, I hope everyone comes that lives in this city haha http://www.bam.org/music/2016/mariami? alttemplate=mobileevent&date=
Sincere: Thanks for taking the time to conduct this interview with me. Do you have any final words and how can fans reach out to you?
Mariami: Twitter! @MariamiMusic or Instagram @MariamiMusic. Thank you! Happy Holidays and blessings in 2016! Xo
Photos courtesy of Mariami, Phillipe Le Moine and welcomebatumi.com
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