In Conversation with Mariae Cassandra: Passion, Representation, and Her Musical Journey
- Michelle L
- Oct 28
- 7 min read
At just 18, Filipino-Australian artist Mariae Cassandra is already making waves far beyond her Perth roots. With her unique blend of nostalgic lyricism and heartfelt coming-of-age storytelling, she is certainly headed towards becoming one of Australia’s most exciting emerging artists. From intimate recordings to taking on festival stages alongside Beabadoobee and Charli XCX, Mariae’s journey is incredibly inspiring and authentic. She’s been on my radar and Spotify playlists for a few years, and I am overjoyed to see her creativity and talent shine in local and national festivals, including Laneway, Sunset Sounds, Hyperfest, and Groundswell. I had the absolute pleasure of chatting with Mariae about her musical journey, creative influences, newest single “Theodore”, and what we can expect from her in the future! Keep reading for the full interview.
Michelle L: Mariae, it’s so lovely to meet you! Would you like to introduce yourself to those who may not be familiar with your music?
Mariae Cassandra: My name is Mariae Cassandra – an 18-year-old Filipino artist based in Perth, and I make music that makes you feel like you’re going through old memories and embracing that youthful feeling.
ML: I am so inspired by your musical journey, especially how you’ve made such waves in the music scene from a smaller city as a young adult. What inspired you to pursue a career in music? How has being based in Perth shaped your musical style?
MC: I was inspired to become a young musician firstly because of Beabadoobee. I came across her music in 2019, but fully dived in during 2021 after “Fake it Flowers” came out. I realised if a young Filipino artist from the UK could do it, why couldn’t I? And being a part of an ATAR Music program helped a lot with my confidence. I was actually very shy and insecure with music in the first few years of doing it, but my family and music family expressed a lot of faith in my passion and it grew from there. I had a huge fear of performing until I forced myself to really be uncomfortable to… be comfortable! Now I itch for a performance!
ML: I was lucky enough to catch your set live at this year’s Laneway Festival – you were amazing! What was the experience like performing on such a major stage, especially alongside huge names like Beabadoobee, Charli XCX and Clairo? Were you able to catch any other sets or soak in the atmosphere?
MC: That’s incredible!!! And thank you to everyone who got to catch my set! It was an insane experience I wouldn’t trade for the world. I felt surreal – my dreams were actually reality. Everyone was so kind, and I realised how welcoming the music community is. I definitely soaked in the festival atmosphere as much as possible, and enjoyed every bit of it. Of course, I cried all throughout Bea’s set, and even got to chat with the band – Eliana, Jason and Luca!
ML: As an Asian-Australian, it has been really meaningful to see you represent and inspire aspiring artists through your music. How has your cultural background influenced your music, and how do you feel about current Asian representation in the Australian music industry?
MC: I think it’s so important because that’s what inspired me! Seeing someone who looks like me, has similar characteristics and culture makes me feel seen. I hope to be that way for others. I’d say my culture just loves music in general; from the karaoke, to playing in bands, to just LOVING music. The Philippines is one of the most passionate countries I’ve witnessed.
ML: Mariae, you wear so many creative hats! On top of writing and making music, you are also a freelance creative! How do you balance the demands of your personal life with your creative pursuits? Any advice for other multi-passionate artists trying to juggle it all?
MC: Sometimes it can get a lot, but… you really only live once! And I have so many passions, so many things I love to do, so why not try them all! Of course, I’m trying to be as careful as possible in making sure I don’t get burnt out, but for advice, I think it’s important to really let yourself try things and to not put yourself in a box. If you know you have a talent or passion, or want to grow one, why not try?
ML: Your recent single “Love Vomit” is such a standout. Your powerful vocals, the gritty guitar production, and those raw vulnerable lyrics make it such an intimate and powerful song – something that so many listeners can connect with. How much do your personal experiences shape the way you write and create music? And what is your creative process like: is it a routine, or is it more spontaneous?
MC: Thank you so much! I would say a LOT of my music is inspired by my own experiences or from other people’s experiences. I love people watching or even just listening to my friends talk about certain things they’ve gone through, and mid convo I’ll be like, “Oh wow! That’d be really cool to write about…” But usually, I love to write down what I’m thinking about in my physical notebook. It’ll just be random thoughts. And I’ll grab my guitar and try to hum a melody while reading words off of a page. And I don’t like to dwell on a song for very long – I usually finish it between half an hour minimum to 2-3 days max.
ML: Since “Love Vomit” was inspired by Genevieve from the movie To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, what other movies, TV shows, books, or media do you really connect with and place in your “back pocket”?
MC: What a fun question!!!! I love Bohemian Rhapsody so much - I’m a little Queen fan. I love Little Women, The Perks of Being a Wallflower (your kind of basic teen girl flicks). The only rom-com movie I can really handle is To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before haha… I loved reading back in 2022-2023 and Daisy Jones and the Six is STILL my favourite. I love the TV show too.
ML: Let’s talk about your upcoming single “Theodore”! You’ve been teasing it as an unreleased song for some time; I’ve heard some sneak peeks of it on Instagram, and am already in love! Can you share what inspired the track, and what you hope listeners will take away from it?
MC: I LOVE this song so much. I wrote it during a little bit of a rough patch – I was just about to leave in-person high school to do music full-time. I was confused and dealing with resurfaced experiences from my past and felt like I had no one to talk to. Theodore was a name my mum really liked, so I wrote about he should’ve been born so I could talk to someone. I think everyone can relate to yearning for that one person to talk to.
ML: Who are your biggest creative or musical inspirations? And if you could collaborate with anyone, who would be your dream artist to work with?
MC: My biggest creative and musical inspirations are Lizzy McAlpine, Tyler the Creator, Humble The Great, Grentperez, Gracie Abrams, The Smiths, Spacey Jane, and of course… Beabadoobee.
ML: March 8 is such a special day – not just for you, but for your fans too (myself
included)! It marks the release of “Cassie,” a truly special song full of raw emotion and vulnerability. I’d love to know: what does “Cassie” mean to you?
MC: “Cassie” means so much to me, as it was the first song I wrote about myself: my own thoughts and “problems” and just being vulnerable in a way I thought I never would be as a 15-year-old. It means a lot that so many fans love it as much or even more than I do.
ML: Do you have any upcoming gigs or performance plans coming up that we should get excited about?
MC: I am SOO excited to be in Adelaide playing for the Lucky Dumpling fest at the end of October, and I'm also soooo excited to be supporting The Buoys in Perth and Adelaide. AND ALSOOO!!! TOUR AAHHH!!! I'm so ready for you Australia and London!!!
ML: When you're not writing music or being creative, how do you like to unwind? Any hobbies or guilty pleasures fans might be surprised to learn about?
MC: I actually love hiking, and I sketch a lot in my songwriting notebook.
ML: Rapid-fire music questions! What’s your go-to karaoke song?
MC: Maybe a Lizzy McAlpine song.
ML: What is one song you have on repeat at the moment?
MC: Right now it's “Break The Girl” by Florence Road.
ML: Who is one artist everyone should be listening to?
MC: Mariae Cassandra HAHA.
ML: Do you have a favourite lyric/line you’ve ever written?
MC: It's from an unreleased song, but I wrote this line: "If I'm a waste of money, might as well say you wasted time – time alone to not be around someone like me."
ML: Describe your discography in 3 words.
MC: Nostalgic, Youthful, Reflecting.
ML: Vinyl or Spotify playlists?
MC: BOTH.
ML: Soul-crushing ballad or groovy pop hit?
MC: Pop hit for sure.
ML: Where can our readers stream your music, and keep up to date with your journey
on social media?
MC: @mariaecassandra on Instagram, @m4riaecassandra on TikTok and Mariae Cassandra on YouTube.
ML: Is there anything else you would like to share with your fans, or aspiring young artists out there?
MC: JUST DO IT. The only thing is stopping you is yourself and no one really “cares” the way you think they would. You only live once so why not try something you are so passionate about?
ML: Mariae, thank you so much for taking the time to chat with me today! It’s been such a pleasure to hear about your journey, your creativity, and your exciting plans for tour coming up! Wishing you all the very best for “Theodore,” your upcoming performances, and everything that comes after!
Mariae has since announced her first-ever EP, Everything in my Backpocket, set to release on 21 November 2025, and her first Australia/London headlining tour! Her latest single “Theodore”, is out now on all major streaming platforms – go have a listen, and get tickets to her tour now – you won’t want to miss seeing her live!
