Biography
Indie singer/songwriter Maria Usbeck constructs delicate, introspective songs whose layered arrangements project an ethereal atmosphere that equals their careful construction. Formerly part of the New York indie electronic outfit Selebrities, she launched her solo career with the 2016 release Amparo, whose lyrics appear in her native Spanish.
Born in Ecuador, Usbeck relocated to New York City at age 17 to study art. There she co-founded the new wave/post-punk revivalist group Selebrities alongside keyboardist Max Peterson and guitarist/bassist Jer Robert Paulin, serving as the band’s lead vocalist. The trio issued two albums on the N.Y.C. indie label Cascine: Delusions in 2011 and Lovely Things in 2013.
Composed during travels that took her through Buenos Aires, Costa Rica, Easter Island, Lisbon, and Los Angeles among other destinations, Usbeck’s debut solo album Amparo drew from an array of musical traditions and cultural influences. Caroline Polachek of Chairlift handled production, while additional contributors included Olga Bell and Kurt Feldman; the set appeared on Cascine in 2016. Her next project, 2019’s Envejeciendo—Spanish for “aging”—was written and recorded across New York, Florida, New Zealand, and Japan.
Born in Ecuador, Usbeck relocated to New York City at age 17 to study art. There she co-founded the new wave/post-punk revivalist group Selebrities alongside keyboardist Max Peterson and guitarist/bassist Jer Robert Paulin, serving as the band’s lead vocalist. The trio issued two albums on the N.Y.C. indie label Cascine: Delusions in 2011 and Lovely Things in 2013.
Composed during travels that took her through Buenos Aires, Costa Rica, Easter Island, Lisbon, and Los Angeles among other destinations, Usbeck’s debut solo album Amparo drew from an array of musical traditions and cultural influences. Caroline Polachek of Chairlift handled production, while additional contributors included Olga Bell and Kurt Feldman; the set appeared on Cascine in 2016. Her next project, 2019’s Envejeciendo—Spanish for “aging”—was written and recorded across New York, Florida, New Zealand, and Japan.
Albums
Singles
