Maro

Mariana Brito da Cruz Forjaz Secca, known professionally as MARO, was born on October 30, 1994, in Lisbon, Portugal. Initially pursuing a path in veterinary medicine, she later shifted her focus to music, enrolling at Berklee College of Music in Boston. After completing her studies in 2017, MARO relocated to Los Angeles, marking a significant step in her music career. Her early career was characterized by a prolific output of self-released albums and collaborations.

MARO gained international recognition in 2018 with the release of her first three albums, “MARO, Vol. 1,” “MARO, Vol. 2,” and “MARO, Vol. 3.” The same year, she collaborated with Manuel Rocha on the album “MARO & Manel.” She continued to release music independently, demonstrating her capabilities as a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and producer. A notable milestone occurred in 2022 when she won Festival da Canção with her song “Saudade, saudade,” subsequently representing Portugal at the Eurovision Song Contest in Turin, Italy. This exposure led to her song charting in multiple European countries, including top positions in Portugal and Lithuania.

Her career has been defined by a series of high-profile collaborations with influential artists across genres. She worked with Jacob Collier on his “Djesse Vol. 2” album and was featured on “Better Now” by the electronic music duo Odesza, which reached number 19 on the Dance/Electronic Billboard Chart in April 2022. MARO’s consistent release schedule of studio albums and EPs, including “Can You See Me?” (2022) and “Hortelã” (2023), further solidified her position in the music industry. She continues to garner awards and nominations, such as winning Best Pop Performance at the International Portuguese Music Awards in 2022 and Album of the Year at the Prémio José Afonso in 2024 for “Hortelã.”