You will certainly won’t forget the name Maria Solena anytime soon, with her well-known emotional voice and inspiring songs, she has released her latest single Open Your Eyes, a beautiful track honoring how strong and beautiful women are. Like Sade, Nancy Wilson and Barbra Streisand, Maria combines traditional jazz style with the unique notes of her singing. The end product is something that seems forever relevant and close to people.
The song Open Your Eyes carries a meaningful message, not only music. Because her friend is running for mayor, Maria makes this track about women who face challenges, act with kindness and continue moving ahead. The music and spoken words of Maria make you feel like you are watching a film and they invite listeners to focus on women’s wisdom, love and courage, instead of their age or the way they look.
Having performed internationally and had her music played on CBC and KUVO, Maria Solena is now ready to star in her own album. Let’s get started.
Listen to Open Your Eyes below
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“Open Your Eyes” is such an evocative title. What inspired this song, and what message do you hope listeners take away from it?
I was inspired by my friend who was running for mayor as a single mother, in a field dominated by men. I was so impressed by her resilience, strength and tenaciousness. A woman’s worth is the totality of who she is—we are more than just our age or beauty. We are more than our bodies. A truly empowered woman knows how to love herself and love others. She is a complete person who is able to give herself fully in a romantic relationship.
Open Your Eyes is an invitation to see women clearly through a different light.
Can you walk us through the creative process behind writing and producing “Open Your Eyes”?
I started with a reflective state that I had after attending a meeting where I saw my friend relating in a man’s world. I came home and sat down at my piano and sang the melody of the mood I was in. I found a lovely chord progression that resonated to my ears with the mood. Then the words and melody came slowly.
The song took some time to solidify. I came back to it and left it over a few months. When the song was finally ready to record, I took it to my producer, Allan Rodgers at Greenhouse Studios in Vancouver and he loved it. We recorded it!
How does “Open Your Eyes” reflect where you are right now as an artist and as a person?
I have decided to try a new and exciting direction after doing jazz standards for many years. I already released three jazz albums with producer/arranger Torben Oxbol, and I felt inspired to compose original music. I have many ideas inside my head, and I have written many songs as a result of these ideas. I’ve got the music in me.
Sonically, how would you describe the style of “Open Your Eyes”? Did you experiment with any new sounds or techniques?
I wanted to create a song like it was part of the soundtrack of a movie, like Moon River with Audrey Hepburn. I wanted to use orchestral strings to capture that emotional theatrical feel.
Were there any specific artists, albums, or genres that influenced the sound or vibe of this track?
My biggest influences for the song are Nancy Wilson, Sade, Barbra Streisand and Marc Jordan.
How does this release compare to your previous work in terms of tone, theme, or sound?
The use of orchestral strings and wind instruments (sax & flute) in Open Your Eyes, consistent with my last three albums. The songs from my last three albums could easily go hand in hand with a movie or become a movie soundtrack.
The title suggests a theme of awakening or realization. Are there any lyrics you feel especially connected to or proud of?
She brings light to darkness one day at a time
She brings the change the world is looking for
To understand, just open your eyes
And all you gotta do is open your mind
Will there be a music video or visual component for “Open Your Eyes”? If so, what can fans expect?
Yes! We are working on a video, based on a movie. I can’t say more right now, because I don’t want to give it all away.
What kind of emotional response or mindset do you hope “Open Your Eyes” triggers in your listeners?
I hope to inspire people, especially women, to have an awareness that they are powerful, unique, and they have a role to fulfill in society.
Is “Open Your Eyes” a standalone release, or part of a larger project like an EP or album?
Yes, the song is part of an album that is coming out in July of this year.
What’s next for you musically? Are you already working on your next release?
I am quite busy at the moment, but I will write more original music. Expect more from me after this project, because I have so many ideas and songs I haven’t recorded yet. It is a magical journey and a breathtaking adventure.
