Maya Rothman: What originally inspired you to do music?
Maria Requena: It’s always been a form of self-expression; I write to come to terms with the world around me and put it all in a way that makes sense to me. What I write is usually personal, and I didn’t really start sharing it with others until junior/senior year of high school. Since then, my writing style has changed, mirroring the way I’ve changed and grown over time. Sometimes I feel like each song I write and work on and edit and perform is like a little journal entry in itself, one that can be understood by others and shared. I like to write things that connect to others and get in touch with a very human experience, and I feel like I’ve done a decent job doing so when a song I wrote accomplishes that.
MR: What music do you listen to, to get you in the mood to write?
MR: I don’t usually sit down with the conscious effort to write. Usually, what happens is, I’m at work, or I’m doing something mundane and mindless, or I’m in class and I’m forced to sit and be quiet – and then suddenly a little bit of a melody creeps into my mind. I spend the rest of the time focusing and refining and memorizing that melody or little bit of lyric until I get a chance to pound it out at the piano or with my uke or guitar.
Courtesy photo by Maria Requena
MR: What other thing are you involved with on campus?
MR: I did marching band for three years, specifically color guard. I’m sitting out winter guard right now, but I intend to return for the spring. I’m on the board for Cardinals in Action, where I serve as treasurer. I’ve also gone on two Breakaway trips, the first to Nicaragua, the second, of which I student led, was to El Salvador. I’m also on the board for The Union. I’ve worked with production staff since freshman year, and just got hired as a barista at Boho.
MR: Where do you see yourself in five years with your music?
MR: Still writing, still performing. I’m trying to figure out who I am as a performer, and figure out if this is something I want to pursue professionally. I’m starting out with open mics, I’ve gone to a couple this term, and I’m planning to figure out a tour with Morgan Powers, who is incredibly amazing her voice is so precious!
MR: What’s a pet peeve when you’re writing?
MR: I’m not sure I have a pet peeve. Writing is a process, and there’s a lot of editing and shifting and changing and it’s all good fun. I don’t stress out, in fact, it is my destressor. I guess the actual writing and transcribing would be the most annoying thing, if I had to put it to sheet music, because that’s just a different style of thinking that I’m not as well practiced in as I need to be, but I’m definitely working on it.
Listen to more of her recordings on SoundCloud.
