Maryjo: Finding Strength Through Song, One Honest Story at a Time

maryjo: Finding Strength Through Song, One Honest Story at a Time

After building a devoted audience of more than a million followers on TikTok and winning over viewers on American Idol, maryjo has emerged as one of pop’s most promising young singer-songwriters. Armed with a powerful voice, an unfiltered sense of humor, and a gift for transforming real-life experiences into deeply relatable songs, the Nashville-based artist continues to connect with fans through honesty and authenticity.

Fresh off a successful headlining run and tours alongside artists such as Alex Sampson, maryjo is preparing to release her latest single, “Leave Too Soon,” a poignant and deeply personal song addressing mental health and the struggles that so many people face behind closed doors. During our conversation, maryjo discussed life on the road, her American Idol experience, songwriting inspiration, Warped Tour, upcoming music, and why even a dead spider falling into her lap couldn’t stop the show.

First of all, a basic question. Where are you based out of, and what’s your local music scene like there?
I’m based out of Nashville, although I’m in Ohio almost every weekend. I live near all the studios, which is really nice. There honestly isn’t much around besides a dog park and the studios, so every day I basically go to the dog park and then the studios.

Do you have a dog?
I do. I’ve had him for about seven years now. His name is Bo.

You just completed a tour. How did it go, and what were some of the highlights for you?
Honestly, that tour was so much fun. I loved it. I got to meet a lot of new fans and see the different ways people are finding my music. It was really cool to see who connects with the songs.

One of the highlights was actually pretty funny. A dead spider fell from the ceiling and landed in my lap during a show. There was a man in the audience, so I started chasing him around with the spider.

He’s probably traumatized, but I think it’s hilarious.

You’d think you’d be the traumatized one, not the guy in the audience.
Oh, no. I definitely think he’s traumatized. The spider was dead, so I was just like, “Alright, the show must go on.”

That’s a pretty good work ethic right there. One of the tour stops was here in Los Angeles at the Moroccan Lounge. How did that show go, and what do you think of L.A.?
I love L.A. I lived there for three years, and I still go back a lot for work. I also had a bunch of friends who came out, so it felt more like a hometown show than just another stop on the tour.

Not that any stop is “just another stop,” but you know what I mean. For hometown shows, you get to see your closest friends and even some family. It was really nice because I hadn’t been back since I moved away, although I’ll be there again soon.

Let’s talk about your upcoming single, “Leave Too Soon.” What’s the story and inspiration behind that song?
There were three of us in the room writing it, and all of us had some kind of connection to people struggling with mental health, whether it was ourselves or someone close to us.

There are some songs about that subject, but not very many. I never knew if I was going to release the song because it’s such a deep and personal topic, but we all wanted to talk about it and bring that conversation into a song.

I actually wrote it about two years ago, and recently it came back up. I thought, “I think we should release this.” People are talking about mental health a lot more openly now than they used to, especially recently, so it feels like a good time to put it out there. Hopefully it helps people who have gone through similar experiences.

Let’s talk about some of the other songs. “It Is What It Is” is one of my favorite sayings. Tell me about that one.
I wrote that one about two years ago as well. I struggled with some mental health issues, and I wrote it after I knew I was healthy again.

I have OCD, and writing that song felt like wrapping everything up in a bow. It was a way to acknowledge everything I’d gone through and put it all into one song so I could officially move on from that chapter of my life.

Then I realized I needed to release it because I love the song. Even though it’s very personal, I thought, “You know what? I can have one really deep song out there that’s completely about me.”

Absolutely. Let’s talk about “Stop Sign.”
It’s funny because I keep saying I wrote these songs a few years ago, but I was with another label at the time and my music just wasn’t being released.

Now I’m with a new label, and they’re finding all these songs I’ve written and saying, “We’ve got to put these out.” And I’m like, “Thank God.”

I actually wrote “Stop Sign” about four or five years ago. I even went back and re-recorded the vocals because my voice sounded so young on the original version.

I think I had just gone through my first real breakup. “Stop Sign” and “No More Heart to Break” both came from that period. I remember being in the writing room and thinking, “Wow, I can finally write breakup songs.” So that’s where a lot of the inspiration came from.

That was actually my next question. Tell me about “No More Heart to Break.”
Same story, really. I was pulling a lot from that nineteen-year-old heartbreak and thinking, “Let’s write some sad songs.“

I’ve always loved a great piano ballad and just a good ballad in general. At that point in my life, they were my favorite songs to write. There’s just something about slow songs that I’m a total sucker for.

“Used to You” is a song you did with Bennett Woolsey, who was also your guitarist on tour. Tell me about that song and how that collaboration came about.
Bennett has been one of my best friends for the last seven years, and he’s also an artist himself.

He actually wrote the song. Before it was ever released, I used to listen to the demo on my runs all the time. I loved it so much that I told him, “If you ever want to turn this into a duet, please let me do it.”

Eventually he decided to make it a duet, and thankfully he loved the idea. We recorded it together and released it.

I didn’t have any part in writing the song, and I’ll happily admit that because Bennett absolutely crushed it. It’s honestly one of my favorite songs ever.

So, thank you, Bennett.

Have you and Bennett played it live before?
We have. We played it during the Alex Sampson tour when it was just the two of us performing acoustically. Then we also played it on the recent “Hope I Sell Tickets” tour.

Earlier this year, you opened for Alex Sampson. What was that experience like, and what were some of the highlights?
Alex is the best. Genuinely one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet.

We became such a tight-knit group on that tour. We still text in the group chat all the time. He was incredibly kind, and he introduced me to so many new fans. His fans are really ride-or-die, which was amazing to experience.

Everyone on that tour had such a great experience. Sometimes when you’re on the road, you don’t know how it’s going to be. Some people like to keep to themselves, and everyone has their own routine. But Alex was always saying, “Come hang out with us. Let’s get dinner. Let’s go to the movies.”

He wanted everyone involved, and because of that we all became really good friends. We still talk all the time. I’m really grateful for that tour because it taught me a lot. I think it was also his first headline tour, so it was exciting to be part of that.

You were also on Season 19 of American Idol. What in the world was that experience like?
It was horrifying.

At that point, I had never really sung in front of people. I was only doing TikTok. When they first asked me to do it, I actually said no. I said no two or three times because I was so scared.

Then they reminded me it was during COVID and that there weren’t many other opportunities to get noticed, so eventually I agreed.

I don’t really like watching the episodes because it doesn’t sound like my voice to me. I was so nervous, and I hadn’t learned how to sing through that kind of anxiety yet. My voice gets really shaky when I’m scared, and I felt that way for basically the entire season.

But overall it was really fun. Luke Bryan, Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, all of them were awesome.

You also played Warped Tour 2025. Tell me about that experience.
It was so much fun. I want to do Warped Tour every year.

I played one of the smaller stages, and the crowd was incredible. They’re just there for good music. They’re supportive and open-minded.

I was honestly a little intimidated going into it because I don’t really make rock music, but everyone was so accepting. They completely vibed with it. It was awesome.

For people who haven’t seen you live yet, what can they expect from a maryjo show?
It’s very emotional, but it’s also totally unhinged in the best way possible.

I have a lot of sad songs, so we try to make the show fun and entertaining too. We’ll joke around a lot, then get serious for a song, then go back to having fun. It keeps things lighthearted and prevents the show from feeling too intense the entire time.

You just wrapped up a headlining tour, and you also toured with Alex Sampson. What goes through your mind when a tour comes to an end?
Honestly, it’s pretty depressing.

This last one was especially emotional because I was so excited that we had finally completed our own headline tour. There was definitely a sense of relief that we did it.

At the same time, you make so many friends on the road. You meet fans and get to see their genuine reactions to the songs. Sometimes that helps you reconnect with songs you wrote years ago.

Overall, it was just a really great experience.

We only have a few more questions. You’ve got a new song coming out. What’s next? Any EPs, albums, or tours in the works?
Yeah, I think we’re going to do an EP.

We’re releasing “Leave Too Soon” on September 18, and after that I think the focus will be getting an EP out. It’s probably about four years overdue at this point, so it’ll be nice to finally release those songs.

The funny thing is, we only have about a thousand songs to choose from.

Who produced “Leave Too Soon,” and what was it like working with them?
Josh Murty produced it, and I believe he also co-wrote it. Nolan Sipe was involved as well.

They’re honestly two of my favorite people to work with. They’re both incredibly talented and bring so much experience to the table. They’ve lived through many of the same kinds of things I’ve gone through, so it’s easy to connect with them and have meaningful conversations that make the songs stronger.

I’m not just saying that to be nice. They’re genuinely phenomenal. If you look at the artists they’ve worked with, it’s pretty impressive.

They’re amazing people, too. Both of them have young daughters, which is adorable.

Last question. Do you have any messages for your fans who are reading this right now?
Honestly, just thank you for being so patient and for going on this journey with me.

It makes everything easier knowing that people are listening and connecting with these songs. So much of my inspiration comes from the fans. They’ll DM me and tell me their stories, and sometimes I’ll realize that what they’re going through is something a lot of people can relate to.

They deserve a lot of credit for the music because they’re a huge part of what inspires it. I appreciate them so much.

And I love my mom.

In Conclusion

Whether discussing mental health, heartbreak, life on the road, or the lingering nerves from her American Idol days, maryjo approaches every topic with the same honesty that has fueled her growing fanbase. That sincerity is front and center on “Leave Too Soon,” a song that tackles difficult subject matter with compassion and understanding while continuing her tradition of turning personal experiences into meaningful music.

With a long-awaited EP finally on the horizon, a successful headlining tour now behind her, and an ever-expanding audience discovering her music, maryjo appears poised for a major breakthrough. If the passion and authenticity heard throughout this conversation are any indication, listeners can expect many more memorable songs to come.

For more information on maryjo, visit her official social media pages and streaming platforms. And be sure to check out “Leave Too Soon“, available Friday, September 18.

(Interview by Ken Morton – Photos by Karyn Burleigh of Rock Edge Photography)

maryjo on Instagram
Listen to Leave Too Soon here!!!