After years of cultural stagnation, hedonism one could argue, is back: brat summer ignited a fire, The Dare ruled 2024, and indie sleaze—once the grimy, unbothered predecessor to the hyper-curated Instagram era—is resurging with a vengeance. Recession pop has returned too, reflecting the chaos of a time rife with political and economic turmoil with its maximalist, nihilistic abandon. Gaga has reemerged in full horror-glam, Chappel Roan is dressing up as the statue of liberty, FKA Twigs is promulgating an entire healing ethos born out of sweat-drenched ecstasy on the dancefloor, and Montreal—Canada’s hotbed for queer-underground culture—is once again at the center of it all. Enter Maryze.
A native of the city, the self described “queer-femme” just dropped their latest single, Versed, a throbbing sex-laden indie sleaze banger draped in sweat-drenched urgency. Half Peaches-esque sly spoken-word seduction, half razor-sharp slinky club anthem, Maryze channels the euphoria and grit of this resurgence, with an unabashedly queer lens. “It’s a little kinky, it’s very queer,” they confess. “It’s about letting yourself go as deep into your fantasy as possible—no shame, no fear—just dancing in dark club corners and fully inhabiting your desires. It’s definitely my spiciest release yet. One of those tracks where I’m like, ‘Maybe mom, you don’t have to listen to this one.’”
Produced by Siren Mars (Cecile Believe, Bootyspoon), Versed encapsulates Maryze’s evolution as both an artist and DJ. “I wanted a track that I could both mix and then also perform live,” they explain. “It bridges those two worlds—something you lose yourself to in a set, but that still holds up on stage as an experience of its own.” The result is a track built for the dancefloor, pulsating with a gritty sweat-slicked urgency.
Maryze’s sonic world in Versed is built on tension—between release and restraint, digital polish and raw sexual primacy. “I think I’m just giving myself permission more as an artist, to make music that I would want to hear and dance to and that I would love as a fan as well,” they add.
Beyond the club, Maryze’s inspirations are eclectic and deeply embedded in a larger queer musical lineage. “I love electroclash—Princess Superstar, Peaches, and the way those artists play with spoken delivery and brash, unapologetic energy,” they say. “That ‘fuck you’ attitude is so freeing. I think a lot of femme artists, myself included, are told to shrink themselves, to be more palatable, and that era was all about rejecting that. I want to lean into that more.” Their influences range from early 2000s bloghouse to contemporary avant-pop acts like FKA twigs, whose latest album has been on repeat for them. “Twigs is just such a holistic artist in every sense of the word. It’s awe-inspiring to see what she does next.”
Splitting time between Montreal and LA, Maryze is drawn to the tension between the two cities. “I’ve always said that Montreal is ahead of the curve. It’s one of the fashion capitals of the world,” they insist. “The Y2K aesthetic—people here were on it almost a decade before the rest of the world caught up.”
Despite the pull of LA’s industry sheen, Maryze is committed to maintaining the DIY ethos they cultivated in Montreal. “No matter how polished my production gets, I’ll always retain that DIY mindset. It’s part of what makes Montreal’s music scene so exciting—there’s a rawness to it, a willingness to take risks.”
That balance between grit and gloss will be reflected in the visuals for Versed. “We’re shooting in the snow in Montreal before I head back to LA. I love the contrast—the brutal, dirty winter landscape against something more stylized and sultry. That interplay of worlds feels like a perfect metaphor for this era of my music.”
Montreal’s underground creative community continues to inspire them. “Backxwash is always ahead of the curve. Her visuals are so well thought out—witchy, dark, and gothic in a way that feels deeply personal. And Elizabeth Couture, who I’ve shot with, has such a strong visual identity—it feels almost like she’s a designer the way she composes her photos. Then there’s Malaika Astorga, who runs Also Cool Magazine. She’s one of my favorite artists, and her illustrations are incredible.”
Versed marks the opening chapter of something larger for Maryze. “It’s the first in a string of singles leading up to a bigger project—whether that’s an EP or an album, I can’t say yet,” Maryze teases. “But this is a new era for me, and I’m really excited about the direction the sound is taking.”
When asked to distill this chapter of their artistry into three words, they don’t hesitate: “Authentic. Bold. Sweetness.”
“I always say, my music is Stormy Sweet because it’s a little bit angsty and intense, but then I also really believe in sweetness. The world is a dark place, and it’s tough right now. I think it’s important to carve out moments of sweetness for ourselves. That’s what this music is about—euphoria, release, and finding joy, even in the chaos.”
Alongside Versed, Maryze will be debuting the track live at SXSW, with additional performances lined up throughout the spring. “I’m doing a live DJ set on Antenna Radio on March 2, which will be the radio premiere of Versed. People can tune in between 2 and 4 p.m. to hear me mix live.”
Maryze’s Versed drops February 26. Catch them live at SXSW and beyond.
Cody Rooney is the Editor in Chief and senior contributor at liminul.
He is a PhD candidate, digital content specialist, writer, editor, multi-media artist, and photographer.