Exclusive Stream: Mary Ann Alexander Makes a Relatable Bop for Ambiverts on ‘In My Zone’
The Kerala-born, Bengaluru-based singer-songwriter teams up with Mumbai producer Pranay Parti for her first solo track, combining R&B, pop, soul and hip-hop
Bengaluru-based singer-songwriter Mary Ann Alexander. Photo: Aasthik Shanbag
For all the time that we’ve emerged out of pandemic-enforced lockdowns and time away from social situations, Mary Ann Alexander captures the feeling of introversion and extroversion on her club-friendly song “In My Zone,” which is produced by Mumbai artist Pranay Parti.
Whether it’s about forgetting her phone or plotting a quick escape on a cheap vacation, the singer-songwriter blends R&B, soul and hip-hop on her debut solo single. It comes after work in the Malayalam film work (“Over the Ocean” for the movie Kolambi in early 2022) and collaborations with the likes of guitarist-composer Sanjeev T (“Take My Life With You,” featuring Sid Sriram) and Tarang Joseph (“Superhuman” featuring fellow Bengaluru-based singer-songwriter/rapper RANJ).
Mary Ann, who has been part of indie act No Home with Tejas Ramakrishna, began performing earlier this year, growing her set from a mix of covers and originals to writing and road-testing her own songs. Next, she’ll be seen at the Magnetic Fields Festival in Rajasthan this week. “It’s exciting and overwhelming at the same time. To look at myself playing my first set with barely any originals less than a year ago to writing so much new material with the aim to play them at the biggest festivals in the country by the end of the year, and actually getting to play at Magnetic Fields is honestly crazy to me,” she says.
The artist worked remotely with Parti to create a party-ready “anthem for ambiverts” on “In My Zone.” It’s one that’s slick, buoyant and armed with a rap verse. “It is for all the people who come out of their shells in the right context, in the right mood, and around the right people,” she says about the song. “In My Zone” finds a middle ground for those who aren’t always the first to hit a party but ease their way into social situations. The rap section contrasts the song’s mood, even as it switches things up. “Spending a lot of time alone has its own downsides which is explored in the form of a rap verse,” she adds in her song description.
In addition to gigging, Mary Ann has also been writing a lot of material which will lead to an EP next year. She says she’s also looking forward to “collaborating with all the artists I really look up to.”
Listen to “In My Zone” below. Pre-save the song here ahead of its release on December 6th.
