creative

Maria Karélina blends music for the perfect car ride or late-night stargazing session in some far-flung, cosy nook of the world. Her love for nature, the inner world of people, Krishna and her fascination with what is hidden beneath the surface of this complicated yet simple world has allowed her to appreciate the intricacy and magic of speaking and singing from the heart. All this comes through in her songs, creating music that beautifully blends feel-good vibes and grooves with heartfelt lyrics that hold stories she hopes will resonate and connect with others. Maria’s sound is a mix of acoustic, indie, and alternative, with subtle touches of R&B.

Whilst Maria's love for singing was always evident, her deep connection for singing happened when she decided to stay in a temple for a small while. Whilst there, she expanded her knowledge on Krishna Consciousness and ISKCON by completing a Bhakti course. It was during an evening of Kirtan in the temple room when Maria discovered her true, deep passion for singing from the soul, heart and having purpose in delivering as an artist. This inspired her to write music with a message that speaks to herself and others, in hopes of connecting us with our inner world.

a little more...

l'll begin by describing myself as a creative soul. I have a deep connection with music, writing lyrics and expressing myself through writing. Whilst I have great focus in singing, to say that is all I am would feel limited. That is why I like the word 'creative', as it allows me to introduce myself as someone who is a singer, actress, director, writer and artist, amongst other things. Since graduating drama school, I felt I had to focus on one thing, even though, naturally, that is not who I am, and I tend to enjoy a multitude of skills and aspects of the arts. So I always found it a struggle to accept that I am simply not someone that can do one thing. I realised with time that having various talents and interests actually excited me and is a part of who I am in my core.

Originally from Estonia and of Russian heritage, I spent a lot of my childhood living on a dacha, which has really shaped me in appreciating the beauty of Mother Nature and the power it has on our mood.

When I was 8 years old, we moved to the UK, where my dearest mother would work full time to ensure my sister and I were happy and living well enough, as she was a single mother since the disappearance of our father from when I was 3 months old. Our first point of living was St. Ives, Cornwall, and later Bournemouth. My eldest sister was in Russia working and performing herself.

Eventually we all reunited in London some years later and were once again embracing the joys of living together rather than in separate locations. Due to the various relocations, my sister and I moved through different schools, which was both tricky but in some cases, a blessing. I found that the moving around made forming friendships a little trickier to navigate as time went on, and so it wasn't until I went to drama school in 2017 that it felt like I almost relearned that it's okay to trust people to be your friends and you to be theirs. Along the way, my family also discovered the beauty of Bhakti Yoga and this led me onto a whole different chapter of life. It was a journey on which I met the most genuine, loveliest and happiest people in my life. The dearest devotees of Krishna, whom I then had the pleasure of associating with and singing together in Kirtan and prayer. The sweet nectar I felt amongst such individuals and the movement itself, forever holds the deepest influence in any work I do.

Since then, the continued progression of time has been all about rediscovering myself and growing into what I believe to one day be the most honest and authentic version of myself. It's a work in progress, and I'm sure that's true for everyone. And so I hope with each day, this is reflected in any form of art I do.

Now in London, I'm diving into my passion for truth, nature, spirituality and all things creative to shape my journey in this enchanting world.