After a two-year stretch of silence and self-refinement, Texas-born alt-pop artist Maberry is back, and he’s got plenty to say. With his sophomore album 'DUMBO!', the San Antonio native (real name JohnAidan Uribe-Kozlovsky) unveils his most personal and sonically expansive work to date. Blending indie-pop with bedroom-born melancholy, 'DUMBO!' reads like a long, late-night phone call to yourself, one that wavers between emotional reckoning and absurd self-deprecation.
Threaded with real voicemail recordings and backed by lush, layered production, the album builds on Maberry’s lo-fi origins while tapping into the exuberance of artists like Jeremy Zucker, EDEN, and keshi. The result is a deeply reflective project that feels simultaneously raw and cinematic. From introspective musings on mental noise to the small but heavy moments of heartbreak and hope, 'DUMBO!' captures what it means to feel everything at once.
So with the new LP available now, we sat down with him to find out more about his origins and what has been inspiring him most over the years.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
Piano! Funnily enough, my mom used to sign me up for piano lessons which I hated. I used to skip them and hide from my teacher so that I didn’t have to go. After a while, I started learning piano covers on my own and now, little did I know, I would be super grateful for those lessons all these years later. A good acoustic piano is still my favourite instrument to sit down and play to this day.
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
I loved Youtube covers as a kid. Kurt Hugo Schneider, Sam Tsui, Roomie, etc. They essentially taught me how to sing and basic pop singer-songwriter conventions. There are still some covers of theirs that I still come back to.
What was the first album you remember owning?
I don’t listen to them much now nor would I be able to name many other works by them, but “the Madding Crowd” by Nine Days is the album I first remember owning. Now that I think about it, it probably set the foundation for the alt-pop interest and direction my music takes now.
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
Anything by Jeremy Zucker, EDEN, or Brakence, I am always in absolute awe of. The album “Nuture” by Porter Robinson is a personal fave. I have always wished I had the production chops of “Mirror” on that record. Dynamic, heartfelt, eclectic; it has everything I associate with what I wished my writing was composed of.
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
My brain is definitely very fickle when it wants to write new music. I’m never short of ideas for new music, but the will and motivation for the execution of any given project isn’t always there. I love going home, spending time with friends and family, as well as re-visiting any of my primary inspirations. All of these I like to think serve as catalysts for the creative process.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
Quadeca, Underscores, Far Caspian, EDEN’s new album!
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
The dream would be to open up for EDEN. Either him or Jeremy Zucker. Easily my two biggest inspirations.
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
Definitely the connections with people. I have a push and pull relationship with the industry sometimes, but what always keeps me coming back is the response and connection that my music brings. There are times where sometimes I feel like I’ll quit music, but I always come back to the same conclusion which is that I can probably never quit. Music is one of the ways in which I can most express myself to the world, friends, and loved ones. Seeing it become a catalyst for other people’s points of connection means everything.
And what is the most frustrating part?
Definitely a lot having to do with the industry… It's no secret that it’s pretty predatory these days. It’s more important now than ever to put your head down and care about things that are only relevant to you. Which is what I am trying to do now. Everything in service of the music.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
As a musician, it’s corny and cliche, but make what you want to make. It will all not matter if you don’t care about what you make. The more you like your own music and feel fulfilled from what you do from the ground up, the more fulfilled you will feel with every step you take throughout the process. And then, always maintain momentum!!
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Maberry's new album 'DUMBO!' is available to stream now. Check it out in the player below.