Press Kit
Maria & the Late Friends
After all the bubbly glitz and glam of Broadway/Theater gigs floats off into the first stars of the evening sky, The Late Friends emerge from their respective crypts and swampy dwellings to bring you the scariest tales of all: songs about the human experience. This collective of magical beings guides their audiences on a journey through heartbreak and hard times to healing and revolution. The umbrella genre is Sex, Drugs, & Rock n’ Roll, but within that they capture early 2000s punk, southern twang, kick-a-door-down pop-vocals, and so much more. This band is comprised of musicians who all believe the most important part of being a band is having “Mad Hang Chops” (AKA being good friends). Catch them performing around the city in locations like Mercury Lounge, Rockwood Music Hall, 3 Dollar Bill, and many more to come.
THE FOUNDERS
Maria Wirries was born in Haiti and has spent her life training as a vocalist, songwriter, and performer. She studied musical theatre at Penn State University and since graduating has performed in multiple shows on and off Broadway, as well as recording an 8-song album and a 4-song EP of her original music alongside several singles. All of her recordings are a prime example of her range and versatility as a powerful vocalist and captivating songwriter. She has made a name for herself as a solo performer, headlining shows at different venues around NYC and Florida, her home state. Her influences stretch across all genres of music including rock, pop, soul, country, hip-hop, jazz, EDM, folk, and musical theatre and her artistry reflects that.
Matt SanGiovanni is a guitarist/music producer originally from central New Jersey and music director of The Late Friends. He graduated from Berklee College of Music in Boston and for the last several years has gained a reputation as a wildly versatile musician and precise performer, playing for countless Broadway shows, recordings, and concerts for various artists. Like Maria, his musical interests span most genres and have resulted in a unique amalgamation of sounds as a guitarist and producer.
The duo met performing for the First National Tour of the Broadway musical Dear Evan Hansen. As collaborators, Matt has acted as the producer and music director for all of Maria’s solo endeavors, having produced, mixed, and performed on all of her original recordings, as well as arranging them for live performance. Having written songs her entire life, Maria knows how to create catchy melodies with thought-provoking lyrics and unique song structures and Matt has the tools to bring them to life. Together, they’ve managed to create an eclectic repertoire of genre-bending, yet digestible ear worms, and their live shows fill the room with a dynamic energy that is palpable to say the least.
Recordings
Summer Ends (2021)
Just Keep Singing (2020)
Reviews
“It’s like the audible version of looking at the Grand Canyon or Niagara Falls or The Great Barrier Reef, and though that sounds like hyperbole, it isn’t. Maria Wirries has a voice that belongs on the airwaves, whether it’s radio, a podcast, some form of film, or the sound system at Madison Square Garden – it is just that glorious” – Stephen Mosher (read full review here)
“A fascinating songwriter, by all accounts, Maria rolls with the natural artistry and intention of each song, not confined by genre or structure or expectation….The artist successfully manages to walk the line between artistically unpredictable, eclectic, and faultlessly true to her own heartfelt intentions. The album is beautifully versatile, yet each new song still somehow makes sense and feels like a Maria Wirries hit.” – Rebecca Cullen on Just Keep Singing (read full review here)
“Whether playing radio hits everyone knows or Maria’s original compositions, Matt and Maria fill the air with electricity and excitement…” – Stephen Mosher (read full review here)
“Maria Wirries and the team of musical artisans with which she chooses to surround herself, is clearly a world-class entertainer, whatever the style of music she is playing.” – Stephen Mosher (read full review here)
Videos
About Just Keep Singing
“You’re Alive” (Track 1)
After being on tour for 2 years, the thought of having a home and being in one place felt like a dream. Sometimes you can move so fast through life and time that you forget you are alive and existing in the present. “Listen to the song in the wind. Feel it upon your skin. Feel how you’re alive right now.”
“Thoughts on the Fjord” (Track 2)
While sitting on a weathered stone at 5:15 in the morning over-looking a Fjord in Iceland, I was inspired to write this song about growth and acceptance of change. I always find when I travel I am able to gain a new perspective. Whether that be about another group of people, their culture & customs, or about myself & my diverse background. I’ve been learning as I grow that change is inevitable. It is ok to bend, flow, and not know what is coming next. Especially in these complex and frustrating times, this song has reminded me that even a year ago I was a completely different person. We as creatures of this earth are able to adapt and evolve into something more every moment we’re alive. Listening to this song always makes me joyful about the changes to come. As well as remembering there is always more than what you see on the surface. Dig deeper and embrace the ride.
“Southern Rain” (Track 3)
I grew up in rural, central, south Florida. Going to rodeos, four-wheeling, and growing sugar cane with my cousins was an afternoon pastime. I romanticized the South much like my white family did. It wasn’t until I went away that I realized how blind I had been. I’d always been different but now my home and everyone in it felt like the different ones. One might see Jeanie as the one who escaped her small town. Others may see her as someone who ran away from all she’d ever known.
“Why Are Musicians so Sad?” (Track 4)
I wrote this as an ode to my younger self. I just wanted to be a singer when I was a kid. Just singing my heart out on stage since I was three years old. I didn’t always really understand the words I was singing but the music made me feel so alive. As I’ve grown, the songs’ meanings change, revealing the painful underbelly of lyrical expression. Being an empath and someone who has battled with anxiety and depression, I understand how hard it can be to take a step into the vulnerable spaces this craft asks us to. But I like to look back sometimes at the small girl who just loved the music.
“Blue Line to Wonderland” (Track 5)
While standing in a metro station in Boston, I looked up and saw a sign that said, “Blue Line to Wonderland”. I thought that was the grooviest thing I had ever heard. My mind began to wander into a “magical trip”, if you will, following a woman as she boards this train to the next plane of existence. Truth is, I have never myself been on this actual train but maybe next time I’m in the city I’ll go and let you know if it’s as fantastical as I dreamed??
“My Joe” (Track 6) Watch the Music Video here
My Joe tells the story of the loves I have struggled to let go of. When someone is so entrenched in your life positively or toxically it can feel so frustrating and scary to not have them in your life anymore. Love that made you need a person to hold you up but taught you that you were holding the both of you up can provide you with a chance to expand. To take up more space next time. To make your own space next time. It isn’t easy but maybe in your next space, you’ll find that you can decorate the walls with the memories that remind you of how bright you’ve always shone. And while the “baggage” seems to stick around (at least for now) it can spend more and more time in the basement instead of cluttering your path.
“Let Go” (Track 7)
This song kinda hits me every time. I think that often in my life people have created their own version of who I am that suits them the best and I let them. It makes it really hard to know who YOU really are. It happened the most in early relationships for me. I think this song is what I wish I could have said.
“Goodbye, Cecilia” (Track 8)
For Jeaneen, my queen of lilac times.