EPK | Mariya Stokes

Country Artist & Songwriter

Pronounced Mah-Rye-Ah

"I first heard Mariya in a country bar in Calgary, Alberta. She captivated the room with just an acoustic guitar and her voice and "Hands On My Body" sounded like a hit, even in that simple setting.”

Carly Klassen
Executive Director, Alberta Music

ABOUT MARIYA

Whether she is...

Co-hosting the Country Music Alberta Award Show alongside Juno award winner George Canyon

Playing guitar and opening for Ru-Pauls Drag Race superstar Trixie Mattel

Moonlighting as a ghost vocalist for European pop project, Hearts On The Run (Universal Music Group Norway) or

Heading to Austin, TX with Travel Alberta to represent her home province on an international stage...

Stokes’ authenticity and clear bright voice are unmistakable.

ABOUT

Known for her quick wit, quirky sense of humour, and signature retro style, Country Music Alberta's two-time Horizon Female Artist of the Year, Maryia Stokes, is on the cusp of releasing her debut, full -length album. Blurring genre lines, the record combines traditional country storytelling with modern pop-influenced production by Juno Award-winners Spencer Cheyne and Justin Kudding and is slated for release in 2024.

Break My Heart - Mariya Stokes FINAL COVER.jpg

A three-time CMAB "Songwriter of the Year" nominee, Stokes’ most recent release is a duet with rising Canadian country artist Ben Chase, featuring on “Met Too Young” on Chase’s debut album, “That Was Then, This Is Now.” Reaching #1 on the iTunes country chart and currently featured on Apple Music editorial playlist “Hot Country”, Stokes’ also co-wrote the title track. Songs Stokes co-wrote have been recorded by artists across genres, notably by CCMA nominees Leaving Thomas and country artist Shantaia (Universal Music Canada).

With confident, expressive vocals and gritty steel guitar, her most recent solo radio single, "Break My Heart," is a laid-back, pop-country feminist anthem and was nominated for "Horizon Single of the Year" at the Country Music Alberta (CMAB) Awards. Dripping with attitude, "Break My Heart" solidifies her commitment to empowering women and telling their stories.

Stokes’ 2019 feel-good debut,"Hands on My Body," pushed country music boundaries with an R&B feel and sex-positive lyrics. Her second single, "Christmas, Arizona," landed in the Top 100 on the BDS Canadian Holiday Chart and was followed by a vulnerable, heart-wrenching ballad: "Rebound." Released in October 2020, “Rebound” was featured across Canada as the "Next Big Thing" on the Casey Clarke Country Countdown and has over 300,000 streams on Spotify.

Growing up in Stavely, Alberta, an hour south of Calgary, Stokes spent time in her parents' small-town bar and, at eight years old, was sneaking in on Friday afternoons to sing with the local jam band. Now a seasoned performer, her recent tour dates include Cavendish Beach Music Festival (PEI), Nashville North at the Calgary Stampede (AB), Big Valley Jamboree (AB) and Elk Valley Pride (BC). In addition, she was selected to perform at the 2022 Canadian Country Music Association's (CCMA) Songwriter Showcase and has opened for Jade Eagleson, Doc Walker, and Jann Arden.

Giving back to the communities that raised her is essential to Stokes: as an artist representative on the CCMA 2022 Host Committee, Stokes co-chaired the Legacy and Community Engagement committee and was part of the team that planned, executed, and highlighted the CCMA's and Calgary during Canadian Country Music Week. She was also a 2020 Artist in Residence at the Women's Centre of Calgary.

MUSIC

SOCIALS - 20 K