Mariam John

Mariam John is strongly influenced by the cultures and sounds of the world, especially Indian Classical Music and Jazz. Growing up in Singapore and then moving to America at a young age definitely expanded her musical environment. She states, “When you move to a new country, the best way to learn the culture is to listen to the local music. So every day after school, I would turn on the radio to the R&B station and listen to Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Selena, all the ’90s bands from R&B bands to alternative rock bands, etc. Coming from a South Indian Tamil family, you grew up listening to film songs, so even if you didn’t know who the singer was, you knew the music. My love for Jazz comes from my grandparents' influence, who loved music and encouraged it in the home. I discovered the West African side of me more while at Berklee attending concerts, being a part of ensembles, and meeting musicians from all walks of life.”

Since graduating from the prestigious Berklee College of Music in 2010, Mariam won first place in the Noise Prize open category music section in 2011, sponsored by the National Arts Council of Singapore. Mariam then had the privilege of performing all over Singapore at venues such as Blujaz, the Esplanade, and various clubs. She was invited to play in 2012 at the Ambon Jazz Plus Festival in Ambon, Indonesia, and the prestigious Mosaic Music Festival in Singapore in 2013. The singer-songwriter has two extended plays (EPs) under her belt: “UNREAL” 2010, “Dizzy Girl” 2013. She took a hiatus from music to pursue graduate school and is now eager to get back into the musical side of things.