MARIAE CASSANDRA
No one knows what they're doing
Mariae Cassandra. Photo courtesy of the artist.
Mariae Cassandra is an Australian singer songwriter currently building her career between live performance, songwriting, and international touring. We spoke with her during SXSW 2026 about starting in music at a young age, navigating the industry at 18, and the mindset shaping her creative process today.
AUSTIN | Interview by Pablo Herrera
Mariae Cassandra began writing music as a teenager, eventually releasing her first songs independently before gaining wider attention through Triple J Unearthed High in Australia. Since then, her trajectory has moved quickly. Over the past year, she released her EP Everything In My Backpacket (2025), toured internationally, played headline shows, and arrived at SXSW shortly after returning from London.
During our time in Austin, I had the chance to watch Mariae Cassandra perform live before our conversation. What stood out immediately was not only the emotional intensity of the songs, but also the way she moves between vulnerability and confidence on stage. Even in quieter moments, there is a clear sense that the project is growing fast while still remaining deeply connected to personal experience.
That tension between uncertainty and momentum appears constantly throughout the conversation.
“I’m very blessed to have and also somewhat detached from it in a very healthy way,” she explains while speaking about working professionally at 18.
“If anything bad were to happen, I’m at least very grateful that I’m experiencing or have experienced something like this.”
Mariae Cassandra. Photo: Jenna Elson.
Rather than approaching music through industry expectations, Mariae Cassandra repeatedly returns to the importance of enjoying what she does and protecting her sense of peace while navigating growth. Her perspective feels grounded not because she claims to have answers, but because she openly accepts not having them.
“I’ve learned that no one knows what they’re doing,” she says. “I’m excited to keep failing. I’m excited to keep learning and to get back up and see how strong I can get.”
That openness also shapes the songwriting itself. During the interview, she spoke about writing “Cassie,” the first song she officially released after beginning to seriously pursue music. Written when she was 15, the song emerged during a period where she felt pressure to understand her future while simultaneously realizing that uncertainty is part of life itself.
I realized that no one in life has it figured out, and we’re all living here for the first time,” she explains.
“Because we are living here for the first time, I might as well do things that I love.”
That same emotional directness extends into songs such as “Love Vomit,” where relationships, attachment, and vulnerability become central themes in her writing. During the live performance filmed in Austin, those emotions translated naturally into the performance itself, creating a connection between conversation and stage presence that remained consistent throughout the session.
Family also plays an important role in how Mariae Cassandra approaches music. She spoke at length about the support system surrounding her work, including her parents’ encouragement from an early age and the collaborative relationship she has developed with her father, who recorded drums on her recent EP.
They were like, if you want to do it, burn all your boats, see how far you can go,” she recalls. “And if it fails, it fails, and we’re going to be right here to support you.
That environment appears to have shaped not only her confidence, but also her willingness to continue evolving creatively without overthinking where the process will lead next.
Toward the end of the conversation, Mariae Cassandra also hinted at new music currently being written in Los Angeles. While the next record has not yet been released, she spoke about the material with unusual certainty, describing it as some of the strongest work she has made so far.
“I think everything I’ve been writing and feeling is everything I never knew I needed. I think it’s a hit.”
Our interview with Mariae Cassandra is now live, and you can watch it below.
