Mary Ann Alexander’s journey through music is marked by cultural fusion. A Malayali from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, she comes from a land steeped in classical art. Yet his musical ventures extend far beyond the borders of his home state, encompassing R&B, jazz and Afrobeat.
Her latest track, ‘Commitment’, is a confluence of these worlds, where she teams up with R&B legend Craig David. “It all started on Instagram, when Craig David left encouraging comments on my posts,” says Mary Ann, speaking over phone from Bengaluru. For someone who had followed his music for years, this was nothing short of validation. Then came the message that changed everything: ‘Let’s do a song together’. “It couldn’t have been more perfect as I was already planning a trip to the UK. I was looking forward to meeting him.” After that things progressed rapidly.
Mary Ann wrote her poem during a car ride to a studio in the English countryside, and when she finally met Craig in person, the track was already taking shape. “He was exactly what I expected – genuine, kind and incredibly humble for someone of his stature. He made me feel at ease, so I never felt intimidated no matter how big the project was.”
What makes Mary Ann’s journey special is not just working with names like Craig David, Tiwa Savage or Anderson .Paak, but also taking her identity as a Malayali artiste to the global music arena. His Indian roots and international influences come together naturally, without any deliberate attempt at fusion. “I never consciously thought about mixing my identity with the music I make. I listen to what excites me, and that’s what comes out.”
Music was always a part of Mary Ann’s world. Her father is a musician and she accompanied him to the studio from a young age. When he recorded, she would sit with the sound engineers, absorbing the process, and sometimes he would take her into the booth to teach her the basics like mic technique and getting comfortable in front of the equipment. She says, “Both of my parents sing and creativity runs deep in the family. I think it’s in my blood, but it also takes over when you’re constantly surrounded by it.”
Roots in Kerala
Along with this practical experience, Mary Ann’s early exposure to the rich musical tradition of Kerala played an important role in shaping her voice and discipline as an artist. From the age of five, her father encouraged her to pursue training in Indian classical music, and she attended classes with her mother. “As a child, I didn’t have much patience and I didn’t like going,” she admits. Everything changed in the third or fourth grade, when she met a talented teacher who prepared students for Kerala youth festivals, a unique cultural tradition of the state. These festivals involve rigorous training and technically demanding presentations, often of patriotic songs. “I never went to classes, I was always in rehearsals,” she recalls. She also trained in Maragam Kali, a Christian art form from Kerala, where she had to sing while tapping the dancers’ feet. She says, “I was a little girl with a small voice and I had to learn to project and make myself heard. All these experiences strengthened the quality and power of my voice.”
“I still remember listening to Sid Sriram’s song ‘Adiye’ from Mani Ratnam-AR Rahman KadalIt had a strong R&B feel, and I had to learn it for a stage show my father encouraged me to take part in. I was about 13 or 14 years old, crazy about that song. It felt very natural for my voice and that’s when I thought, ‘Okay, this is the style I’m most comfortable with.’ Around the same time, a friend introduced me to more R&B music, and everything fell into place.
surprise attack
Mary Ann Alexander Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Mary Ann’s first introduction to cinema happened almost by accident. She was 15 years old when a school friend lent her a guitar. She recalls, “I had just started learning some notes and suddenly I had written a whole song. It was my first proper attempt at finishing a composition, and I recorded it and sent it back to my friend.” She did not know that her friend’s father was film producer TK Rajeev Kumar. One afternoon when his daughter was playing music in her room, he suddenly heard the song. “He was in the next room working on a script,” Mary Ann says, smiling. “He heard my song and apparently said to her, ‘What’s that? I can already see the scene in my mind. I need that in my movie.’ This is how Mary Ann’s first song, an English track titled ‘Over the Ocean’, found a place in Rajeev Kumar’s Malayalam film. columbiThe film was released in 2023, several years after he composed the tune.
Bengaluru Diaries
Mary Ann often says that Kerala gave her the ground level, discipline of classical training and exposure to traditional art forms. But when she moved to Bengaluru the story changed. “Kerala gave me the potential, but Bengaluru gave me the inspiration,” she says. Music was not the path her family had in mind. His mother was adamant that she would not let him pursue music, so he looked for an alternative that would still keep him excited. At St. Joseph’s, where she studied Visual Communication, her world opened up. “I saw seniors and alumni doing things I never imagined possible; illustrators, photographers, brand strategists. It was inspiring to see people follow their passion.”
The city also introduced him to its thriving independent music circuit. After being surrounded by rappers, producers and singers, she finally found her ‘tribe’. “The programs, collaborations, and sense of possibility I received from the city confirmed my belief in doing what I loved.” Over time, Bengaluru became more than just a stepping stone; This house became. “I’ve been here for eight years and I’m a homebody. I love creating my own space, working alone, and spending hours on my music. Work is play for me. Somehow, this city has given me both its people and a sense of belonging.”
published – October 15, 2025 04:22 PM IST