María Zardoya’s debut album “Melt,” under the stage name Not For Radio, gains quick popularity for its familiar sounds and exploration of what love truly is. 

Zardoya is a Puerto Rican singer-songwriter and musician. Zardoya was born in Puerto Rico and moved to Atlanta, Georgia, when she was a child. In the early 2010s, she created her first music demos under a different stage name and became more involved in music during her college years. 

In 2016, she moved from her life in Georgia to Los Angeles to pursue her full-time musical career. Shortly after she settled in Los Angeles, she met producer and drummer Josh Conway. They began to create alternative music, forming the indie band known as The Marías. After adding guitarist Jesse Perlman and keyboardist Edward James to the band, they released their debut EP “Superclean, Vol. I” in 2017 and have been growing in popularity ever since. The Marías have released two successful albums: “Cinema” in 2021 and “Submarine” in 2024.

In the middle of August this year, Zardoya posted an announcement of her solo project, Not For Radio, on her Instagram account and the Not For Radio account. In the span of less than two months, she posted many voice memos with snippets of her unreleased songs, offering a glimpse into the atmosphere of her upcoming project. Her debut album “Melt” was released on October 10, which includes music genres of alternative, slow jazz and dream pop.

With a run time of 42 minutes, Zardoya’s perspective on love in the natural world through the album is prominently present in the 10 tracks. Having produced the tracks herself, she also had the help of producers Luca Buccellati and Sam Evian to make the music during the height of winter, beyond The Marías’ traditional sound.

“The way that I see Not For Radio is almost like a seasonal project where we write an album just fully immersed with the season,” Zardoya said in an interview with Zane Lowe on an Apple Music Podcast. “Melt is like the winter album, a collection of songs that were written truly in the dead of winter…there was snow and it would turn into ice and it would melt–the songs melted into each other in terms of the tracklist.”

In the different aspects of the album, Zardoya’s point of view on love, commitment, heartbreak and the reality of viewing life naturally is a glimpse of her mind. On one of her first voice memos as Not For Radio, she states that trees communicate with one another and are connected. She thinks of someone who she hasn’t met yet, but can love them through the trees in a blurry vision. Her intention of wanting to do so is hesitant with the concern of experiencing loss again, which has happened in her own love life. This premise is in the first track, “Puddles” and it plays a big role throughout this album.

It’s difficult to pick a favorite track on this album, as every track has a unique connection to the theme of love. One of my favorite tracks would have to be “Swan.” This is the fifth track on the album about finding someone and giving your love eternally to them. The subtle drum beats mixed with mellow piano notes in the background give a bittersweet feeling that is voiced throughout the album. Zardoya’s voice in this track also has a familiar but quieter tone that shows her vulnerability and embodiment of what she finds in a relationship. She conveys the reality of this experience in our world today by connecting it with animals that have strong intimacy and love bonds.

“What is the point of dating if it’s not finding somebody for life?” Zardoya said in an interview with Zach Sang. “Like swans mate for life. There are so many species that mate for life and that’s such a beautiful thing. That’s such a dreamlike state of being like, ‘I choose you and I’m going to commit to you for the rest of my life.’”

This record as a whole gives more depth to Zardoya’s writing processes and how she feels about love unconditionally. There are no restraints on other emotionally touching songs like “Back to You,” “My Turn” and “Magnet,” which makes this album more well-written. With this album out for many to hear, this will seemingly only amplify Zardoya’s works positively in the future.