Q&A: Averi Mazi is Unapologetically Herself in New Single, “DIRTY”
WRITTEN BY FAITH LUEVANOS
✮ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩
LA-based artist Averi Mazi returns with her new single, “DIRTY,” out now everywhere. After moving to LA in 2024, Mazi’s creative spirit was awakened by the city and its natural surroundings. While the pace of the music industry felt like a culture shock initially, Mazi took hold of the reins and crafted a sound that is so unique and authentically her.
She’s currently in the process of finishing up her debut EP, Fishbowl, and according to Mazi, “It's going to be the most intentional music I've ever made. We're taking our time and being precious about it.” Through “DIRTY,” listeners are given a crash course in who Mazi is and what they can expect as they follow along on her journey. For Mazi, “DIRTY” isn’t meant to have some deeper lyrical meaning. It’s raw, it’s hot, it’s dirty. What more could you ask for?
We caught up with Mazi after the release of “DIRTY” to discuss her creative upbringing, what inspires her, her new EP, and more. Check out the full conversation below.
LIFE ON JUPITER: Thanks for being here with me today! For our readers who may be discovering you for the first time, how did you get your start in music?
AVERI MAZI: I picked up my dad's guitar at the age of seven and did the whole church route as a kid. My dad was in bands, and he was a worship pastor, the whole thing. So he threw me on stage at church in elementary school, then I did choir in high school. I started posting covers on Twitter and YouTube at an early age, then started posting on SoundCloud in I think 2015, or something like that, just random bullshit. After high school, I started actually making music. It wasn't until 2020 that I was like, Okay, I'm gonna actually try to be an artist. And I quickly realized There's so much that goes into being an artist, and I don't even know who the fuck I am. I’ve always been playing other people’s music, but the artist part is newer to me.
What do you think was the turning point for you where you felt like you finally had your sound locked in?
MAZI: Literally this past year. I moved to LA at the end of January 2024, and I had music out, I was doing a bunch of shows in Texas, and I was like, Okay, I need to expand, I need to come out here. Half my band moved out here already, and they were like, “Just come see what's up and start working.” So I moved out here and was pretty busy playing a lot of guitar for people. I played a good amount of shows for my old stuff, and I was like, Man, a lot of my old stuff is not hitting like it used to. The shows were fun, but some of my music was not where I wanted it to be. You come out here, and you figure out that you don't know anything. Your brain just breaks, especially coming from Texas, where my world was much smaller. It was very overwhelming, and I genuinely wanted to quit for a second. It was right around the time I played a showcase at The Troubadour, which was super sick, but as soon as I took the show, I immediately questioned if I should quit music. It was so real and so heavy because of the comparison that happens when you first move out here. But we played the show, and I was quickly reminded why I am in love with music.
I’ve been working with one of my producers back in Texas, Brandon Saiz, for the past couple of years, and we released a couple of songs in the past year before “DIRTY” that were the start of the shift in my sound. He really helped me grow so much over the years and supported me through all of the genres I wanted to explore. I was introduced to James October, and in one of our first couple of sessions, we made “DIRTY,” which became one of my favorite songs I’ve ever made. Then my bass player, Anthony Cappeto, who I've been playing with since 2019, started producing, and we started working on some songs that are now going to be on our EP. In working with both of them, it all finally clicked. The best part is that we’re just having fun and making shit that we love, and it's truly just a good ass time. I’m very blessed to make music with these guys, and I’m so grateful to have people around me who believe in me.
When you shared “DIRTY” with me, you mentioned that there wasn’t anything to dive deeper into in terms of lyrical content, but it felt like pure creative freedom. Can you elaborate on that?
MAZI: “DIRTY” is not deep. “DIRTY” is just dirty [laughs], she’s funny, and I just wanted to sing about a sexy ass bitch. In this case, my wife, you know? I love her so much, and this is just me making fun music that I think sounds good. I just grew up very religious. Literally, when I lost my virginity at 19, I bawled my eyes out. It's sad, but it's so funny now. In that moment, it was so deep and heavy, and the religious guilt was so real. Now that I'm out of it, it seems silly, but when you're in it, it’s like a giant weight that you can’t escape. To this day, I still go on Instagram, and I see these religious ass people talking their shit and making people feel so bad about who they are, and the guilt is still so real for some people. It breaks my heart that people feel like they can’t be themselves. I know that feeling all too well. So this song was just kind of me saying fuck it, I'm going to write about having sex with my wife, and no one’s going to tell me a thing.
When I first started music, I had extreme anxiety and depression. So when I started writing songs, my goal was that I was going to make mental health music that would help people. And it was cute and sweet, but I couldn’t only do that. It was just too heavy on me, writing about the darkest parts of myself all the time. It wasn’t sustainable for me at all, and as I healed, I truly needed to live and just have fucking fun.
In the same conversation, you also mentioned that the lesbian community needs more music for them. Who are some artists you can shout out here?
MAZI: We've got Reneé [Rapp], we've got Arlo [Parks], Charlotte [Day Wilson], Chappell [Roan], the list goes on and on, and there are many, many more beautiful, amazing humans, but we will always need more. We really need more movies, shows and more representation in general. Girl, every time I'm trying to find a good lesbian movie to watch, I realize I’ve already watched most or all of them. Shouts to all the lesbians making art, please never stop, we need you!
What’s your favorite and least favorite thing about making music?
MAZI: Favorite would be, honestly, the people I get to make it with. My bass player and producer, Anthony, is my best friend. We just goof off and have fun just making shit. I like getting to learn from him because he knows so much and he's so good at everything that he does. I learned more by ear, and I know basic theory, but he expands my knowledge all the time. Music has always been the purest form of connection and expression for me, and that will always be my favorite part.
I would say the least favorite part is promoting it online. We all know that it is everyone’s least favorite part, and we all don’t want to do it. I don't know what it is about the promotion part that just feels soulless and lonely; it gives me an ache in my heart. I think my problem with social media is that it made me think that I needed to become something before I was ready to become something. It also made me compare myself to others way more than I should and crave success, which can be empty. Anyone creating art that matters to them is already successful; likes and numbers shouldn’t give you a sense of worth, so keep creating for you, not for an algorithm.
What is something people should know about you that they may not already know?
MAZI: I think I'm a pretty open book. Follow me, and I'll be talking my shit. You’re probably gonna know too much [laughs].
Who or what inspires you?
MAZI: My wife for sure. She has definitely opened my world and physically shown me the world. I had never traveled or left the country before her; I never would have moved here if it weren't for her. She has given me the confidence and the courage to be myself and to trust myself. I feel like I always grew up with a bunch of voices in my head. Whether it was the church, my family, friends, etc. She just really inspires me to be my own person, which translates to my music.
I’m also surrounded by so much great music and so many amazing humans. Like, damn, people are so cool. Going to shows inspires me so much. The live collective energy and just watching people enjoy music and all come together to play it fucking sets me on fire. And that's the whole reason I started as a kid. I don't know what anybody believes, but if there's a higher power, that’s it. It’s one of the purest forms of connection and oneness.
You’re currently working on an EP, which is so exciting! What can you share so far about it?
MAZI: We have five songs right now. We have three that are at the end stages, and we have two more that we're still chipping away at. It's been really, really fun. They're all weird and wacky, mostly alt pop with some jazz, R&B, & rock influences. It’s just a big, weird jumble of shit. The EP will be called Fishbowl if that says anything [laughs].
It's going to be the most intentional music I've ever made. We're taking our time and being precious about it, which I think is necessary. When I was younger, there was a time when I was just trying to “make it” or trying to “be something,” and I was missing the whole point. Take your time, slow down, and create things that bring you to life, fuck the rest; nothing else matters.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with your fans and potential new listeners?
MAZI: Life is so precious. We all know there are so many atrocities happening all the time, and I think a lot of us just need to sharpen our focus. Focus on your people, focus on yourself, help those in need, live your life, and take care of yourself and those around you. I find myself not taking care of myself because I'm on my phone looking at all the bad things that are happening in the world, and that's not helping anybody. Be informed and assess where you can lend a hand. Never stop caring about others, but don’t forget to care for yourself as well. We’re all we've got, and I pray for a world where more people feel and understand that. If you made it this far, I love you so much, and I hope you know how needed you are.