Indie-pop Lisbon Artist MARO Releases New Album ‘So Much Has Changed’

If you’re drawn to emotionally rich songwriting and atmospheric soundscapes that feel intimate and comforting, meet MARO, a Lisbon-native singer-songwriter increasingly being recognised as an artist to watch. Born and raised in Portugal, she grew up in a music-loving household, where her early connection to music shaped her into the multi-instrumentalist she is today.

Since releasing her album MARO, Vol. 1 in 2018, she has achieved new milestones, such as winning the 2022 International Portuguese Music Awards, representing Portugal at the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest, collaborating with artists such as Eric Clapton and Jacob Collier, supporting Shawn Mendes and Jessie J on tour, and appearing on platforms including NPR Tiny Desk, Mahogany Sessions, and COLORS.

Her new English-speaking album, So Much Has Changed, is a ten-track project that is honest, relatable and relaxing, exploring themes of self-love, heartbreak, realisation, letting go and emotional conflict. Despite its emotional depth, it remains an album you can get ready to, drive to, or even dance to. Refusing to sit neatly in one category, MARO seamlessly blends reflection with pop.

The instrumentation mirrors each emotion, from drums to guitars, making it clear that every song has been carefully crafted to support its message. 

The album opens with the lullaby-like track ‘I Owe It To You’. It feels as though MARO is singing to herself, doubling as a quiet goodbye to an old love, or perhaps a former version of herself. As she has recently entered her thirties, the track reads as a moment of transition and sets the tone beautifully for the next title track, ‘So Much Has Changed’. This song navigates the emotions that come with ageing, moving through different seasons of life, relationships and friendships.

A personal favourite, ‘Feeling So Nice’, carries a sense of freedom, the kind that comes after leaving a toxic situation and choosing no longer to accept it as your identity. Lyrics such as “I’m letting go of the lies, all those nights that I cried, so sure I was gonna die” capture that release with honesty and relief.

Another standout, ‘It Ain’t Over’, feels like a track you might hear in Zara, yet one you can also unwind to. It opens as a ballad before unexpectedly transitioning into an indie-pop sound, reflecting the tug of war between wanting to let go and struggling to do so, as heard in the line, “How do I let go, knowing there’s a reason?”

The closing stretch of the album, ‘Drown’, ‘Love’s Not to Beg’, ‘2 Years’ and ‘To Grieve You’, feels like a deeply personal journal. Open and raw, these tracks explore yearning, heartbreak and loss. In particular, the final song, ‘To Grieve You’, mourns not only the end of a relationship but also the version of yourself that existed within it. The line, “How do I grieve what I’m still holding? ’Cause how do I leave what I call home?” captures a feeling many listeners will recognise: coming to terms with leaving a place, or a person, that once felt like home.

This is why MARO isn’t just an artist. She gives voice to thoughts and emotions many people struggle to articulate, capturing the natural motion of life with sincerity and grace.

Overall, one of the album’s greatest strengths is its gentle composition; the album unfolds softly, the kind you can listen to while resting on the beach, headphones in, with the sun on your skin. It leaves you with a quiet sense of confidence and healing.The album encourages reflection on the past, but not with the intention of keeping you stuck there. It carries a sense of acceptance that comes with maturity, highlighting the importance of choosing what is truly right for you, rather than what you may simply desire.

With 1.5 million monthly listeners on Spotify and recognition in Spotify’s 2025 Wrapped as one of the most over-represented female artists, alongside Cleo Sol, Little Simz, FKA Twigs and Addison Rae, MARO continues to grow her global reach.

If you want a break from the world’s outside noise, MARO is an artist to switch off with. She will be touring Europe in March, including a show at London’s Roundhouse on 11 March 2026.

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