It’s five in the evening on a Wednesday night in early January when the dynamic trio of Hello Mary roll into our Zoom meeting. The members immediately start to excitedly chat and laugh with one another as if it were a regularly scheduled Facetime call between three lifelong friends. It’s hard to imagine that they’ve been playing together and creating music with one another for only two years. From finishing each other’s sentences to the ease at which laughter enters every part of our conversation, there is an undeniable rapport between the trio that any well respected musical group would be envious of. There is a seriousness and buzz of buoyancy in the members’ answers, an indication of their respect for their craft and each other, as they patiently responded to the standard and not-so-standard interview questions tossed at them.
Stella Wave, Helena Straight, and Mikaela Oppenheimer make up the rock trio that is Hello Mary. The band delivers nostalgic sounds reminiscent of 90s and early 2000s rock bands, but to define them by one era or genre of music would be a disservice to their potential and musicianship as a 21st century rock band. As stated by Stella, the drummer and co-vocalist, “It’s just rock, fuck Indie rock, fuck alternative rock, it’s just rock.”
The trio are very clear and assertive over how they want their music to sound and to prevent Hello Mary from being forced into any pre-existing holes. Mikaela, the bassist who delivers hypnotic bass lines throughout their tracks, emphasizes the raw sound they strive to produce. “We’ve talked about it before [and] we try to steer clear of produced and glossy music. We record our songs exactly as they are, just [to have] them sound like a really good version of us playing it live.” The members want people to rock out and jam along with their music. As Helena, the guitarist and co-vocalist of the three notes, “My favorite feeling when listening to music is to feel emotionally connected to the sound.”
The band released their first album Ginger last year and are currently working on recording their second. Expect to hear more mature songwriting and a tighter unison throughout the tracks as the trio have advanced both lyrically and in their musicianship. “Our songs are going to keep getting better [and] hopefully we can make a career out of it,” Helena further emphasizes. “I hope, even if this band goes nowhere or we don’t pick up or get big which would be a big bonus and a really fun way to make money and live, I would still choose to play music with Helena and Mikaela. I feel so good doing it and it’s so fun and fulfilling,” Stella chimes.
As for live performances, like most of 2021, they’re in limbo. Regardless, being able to see Hello Mary perform live would be as much of an experience for the audience as it is for the band. From laughing fits and flying sticks to an ironic, unplanned coordinating pink ensemble, the band’s genuinity carries over into their live performances as their talent is not lost on the audience or their listeners. On the subject of the future, “I hope that rock music is coming back—I think it is a little bit—and I hope that it is coming back in the right way and that we can be a part of that. I just want rock and roll to be alive and well,” finishes Stella.
To hear the latest from Hello Mary check them out on Spotify and Apple Music and make sure to give them a quick show of support by following them on Instagram!
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
