The Tamesis
María Zardoya is busy these days. Although her band The Marías was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best New Artist, she was striking out on her own for the first time.
Earlier this week, the singer embarked on the first tour of her solo project Not for Radio in Oakland, California. She already had a unique gothic fashion sense, but for her solo performance, she wanted a more glam look. “This Not for Radio tour is more dramatic in its approach than The Marías tour. I wanted to transport the audience to another reality – a dreamlike, psychedelic state that is not based in reality,” Zardoya said. Fashion.
Her stage style fits the bill: Zaldoya Dreams Retold Swan Lake for her tour look. “It traces the evolution of the white swan as it explores the natural world, moving through beds of moss, before dying and ultimately resurrecting as the black swan, descending into the underworld,” she explains. While Zaldoya has always been drawn to this twisted tale, it seems especially prescient in this new chapter of her career. “All living things exist in a balance of light and dark, and it felt like I was becoming someone inappropriate for broadcasting,” she noted.
Zardoya turned to McQueen to bring her dark ballet fantasy to life, taking to the stage in a loose feathered jacket paired with an organically slender dress with a dramatic ruffled train. “I was also drawn to the shapes being presented throughout the show, allowing them to evolve in real time and reflect the transformations taking place on stage,” she says. “McQueen was the brand to provide the perfect outfits for this tour. They understand the beauty of being inspired by nature and the underground world, and how to translate these worlds into texture, shape and movement.” Zaldoya was also moved by the thematic connection: “I’ve always loved McQueen’s fascination with birds, so there really was no one better suited to transform me into a swan.”
Here, María Zardoya gives us a behind-the-scenes look at her McQueen look for the Not for Radio tour.
