We’re looking forward to introducing you to Mariah Maynes. Check out our conversation below.
Mariah , really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What are you being called to do now, that you may have been afraid of before?
So, the last time we talked, I was working as an independent songwriter and performer. Nowadays, I’m working outside of music almost entirely, and honestly, before I made that leap of faith, the idea of not making music for a job scared the living shit out of me.
While I was attending music school, I was so overly immersed in that world that considering a future outside of it caused me severe anxiety. Like, even taking a single day off caused me so much stress that I just never did. Nowadays, I like to joke that my 20-year-old self would be shocked, because I’ve totally made a pivot in my priorities and goals.
After graduating college, music degee in hand, I pivoted to writing long-form content in the outdoors and travel spaces. What began as a few “filler” articles about skiing for my part time job at a local news station led to a genuine passion for writing about and photographing the outdoor spaces I’ve been surrounded by my whole life. Now that I’ve gotten more life and work experience under my belt, I feel gratitude for the people who helped me realize there’s WAY more life to be lived in the outdoors than there ever was confined in the four walls that house a practice room or recording booth.
I feel called to study every corner of it I possibly can, bringing my findings back to my writing desk, in hopes of inspiring my readers to care more about the natural world. Also, I’m happier now working as a writer than I ever have been, so that’s been nice.
Oh, and, I’m still making music! The difference is, nowadays, I’ve found a type of joy in the process that I hadn’t experienced in a very, very long time.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi! I’m Mariah Maynes, a Salt Lake City songwriter turned freelance outdoor and travel writer!
After I earned a B.A. in Music from the University of Utah, I hard pivoted into the world of journalism and content writing. What started as a part-time job taken out of necessity blossomed into a passion for getting outside, writing about adventure, and advocating for the planet.
In the winter, I spend most of my time on the ski slopes — I fell in love with the sport abruptly while I was in college. In the summer, I’m constantly on the road and on my feet, traveling and hiking as much as I possibly can.
My passion for outdoor recreation has transitioned itself well into my writing career. So far, I’ve earned bylines in some of my favorite publications—namely National Park Trips and SKI Magazine, as well as for other outlets like Visit Salt Lake and the Great Salt Lake Collaborative.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
Growing up, I attended catholic school here in Utah. I was always sent the message that I wouldn’t amount to much because I wasn’t the “best” math student or the kid that was most interested in science or inclied to be the teacher’s pet (and was often sidelined because my parents didn’t donate boatloads of money). At some point, I absorbed this idea that I’d never really be much—to the point I was even convinced I’d never get into college.
From the moment I entered high school marching band, that belief was challenged over and over again until I decided I am capable of great things—my school’s band directors were excellent mentors who pushed me to do anything I wanted to do and encouraged me to keep working at it, even when school counselors were less receptive and encouraging to my passions.
That was a HUGE turning point in my life and it paved the way to many of my successes. Do I always believe that I’m going to achieve something? No. But understanding that my mom was right, and I can do anything I put my mind to, helped me realize that I can amount to as much as I choose to. And that gives me the balls to face my biggest fears nowadays.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
After my college graduation, I made a big, difficult decision to pause my pursuit of a music career. I’d grown severely burnt out trying to function as a one-woman independent record label and knew I couldn’t sustain it forever. Even though I made the choice on my own, I still felt like an absolute failure since I hadn’t accomplished the thing I’d wanted for so much of my life.
For the next year, I fell into a sort of mid-level, erratic depression where I was fine during the days, but my body felt heavy when night arrived. I wondered what I could’ve done different, or if it was the right decision, even though it got to the point where I legitimately hated making music at the end there.
As I suffered through those feelings, which were hard to shoulder, I learned how to truly heal my wounds. Although you do have to spend time sitting with feelings and acknowledging them, a point does come where you need to put them down and move on with your existence.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I’ve been working on a memoir for the last two years, about moving on from life in the world of music. I don’t care if it takes the next century to finish it, I just feel like I have to do it.
Maybe if it’s good, I’ll pitch it to publishers, but for right now, I haven’t decided.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. When do you feel most at peace?
I feel most at peace when I’m out in nature, especially if I’m out of cellular service or on a pair of skis.
2025 has been a pretty jam-packed year for good and bad, and in June, I decided to take a solo trip to Capitol Reef and drive the Cathedral Valley Loop. Although being out on an off-road loop alone, with no cell service, and fording a river in the truck I bought for myself, was mildly terrifying at first, I came to settle into a relaxation I hadn’t felt in a long time while sat on a cliff, watching birds of prey circle below.
There’s also something to be said about floating through fresh powder snow. Even if I’m pissed about something, that feeling brings me instant peace.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://sites.google.com/view/mariah-maynes/about
- Instagram: https://Instagram.com/mariahrmaynes
Image Credits
Images are self-shot
