MARIS is playing small venues across the country on her first headline tour, with dates in six cities already sold out. The independent pop artist wants concertgoers to feel comfortable dancing without worrying that footage of them will become a target for online ridicule.
Building her audience without major-label backing, MARIS considers helping fans feel free to participate part of a performer’s responsibility.
Six cities sell out
The tour already has sold-out dates in:
- Charlotte
- Washington
- Philadelphia
- New York
- Chicago
- Los Angeles
Making room for self-expression
MARIS’s concern is that the possibility of being recorded and mocked online can discourage people from dancing. Her approach focuses on creating an atmosphere in which fans feel able to express themselves.
She describes performing as a “public service job,” connecting her conduct onstage to a broader responsibility toward her audience, including LGBTQ+ fans.
Humor, improvisation and her own uninhibited stage presence are part of that approach, alongside attention to people who may feel vulnerable in a crowd. Her stated aim concerns the atmosphere at her concerts; she has not announced a mobile phone ban.
