Wilby Center of Affection

From the suburbs of Philadelphia, songwriter and performer Maria Crawford has been paving her way in the Nashville independent music scene since 2014. Formerly known as the folk artist Mar, Crawford released her debut EP Translucent Beauty in 2021. Her forthcoming debut album, Center of Affection - pressed to opaque pink vinyl - marks her debut for Hit the North Records. Center of Affection began as a creative practice, a result of morning pages that unfurled like a stream of consciousness diary entries. During previous efforts, when the artist born Maria Crawford would write to prompts, enter the nebulous "album mode," or search for a theme to spur her creative practice, everything felt forced. It was only in letting go, in a decision to let her strongest ideals bubble from the roots of her subconscious to the top of her mind, that she was able to write her bravest, most beautiful, and strongest effort to date. Crawford has been writing songs for over 15 years, using her music to identify and process emotions, find a way to be heard, and foster human connection. Drawing inspiration from artists and bands like Carole King, Patti Smith, The Magnetic Fields, and Death Cab for Cutie, her songs invite listeners to explore both the shared human experience and the power of telling one's story. Wilby has been featured in Nashville's Lightning 100 as DJ Pick of the Week also with extensive support from WNXP.