Mariah the Scientist

Trained in Atlanta, Georgia, Mariah the Scientist—born Mariah Buckles in 1997—crafts contemporary R&B tinged with pop and trap sonics, centered on direct, melancholic love narratives. After moving to New York to study biology at St. John’s University, she soon dropped out—an experience that inspired her stage name—to devote herself to writing and recording songs for online release. She drew attention with the independent project To Die For in 2018, then signed with RCA Records and released Master in 2019, a debut that sharpened a minimalist aesthetic: vocals pushed to the fore, synthetic atmospheres, and slow tempos. In 2021, the album Ry Ry World cemented this melodic R&B direction by incorporating more pop-leaning structures and a handful of features from Atlanta’s rap scene. In 2022, she followed with the EP Buckles Laboratories Presents: The Intermission, conceived as a shorter, more experimental interlude exploring themes of heartbreak, solitude, and doubt. The 2023 album To Be Eaten Alive continued this introspective writing with stripped-down arrangements that play on contrasts between gentle melodies, world-weary lyrics, and occasional guest appearances by rappers. Active across the North American R&B and hip-hop scenes, Mariah the Scientist has been carving out a path centered on composition and intimate storytelling, spanning slow ballads, mid-tempo cuts, and productions steeped in Atlanta’s legacy.