Exclusive Interview with Brianna Mai Colliard

Artist Spotlight: Brianna Mai Colliard

Brianna Mai Colliard & The Desert Marigolds will release their debut album Queen of the Mountain on March 27, 2026, featuring the introspective lead single “Listen to the Voice,” a song about anxiety and learning to focus on positive thoughts.
 

Raised in the Santa Lucia Mountains, Brianna developed her musical voice before performing in the Monterey music scene, eventually forming the Desert Marigolds. Blending folk, country, rock, and soul with 1970s-inspired influences, the band brings a distinctly California sound.
 

“We dive deep with Brianna Mai Colliard to talk about writing from the soul, staying grounded, and keeping the music real.”

MusicsWeek: Is there a particular song or album that has significantly influenced your career?

Brianna Mai Colliard: There are so many amazing songs and albums that have inspired me throughout my life, but when I try to think of one all-time influential album, Joni Mitchell’s Blue comes to mind. Every single song on that album is so good, and they’re all completely written and arranged by her. I’ve listened to Joni Mitchell since I was a kid, and she’s always been so inspiring to me as both a singer and a songwriter.

MusicsWeek: Have your influences changed over the years?

Brianna Mai Colliard: They definitely have. When I was a kid, I was exposed to so many different kinds of music through my parents and grandma, who loved listening to everything from rock, Americana, soul, reggae, and even Celtic and bluegrass. However, when I started to write my own music, I was listening to a lot more folk and cosmic country, and that’s what really inspired my own style.

MusicsWeek: When did you first realize you wanted to be a musician?

Brianna Mai Colliard: Well, I think I always wanted to be a singer ever since I was little, and I accidentally became a musician along the way! For a long time, I felt imposter syndrome about the title “musician” because sometimes singers get lumped into a category by themselves, and it feels like claiming to be a musician is a stretch. But I think now that I’ve written and produced a whole album, I can finally say that I’m officially a musician.

MusicsWeek: What’s the story behind your favorite song you’ve written?

Brianna Mai Colliard: It’s hard to choose a favorite song, but there is a song on my upcoming album that I really love called The Old Madrone Tree, and it was inspired by the natural beauty of where I live, especially the trees. To me, the plants and trees of any given area are what make it unique and give it character, and that is especially true for the mountains of central California, which, in my opinion, is one of the most beautiful places in the world.

MusicsWeek: What’s something about you that fans might be surprised to learn?

Brianna Mai Colliard: Maybe that I have a really fun and unique day job besides making music, and that is running my family’s flower farm. I go to farmers' markets every weekend to sell our beautiful flowers, and it’s actually very fun and creative because I make all the bouquets on the spot, and people can customize them. It’s kind of like my alter ego, sometimes I’m a full-on country bumpkin farmer, and then I transform into a slightly less country bumpkin singer!

MusicsWeek: What do you enjoy doing when you’re not making music?

Brianna Mai Colliard: I have way too many hobbies, actually! I rode horses all my life, and I still have 3 horses that I don’t have time to ride, but they still take up plenty of my time just to take care of them. I’ve also always loved drawing and all different types of art, including silversmithing and lapidary, which I learned at my local community college.

MusicsWeek: What does a fulfilling life look like to you beyond your music career?

Brianna Mai Colliard: Thankfully, I already feel very fulfilled with my life because I get a lot of satisfaction out of taking care of my animals and my land. Whether it’s improving my garden or mucking out the horse stalls, it makes me feel accomplished, even if it’s not always fun or easy. I also really enjoy farming and being a part of the farmers' market community. So as long as I can keep doing what I’m already doing, I’ll be happy!

MusicsWeek: Can you walk us through your typical songwriting process?

Brianna Mai Colliard: My songs almost always start as chord progressions that I sing along to without words until I find something that sounds good to me. I usually figure out the structure and melody before I have lyrics, or sometimes I’ll just come up with lyrics that sound good in the sense that the phonics themselves sound good in the context of the melody, and not necessarily that the meaning of the words lines up perfectly. Then, once I have at least one line, I sort of fill in the rest of the lyrics.

MusicsWeek: Where do you find inspiration for your lyrics and melodies?

Brianna Mai Colliard: I think I take inspiration from everything, really. The things I see in the world, whether good or bad, find their way into my songs one way or another. I do think that a big part of my personal inspiration comes from where I live and grew up, and how beautiful and unique it is, and how it makes me feel more connected to the natural world on a daily basis in a way that is unusual in this day and age.

MusicsWeek: What message or themes do you hope to convey through your music?

Brianna Mai Colliard: It’s pretty hard to boil my music down to one message or unifying theme, but I suppose I want to be an example of being yourself, not rushing, and doing things your own way. I used to feel very insecure about so many things, from how I look to how I sound, and I almost let that stop me from doing what I wanted to do! But at a certain point, I had to stop thinking so much and start doing instead. And so far it’s been working!