How Mariah The Scientist Is Gaining Confidence After ‘Burning Blue’ Success: ‘Maybe This Is Something I’m Supposed To Be Doing’

The first proper taste of the song that changed everything for Mariah the Scientist arrived in April of last year, in a TikTok shot while the singer was getting ready for Billboard’s 2025 Women in Music red carpet — an idea Mariah credits to her older sister and manager, Morgan Buckles, who first joined her team as tour manager in 2022.

In the following weeks, Mariah shared more snippets of the song, “Burning Blue,” encouraging fans to use it in their own social media clips. She then debuted it in full during an April 19 Howard University performance, properly releasing it to digital service providers on May 2. From there, “Burning Blue” quickly became one of the year’s defining R&B songs, hitting No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topping Rhythmic Airplay.

“Everybody around me, including myself, felt a huge sweep of motion come from ‘Burning Blue,’ ” Mariah, 28, reflects today. And she was quick to take advantage of that momentum: As “Burning Blue” continued to rule playlists and airwaves, Mariah tapped Grammy-winning Latin R&B star Kali Uchis to collaborate on “Is It a Crime,” which became Mariah’s second consecutive Hot 100 top 30 hit ahead of the August release of Hearts Sold Separately, her fourth studio album. Armed with her two most commercially successful songs yet, Hearts Sold Separately became Mariah’s first full-length project to reach No. 1 on any Billboard chart (Top R&B Albums), as well as her highest-peaking Billboard 200 entry, reaching No. 11.

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Brought up in her beloved Atlanta, this year’s Women in Music Rising Star has been singing all her life. After moving to the Big Apple to study biology (hence her stage name) at St. John’s University, Mariah dropped out her sophomore year to embark on a music career at the encouragement of friends who had heard some of her original songs. She released To Die For, her debut EP, on SoundCloud in 2018, and buzz around the project caught the attention of Tory Lanez, landing her a deal with RCA Records in conjunction with his One Umbrella label, where she started building her lovelorn catalog with 2019’s Master and 2021’s Ry Ry World. By 2022, she left those deals for a six-month stint as an independent artist, before landing at Epic Records, where she remains today.

On those early projects, Mariah fine-tuned her confessional songwriting style and sharpened her ear for her now-signature ’80s Prince-inspired soundscapes — and on 2023’s To Be Eaten Alive, her first album on Epic, she made serious commercial advances. The set became her first project to reach the Billboard 200, and in early 2024, Mariah also made her first two Hot 100 appearances as a featured artist.

As Mariah’s star rose, so did internet scrutiny of everything from her live shows to her tumultuous relationship with headline-grabbing Atlanta MC Young Thug, with online commentators frequently making Mariah the butt of ther jokes. “I don’t even laugh at that,” she says bluntly. “I don’t laugh at none of that s–t. I think that ridicule is really unnecessary.”

But Mariah didn’t allow the chatter, particularly around her high-profile relationship, to cloud her year. As Thug navigated his rocky homecoming following his RICO case victory — including a collection of messy leaked jail conversations between him and his boo — Mariah stayed true to the “war on love,” toy soldier aesthetic of Hearts Sold Separately, hitting the road for her biggest headlining tour yet, playing iconic venues like Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium and New York’s Radio City Music Hall.

When we speak, as she nears her trek’s April 10 conclusion at Atlanta’s Coca-Cola Roxy, Mariah is already formulating her next project — and it likely won’t be what fans expect. “I’m trying new things and doing new things, but the heartbroken narrative is kind of jaded for me,” she says. “That’s my whole MO and my claim to fame, but that’s not how I feel every day of my life.”

Does the title Rising Star resonate with you?

When some people hear “rising star,” they may go, “I heard of her several years ago, how is she even included?” But those are the kinds of people who would prefer to continue letting you go excluded. I’m appreciative of the consideration.

You are the third consecutive R&B singer and the fourth consecutive Black woman to be named Rising Star. What does that mean to you?

I never expected to do these things, so to be honored for my art makes me think it wasn’t so random. Maybe this is something I’m supposed to be doing and continue doing. This gives me motivation to continue pursuing longevity in my career.

Was there a particular show on this tour that proved that you’ve reached a new level?

That South Africa show [on Jan. 3 at Pretoria’s SunBet Arena] was probably bigger than any show I’ve ever done, and they were screaming and crying at the top of their lungs. English is not necessarily everybody’s first language in South Africa, so it was honestly unbelievable. It left a huge impact on me; I can’t forget it. I want to go back.

Have you found time on tour to write?

I try to create space for it. I’m more inclined to write by myself. I don’t like to do that around people, and I’m always around people on tour. When I’m on the bus or in my room, maybe I can listen to things and try to come up with ideas. Otherwise, I’m too overstimulated.

Has this breakthrough moment changed or reaffirmed your writing process?

If I’m feeling uninspired, it’s hard to come up with something. And I think the production world is in a really weird space right now. Luckily, I have Nineteen85, who helped me put [Hearts Sold Separately] together. I can go to him with any idea, and he can expand it.

I’ll never lie and be like, “I go to the studio every single day and I write 10 songs a day.” I don’t have a huge team of writers and producers. I’ve never done that, and I don’t think I will. That’s also one of the reasons why I appreciate finally being recognized and getting awards. I’ve had this theory that you can only be recognized if your music is a smorgasbord of help. Now, I feel like you can be considered if the music actually came from you.

Were you expecting a Grammy nomination last year?

I don’t want to say I expected a nomination, but when I wasn’t included, I was like, “Well, damn, what do you need?” “Burning Blue” went gold [in three months]; it went platinum the same calendar year. It debuted on the [Hot 100] at No. 25 — ain’t nobody doing that these days, especially not Black artists. [“Burning Blue” was the highest-debuting female R&B song on the Hot 100 in 2025.] It was kind of a slap in the face, but they don’t owe me anything. I don’t know those people.

But I will say this: Kehlani definitely deserves what she got. If anybody was going to get [that Grammy], I would rather it be her. I told her, “I really hope that they don’t do you wrong.” She deserved that.

How have the women on your team pushed and protected you during this moment in your career?

Everybody knows my sister [Morgan] is insane. It’s an element to her character and vibe — before she walks in the room, you know she’s a force to be reckoned with. My cousin, Ty, is my assistant and she’s really helpful, never takes anything personally and can get almost any job done. I’ve started incorporating a stylist named Jaclyn [Fleurant], and she takes the weight off my shoulders as far as procuring things.

Jennifer [Raymond] is my A&R, and her personality is like a rainbow. She’s such a positive person and truly shows up. And, of course, everybody at Epic and Olivia [Mirabella], who’s my agent at CAA. It seems like she can get me booked anywhere, anytime. She really kept me on the road for so long, so shoutout to her. I appreciate that because it has paid my bills!

You’ve responded to criticism of your tour choreography by hopping on TikTok trends. How did you reach a point of being able to laugh at yourself?

Everybody has an opinion, and, for some reason, the internet has decided that I am a good candidate to be the butt of all jokes. Whenever people talk bad about me, my fans make it a positive. You guys don’t like the [choreography]? We’re going to turn it into a trend, the song is going to go viral and she’s going to benefit more.

At the beginning of my tour, I was incorporating dancing because I wanted to do something different. I don’t have much experience in dance outside of grade school, [definitely] not to the extent of people paying to see me do that. It’s an “all eyes on me”-type situation, and I have never been in a predicament like that. I was really reluctant to do it. It’s crazy that people will put you down for something that you’re putting yourself out there to do. That’s why I appreciate my fans because they be backing me up.

Do you have new music on the way?

I’m itching so bad to put new music out, but I want to set aside a time to cultivate a cohesive project the same way I did with Hearts Sold Separately. When I get off tour, I’ll probably go and sit in the studio a little bit. But I do have some songs that I’m considering including.

This story appears in the April 18, 2026, issue of Billboard.