Brianna Mai Colliard and Her Desert Marigolds Announce Debut Album Queen of the Mountain

Some songs are made for the good times. Others find you in the quiet—the ones that feel like someone finally put words to the thing you couldn't quite name. "Listen to the Voice," the lead single from Brianna Mai Colliard & The Desert Marigold's debut album Queen of the Mountain, is firmly the latter.

"I don't like to over-analyze my own songs, but of course, for this one, I had to come to a conclusion about it. It's about anxiety, ruminating over things stressing you — that nighttime rumination versus the daytime, when everything's fine again,” explained Brianna.

The track opens with a spare, unhurried arrangement — acoustic guitar, soft harmonies, and Brianna's voice sitting front and center with nothing to hide behind. At just under four minutes, it doesn't overstay its welcome. It builds with a quiet persistence, the kind of song that doesn't swell into a dramatic chorus so much as it settles deeper into itself—pulling you further in the longer you listen. The production, helmed by Jason Cirimele at Dusty Sea Studio in Pescadero, keeps things intimate and unvarnished, letting the emotion do the heavy lifting.

"It’s about listening to the positive voice in your head because I feel so much stress and anxiety when I listen to the negative one," said Brianna.

Released in May 2025, the single has become the emotional anchor of the album. And for Brianna, who grew up deep in the Santa Lucia Mountains of Carmel Valley in near-total solitude—homeschooled, off the grid, and years away from singing in front of anyone—the vulnerability the song requires didn't come easily. For years, she secretly practiced when her family wasn't home, until a karaoke machine at a family Thanksgiving finally gave her away.

"There's a sense of safety that comes from being alone in your artistic pursuits…no fear of judgment from the outside world, no pressure to be perfect," shared Brianna.

It wasn't until she enrolled at CSU Monterey Bay—where she would eventually graduate with honors in music performance in 2021—that she had to face the stage fright head-on. From there, she began playing the Salinas and Monterey music circuit, meeting bass player Vincent Contreras at one of her first gigs. The two started dating shortly after and began playing as a duo before their band, the Desert Marigolds, gradually took shape: lead guitarist Ino Botello in 2024, followed by multi-instrumentalist Jaimason Berkheimer, and vocalist Flor Contreras in 2025.

"Each member has unique strengths that help take us to the next level. The guys are all music nerds who speak the same language when it comes to figuring out a song. And Flor and I are vocalists first and foremost," said Brianna.

Flor, originally from Mexico, grew up singing her whole life and has brought rancheras and classic Mexican songs into the band's repertoire. Together, the Desert Marigolds draw from folk, country, rock, and soul—with the 1970s as their north star. Linda Ronstadt, Sandy Denny, Led Zeppelin, Freddy Fender, and Juice Newton are among their biggest touchstones. It's a California sound through and through with Laurel Canyon, and Big Sur baked into the DNA.

"We hope to continue the legacy of creating fresh, original music that still pays homage to the icons that we love," enthused Brianna.

That spirit lives throughout Queen of the Mountain, the band's debut full-length dropping March 27—ten songs, eight written by Brianna and two by Vincent, that capture everything this journey has been building toward. The title, like so much of Brianna's work, comes straight from the land she calls home.

"It's a long-running joke that I was born on the mountain, my mom gave birth on the mountain, and I still live here. Now, I’m the Queen of the mountain,” joked Brianna. “ It's more about my connection to the special place I grew up —being connected to the natural world rather than the city."

The album release party follows the next evening, March 28th, in Carmel Valley—free and open to the public. CDs, vinyl, and merch will be on hand, with vinyl also available on the band website. And that's just the beginning—the Desert Marigolds are set to take the stage at the Good Old Fashioned Bluegrass Festival in August, with more live dates expected to follow.

"We just love playing music together. We have so much fun—and I think people can feel that," shared Brianna.

Five years from a quiet first gig to a debut album. Brianna Mai Colliard has never been in a rush. Queen of the Mountain, and the single that leads it, makes clear she didn't need to be.

Stream "Listen to the Voice" and the full Queen of the Mountain album on all platforms starting March 27. Follow Brianna Mai Colliard and her Desert Marigolds at briannacolliard-desertmarigolds.com for upcoming shows and new music.

“Listen to the Voice” is now available on all streaming platforms, with promotional support from Starlight PR.

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