MARIS has the perfect soundtrack for those golden moments. Her newest song, "Salt Water Taffy," is a euphoric but bittersweet anthem that poignantly encapsulates the magic of summertime. It's "Salt Water Taffy" you'd turn up with your windows down, the warm wind whipping your hair as one season ebbs into the next.
This new release follows the successful singles "The Fight" and "Julia Roberts" and highlights MARIS' gift for blending raw storytelling and earworm hooks. Derived from her poem, "Salt Water Taffy" flows easily between verse, chorus, and bridge, riding a wave of youthful nostalgia. An undeniable charm runs in its veins and her pieces are as hard to resist as the candy that shares a name with the song.
"I wanted Salt Water Taffy to feel like summertime as a kid," MARIS says. "The scent of rolling in the grass, the taste of salt water taffy from this old candy shop called the Sweet Palace in Philipsburg, Montana, and the feeling of sunscreen on my skin."
And that texture-dense inspiration translates splendidly to sound. Pure joy and fleeting innocence wrapped up in a sugary package, "Salt Water Taffy" is not only the proverbial "song of the summer" but a true standout on the year's 2023 musical roster thanks to its dreamy instrumentation and MARIS' signature heartfelt vocals.