My Story
Hi, I’m MRJ (Maria Rivera-Jones)!
I am a singer, songwriter, worship leader and vocal coach. Today I am pursuing music with all my heart! But I always wasn’t this passionate about it as I am now. I have loved great music but when I was growing up, I didn’t think I could make a career out of music.
I didn’t see it was possible for me. I came from a single family home. My mom raised my brother and I by herself. She managed somehow to make ends meet. I never lacked food, clothing or anything, Occasionally, I would ask her for a record album (you know, Vinyls)…they were what we used to listen to music with at that time.
My mom bought me a few albums that I can remember - Menudo * Michael Jackson’s Thriller * Prince’s Purple Rain * Tina Turner Private Dancer * Debarge, to name a few!
We couldn’t afford music lessons but my mom bought me a cheap keyboard that I would play around with and play the melodies of the songs I loved.
In my early 20s, I began to write melodies and lyrics as a hobby. I graduated college and landed a corporate job in NYC. But, music was not a priority. One of my colleagues, Dennis, who worked in Technology, learned that I liked to sing and write music. He was pursuing a career as an artist manager and took an interest in me to become my manager.
Dennis saw potential in me. He began to manage my career me into a music career because he believed in me. He knew he could get me to where I needed to be.
Sadly, I didn’t see my own potential and didn’t believe in myself, yet, I was trying to follow his advice. He set me up for voice lessons, he took me to ASCAP seminars. He introduced me to his producer friend, John, who worked as an engineer at Unique Recording Studio in NYC. Dennis wanted me to develop my songs and thought they were a hit, despite how bad they sounded to me. I began to work with John to record my song, Can’t Stop, which was a dance pop song. The goal was for John to produce it and shop it to the studio manager in pursuit of getting signed to a label. Unique Recording studio was home to many prominent artists, Madonna, Mariah Carey, Queen Latifah, Tina Turner, and hundreds of other artists. I was in the right place, at the right time.
After some time, because I was singing and practicing a lot, I became so hoarse I completely lost my voice for 3 months. Dennis sent me to a vocal coach who said I probably had polyps and needed surgery. This scared me. It was at this moment I decided I didn’t want to pursue music. The fear of performing and living out my dream that was brewing inside my heart, used the loss of my voice as an excuse to hinder my progress. I got scared, really scared. I also didn’t have confidence in myself because I had no formal music training; I felt like a fraud trying to pursue music. I was afraid at how fast things were moving. I wasn’t ready for a recording deal. I was afraid of performing (though deep down I knew I could do it). I just quit music and didn’t turn back.
Fast forward a few years, I became a born-again believer and was attending a church. Eventually, my friend, Becky, convinced me to join the church choir with her and I did. Before I knew it, I was being asked to sing solos. After a year, the choir director left our church and the Senior Pastor asked me to become the Worship Leader where I planned the weekly worship services and recruited singers for our worship team.
I didn’t have formal music training; I was not trained in worship music. I was the most unqualified person to have this role. I could’ve said no and turned it down but deep inside I wanted to try it because I was secretly writing worship music wanting to do more in music. I knew I had a strong musical ear and could teach harmonies and by faith I accepted the role.
Hindsight 2020, I believe God wanted me to pursue music all along; despite my not believing myself that this was the path for me. I’ve had a successful career in the financial industry (my 9-5 job that led me to live a comfortable life) but working in corporate America was not God’s only plan for my life. He led me back to music. It was the most natural place for me. I still had fear and hesitation and self doubt. But, this time around, I didn’t let it stop me.
I have been a Worship Leader now for over 20 years…I never lost my voice like I did in my 20s. Along the way, I took voice lessons and today I sing just as strong (and dare I say, better, than in my early 20s).
I share my story because I know what it's like to not have confidence in yourself. I know the pain of feeling “less than” and “unqualified.” I know how it feels to never believe you’re good enough because something might be lacking. I know what it feels like to be afraid that people won’t like your voice or your songs. I completely understand because I’ve walked that road and found my way out of it.
* I broke free from the fear of performing in public
* I broke free from being shy and timid
* I broke free from doubting myself and my abilities
* I broke free from criticizing and talking down to myself
I want to empower you to become the artist you know you are! I want to help you see the potential in yourself the way Dennis saw it in me when I was young.
Like me, you are destined for music. Deep down inside you know it’s your calling. I don’t ever want you to let fear hold you back from your dreams.
I am here to support you in your journey!