Los Angeles’ brecnmari is Brecon Richards and Mariana Bandhold, two singer-songwriter/producers whose infectious energy shouldn’t be kept a secret any longer. Today the pair share their latest track “Never Have I Ever.”

“Never Have I Ever” is a fun, upbeat song with a playful arrangement highlighted by brecnmari’s warm “boy-girl” dynamic. Its sound may juxtapose the world we currently live in, but the lyrics offer a ray of hope: no matter what’s going on in the world around us, love can always lift us up.

Listen to “Never Have I Ever” here: https://ffm.to/nhie

The song originated at the beginning of quarantine when Brecon and Mari went to their respective hometowns of Walnut Creek, CA and Cascais, Portugal to shelter with their families. While thousands of miles apart, Brecon passed the time listening to Louis the Child, who he says inspired the vibe of “Never Have I Ever.” Brecon went into the studio to lay down his production skills for the track, and when the pair finally reunited in Los Angeles three months later, they got to work on the lyrics.

“‘Never Have I Ever’ is about that feeling you get when you meet the right person at the right time, and in that exact moment nothing else matters,” says Mari. “It’s like you’ve found your own reflection.”

“From the very beginning we had an image where as soon as she meets this perfect person, a spotlight is shining on her,” Brecon adds. “He makes her feel like she’s the only person in the room— and that’s what inspired the rest of the song.”

About Brecnmari:

Brecnmari consists of Brecon Richards and Mariana Bandhold, two singer- songwriter-producers who came together through a conspiracy of the universe. When their paths crossed in 2018, they quickly discovered their shared passion and had no choice but to combine their musical, production and performance talents to create good-vibes-only music. 

Brecon got his start at the now-defunct Bay Area’s Red House Studios where he was the drummer for several local bands. Fast forward to college in Santa Barbara, his love for music drove him to DJing. Production became his calling which prompted a move to Los Angeles to attend ICON Collective (where alumni include such heavy hitters as JAUZ, KAYZO, i_o and Ghastly). Since graduating, Brecon has since been dedicated to songwriting, music production and DJing. In addition to the brecnmari project, Brecon also works with Beatport as a music producer and playlist curator. 

On the other side of the Atlantic in Cascais, Portugal, while still a child, Mari lost her father in war, a traumatic event that gave her passion for music new layers of meaning and perspective. Music allowed Mari to heal from a most difficult childhood loss; the healing power of music is Mari’s core inspiration to this day. She practiced her craft obsessively, performing locally throughout the Lisbon, Portugal area and went on to compete on “The Voice Portugal,” eventually taking fourth place. Her experience with the production team on The Voice inspired her to pursue her music education and creation efforts at a higher level, leading to her move to Los Angeles where she attended the American Musical and Dramatic Academy

Influenced by the likes of Odesza, Zedd, Martin Garrix, Louis the Child and The Chainsmokers, the combination of Mariana’s warm, powerful and intimate vocals and Brecon’s tasteful electronic music production create their signature electronic-pop sound. The brecnmari sound wraps carefully around the duo’s hand-crafted lyrics to create an irresistibly positive and relatable experience for any listener.