Hailing from the border town of Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico, Mariana Elizabeth Grahl grew up surrounded by music. Born into a family of church musicians, she was exposed to instruments, rehearsals, and harmonies from a very early age.

Her first stage appearance came at just four years old, when she opened a performance for Mexican singer Viola Trigo. From that moment on, music became a central part of her life. At the age of eight, Mariana joined a regional television kids’ show, 'El Mundo De Los Niños', where she spent more than five years interviewing visiting artists, recording commercials, and performing live on air.

During those early years, she also performed at major festivals in Mexico, including Acapulco Fest and the Festival Internacional de Otoño, and appeared at well-known venues such as the World Trade Center in Mexico City and Teatro de las Bellas Artes in Monterrey, Nuevo León.

By the age of 15, Mariana had begun performing regularly with local variety bands, singing at weddings, private events, and corporate gatherings. At 18, she expanded her experience into broadcasting through an internship with a local television station, where she contributed to international news segments for the station’s main newscast.

At 21, while still in college, Mariana joined Multimedios Radio as an on-air talent. Over the course of more than three years, she hosted entertainment and variety programs, anchored a news show, and helped organize live promotional events and meet-and-greets with touring artists, connecting radio audiences throughout northern Tamaulipas and the Rio Grande Valley.

In addition to her work in media, Mariana began teaching voice at the age of 18 and collaborated with several recording studios in Matamoros and Brownsville, including Cosecha Viva Records, Pangea Music, and Medina Records, helping develop and coach new singers in the studio.

In 2017, Mariana relocated to the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex, seeking new opportunities and artistic growth. She quickly became involved in the local music scene, teaching piano and voice at Scottsound Music for more than three years while also offering private lessons. At the same time, she continued performing with bands across a wide range of genres including jazz, pop, Latin tropical, cumbia, CCM, and Top 40s.

In 2020, Mariana won an online singing contest organized by renowned Peruvian singer-songwriter Gian Marco, which invited participants to record and perform a song from his latest album. One winner was selected from each of the following countries, including the United States, Mexico, Colombia, and Peru. Representing the United States, Mariana was chosen as one of the winners and received recognition from Gian Marco and his team, along with an autographed Epiphone guitar. The experience was a meaningful acknowledgment of her work and an honor to represent the United States in an international competition.

In April 2025, Mariana experienced another memorable milestone when she won the Bingo Blitz Idol Contest, a nationwide online competition in the United States. As the winner, she was flown to Hollywood and invited to perform on the American Idol stage during the show, singing in Spanish in front of the judges. Following her performance, she had the opportunity to meet Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood, and Luke Bryan, who offered supportive and encouraging feedback. The experience was a dream come true and remains one of the most special moments of her musical journey.

In 2019, she met musician Pepe Valdez, and the two launched the musical project El Chanclazo, a Latin bohemian-style band focused on celebrating traditional Latin American music while connecting with multicultural audiences in North Texas. Despite the challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, the project continued to grow, allowing them to share their music and cultural roots with an expanding audience.

Building on their creative partnership, Mariana and Valdez launched another project in 2026: Shuffle List DFW, a bilingual English–Spanish party band designed to keep audiences dancing and singing along in both languages. The band reflects their shared commitment to bringing people together through music while maintaining the same level of professionalism, dedication, and musical quality that defines all of their collaborations.

Mariana holds degrees in Education and Mass Media Communication, as well as diplomas in Nursing Assistance and Music with a specialization in piano. She is fluent in English and Spanish and is currently studying Portuguese.

Outside of music, Mariana enjoys cooking, especially grilling, and spending time near the water. Her ideal day includes good food, music, an ice-cold beer, and the company of her husband Anthony and their three dogs: Barbas, Chopper, and Hera.