Ricart Maria: From Argentina’s Open Fields to Miami’s Underground
RICART MARIA
Ricart Maria is a DJ and producer whose journey spans from the quiet streets of Pilar, Argentina, to the competitive heart of Miami’s underground scene. Drawn to electronic music at just 12 years old, she quickly immersed herself in tech house, developing an ear for dark, driving grooves. By 14, she was already behind the decks in a professional home studio, and by 16, she was closing out club nights in Buenos Aires. Her reputation grew through massive open-air holiday events that drew thousands, cementing her love for connecting with crowds through music.
When the pandemic disrupted live events, Maria shifted focus to production, honing her skills through classes, self-teaching, and relentless practice. A move to the U.S. meant starting from scratch — but she rebuilt her career gig by gig, eventually catching the attention of Miami promoters Travis and Kat Rogers of Humans Alike. Now based in Miami, she’s carving her lane with minimal deep tech–driven sets, a versatile production style, and ambitious goals for the next chapter of her career.
Early Roots in Pilar, Argentina
Maria grew up in Pilar, a small town about an hour outside Buenos Aires, Argentina. While her classmates gravitated toward reggaeton and cumbia, she found herself drawn to electronic music — starting with dubstep and “No Copyright Sounds” YouTube channels. At 12 years old, a friend introduced her to tech house, setting off an obsession that led her to collect hundreds of tracks spanning tech house, techno, and melodic techno.
By age 14, she was learning to DJ in a friend’s professional home studio. Even in her very first session, her natural timing and ear for mixing stood out. Despite her mother’s hesitation — knowing Maria’s history of cycling through instruments like piano, violin, guitar, and drums — she convinced her to invest in DJ gear. From there, Maria practiced daily, posting Instagram videos that began gaining attention in her hometown.
First Gigs and Building Momentum
At 16, Maria was invited to play her first club set in Buenos Aires after someone spotted her Instagram videos. Nervous but determined, she brought her own controller, connected it herself, and closed out the night with a two-to-three-hour set that left her hooked on the feeling of sharing her music with a crowd.
Her profile grew quickly, leading to bookings at massive open-air events during Argentina’s Christmas and New Year celebrations — drawing crowds of up to 5,000 people. She held those slots for three years in a row before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down live events.
From Argentina to the U.S.
When the pandemic hit in 2020, Maria began taking online music production classes through the well-known Buenos Aires school Arjaus, co-founded by Facundo Mohrr and Santiago Garcia. While the classes provided a foundation, she later developed most of her skills through self-teaching, YouTube tutorials, and countless unreleased tracks.
In July 2020, her family relocated to Delray Beach, Florida. Within months, she moved to Orlando to study music production at Full Sail University but soon realized she could learn more efficiently on her own. She started playing small bar gigs, opening for free, and working her way back up from the ground after going from 5,000-person festival crowds to near-empty rooms.
Breaking into the Miami Scene
By 2023, Maria’s releases were charting and gaining momentum. She decided it was time to move to Miami — even before she had connections or guaranteed gigs. Just months before relocating, she was contacted by Travis and Kat Rogers of Humans Alike, who invited her to play at their She Knows Best night at Mode. Her minimal-leaning set that night impressed them enough to offer management, giving her the support to focus more on producing and less on booking herself.
Adapting to Miami’s Competitive Energy
Maria sees Miami as both inspiring and challenging. “Everyone in the world wants to come to Miami… there’s a lot of competition,” she says. But the competition pushes her to work harder and refine her craft. She’s determined to stand out through her production output, aiming for 60 high-quality releases within the next two years.
Sound and Versatility
In her DJ sets, Maria moves fluidly between house, minimal, and even acid house, always adapting to the venue, time slot, and crowd energy. In the studio, she’s still evolving her sound but gravitates toward minimal deep tech while remaining capable of producing tech house, techno, and even Afro house.
She cites Sosa, Ben Sterling, Carlita, and Blond:ish as inspirations for their versatility and ability to connect with crowds across genres. “I want people to come to my shows not knowing what to expect — but leaving happy no matter what I played.”
Upcoming Projects
Maria’s next big performance is on August 29, opening for Technasia at Stereo Productions in Miami. She’s also preparing an EP for Rawsome Recordings featuring two tracks — House Energy (tech house) and Ocean Rhythm (minimal deep tech) — that showcase her range.
Lessons Learned
For Maria, perseverance is the ultimate differentiator in a DJ’s career. “It’s like a marathon. People stop for all kinds of reasons… but the ones who keep pushing are the ones who make it to the finish.” She encourages new artists to stay open-minded, avoid self-criticism when facing rejection, and keep reaching out to opportunities: “You have more to win by doing it than by not.”
Final Words
Maria’s story is one of persistence, adaptability, and a deep love for music that transcends borders and genres. From discovering tech house in a small Argentine town to commanding festival stages, navigating a pandemic move to the U.S., and breaking into Miami’s high-pressure scene, she’s proven that growth comes from both resilience and reinvention.
As she looks ahead to her next releases and performances, Maria remains committed to pushing her boundaries — whether that means blending unexpected genres in her sets, refining her production craft, or stepping into bigger rooms. In her own words, the goal is simple: “I want people to come to my shows not knowing what to expect — but leaving happy no matter what I played.”