Don’t let her current address fool you–María Isabel is as New York as they come. “I think being a New Yorker is just a feeling, it’s a vibe, and we all have this connection,” she shares with V. “You say something and people know what you're talking about, whether you’re from Queens or Brooklyn.” Before moving to Los Angeles during the pandemic, the 26-year-old grew up in Corona, Queens, writing songs from her bedroom as Dominican music poured in from her living room and ‘90s hip-hop flowed in from the streets. It is the same ethos that fuels her artistry to date, inspiring tracks like “No Soy Para Ti'' where the artist seamlessly blends Spanish and English lyrics. Citing fellow New Yorkers–Alicia Keys, Jay Z and NAS–as “her soundtrack to growing up in New York,” the songstress hopes her music will have the same impact on generations to come, saying, “I'm just a young Dominican girl from Queens, and I made it this far, so can you too.”