Not for Radio redefined swan songs at her Dallas show

Swans have always been part of the mythology surrounding María Zardoya, the frontwoman of Grammy-nominated indie pop band The Marías, who launched her own solo project, Not for Radio, in late 2025. To Zardoya, the animal represents devotion, beauty and transformation, and is a running motif found in every project she touches.

It was fitting, then, that at her Not for Radio show at Dallas’ Winspear Opera House on Wednesday night, the audience was greeted by the image of a swan projected onto the curtain as they waited for the singer to take the stage.

For those who have followed The Marías since their rise during the late 2010s bedroom-pop boom, watching Zardoya evolve into a star in her own right has been fascinating. Along the way, she’s collaborated with artists such as Bad Bunny and Tainy while cultivating an image that feels almost mythological. With a soft-spoken cadence and dreamy perspective on life, love and longing, her work feels mythological.

That ethereal nature is the foundation of Not for Radio.

The solo project feels less like a departure from The Marías and more like a deeper look into Zardoya herself. The moment the curtain lifted, that distinction became clear. The stage was transformed into a lush landscape filled with grassy set pieces and elevated platforms. Behind her stood a full band featuring piano, synthesizer, guitar, drums and even a saxophone, but the focus never drifted far from Zardoya.

She opened the set with “Puddles,” with a voice that floated effortlessly through the Winspear, immediately establishing the tone for a performance that felt theatrical. Zardoya glided across the stage with a ballet-like grace, turning songs into scenes and transitions into acts. She then moved through tracks like “Moment” and “Magnet” from her debut album “Melt.”

With a simple “Hello Dallas, how are you doing?” here and there, rather than breaking the fourth wall, she seemed content to acknowledge the crowd’s presence while keeping everyone immersed in the world she had created.

That world is notably more intimate than anything associated with The Marías. While her band is known for lush pop production and energetic live performances, Not for Radio embraces vulnerability.

She offered a glimpse into the future with a new, unreleased song titled “Candles,” alongside favorites like “Water on Your Nose” and “Comet.”

The evening’s most powerful visual arrived just before “Swan.” A translucent veil descended from the ceiling, enveloping the center platform where Zardoya had spent much of the show circling and performing. As feathers began falling from above and a male performer lifted her near the song’s climax, the scene felt less like choreography and more like a transformation.

As Zardoya disappeared from view and the band drifted into a gorgeous instrumental passage, the audience seemed suspended in the dreamlike forest she had spent the evening constructing. When she returned, she was dressed in black, a striking inversion of the white outfit that opened the show, and a nod to Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake.” The wardrobe change subtly reinforced the themes of evolution and rebirth that ran throughout the performance.

The emotional center of the evening arrived during songs like “Not the Only One,” where Zardoya explores the complicated territory between emotional and physical loyalty. The song’s vulnerability highlighted one of the project’s greatest strengths: its willingness to sit with uncomfortable feelings rather than resolve them.

Still, the loudest reaction of the night belonged to a familiar favorite.

The moment the opening lyrics of The Marías’ “No One Noticed” rang through the theater, the room erupted. The song, which helped propel the band into the mainstream, remains a defining piece of Zardoya’s songwriting ability. Even within the context of a deeply personal solo performance, its impact was undeniable.

By the time Zardoya reached “Ache,” the barriers between performer and audience began to dissolve. Bathed in a blue spotlight, Zardoya walked through the crowd, exchanging brief handshakes, touching outstretched hands and creating fleeting moments of connection. It was another reminder that intimacy, not spectacle, was the show’s driving force.

The evening closed with “Back to You,” the most popular song from the Not for Radio project and perhaps its clearest mission statement.

As she sang the final refrain, “I hope it brings me back to you,” she slowly folded onto the platform, like the white swan, Odette. The visual callback tied the performance together, bringing its themes of longing, transformation and devotion full circle.

Through carefully crafted imagery, understated theatrics and unflinching vulnerability, Zardoya invited audiences into her inner world and asked them to sit with her memories, heartbreaks and hopes. Like the animal that has fascinated her for years, Zardoya’s solo debut is graceful, vulnerable and constantly transforming.