about
Mariah Van Kleef’s upbringing was strange for an early-90s farm kid in the bible belt. Never baptized, she was respectfully introduced to a mosaic of spiritual practices and tales from separate ends of the world. Her parents emigrated from the Netherlands—her mother bestowing a rich Indonesian heritage—and she grew up with that duality woven deeply into her sense of self.
As a multidisciplinary artist, Van Kleef follows her muse wherever it leads—across genres, across mediums, and across centuries—answering a whispered dare to translate the deepest folds of her experience into something the world can hold.
portrait by Victoria Byers
Awards + press
Critics Pick: ‘Best Vocalist’ – Best in The Nest 2024 by Queen City Nerve
‘Mariah Van Kleef’s Infauna Exudes a Familiar yet Alien Beauty’ by Queen City Nerve
‘Central Piedmont's own Forest Siren Dazzles Once Again’: a WE’RE BEING ROBBED Review
Multi-medium Album Project (Fine art, Music, History, Folklore) debuted by UNCC Department of Art and Art History, April 2025
Featured bilingual vocalist for NC Brazil Arts Project performance at the Mint Museum, May 2025
“A forerunner in the music community lately...a visionary.”
“An artist who has embraced mythology as a tool to explore self-actualization..”






