18 Facts About Maria Mena

Maria Viktoria Mena was born to a Norwegian mother and Charles Mena, a Nicaraguan-American drummer of Afro-Nicaraguan descent.

Maria Mena's father was born in Bluefields, Nicaragua where he lived until he was 10, at which point he and his mother, Mena's paternal grandmother, moved to New York.

Maria Mena has spoken of battling depression and PTSD as an adult, and seeking help.

Maria Mena cared for her younger brother Tony for many years.

When Maria Mena was 13 years old, she moved to live with her father.

Maria Mena sang and wrote lyrics as a form of self-soothing.

Maria Mena's father contacted acquaintances in the music industry to record a demo.

Maria Mena made an appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman to promote her first international album, White Turns Blue, which debuted at the top position on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart a week later and at number 102 on the Billboard 200.

Maria Mena made a breakthrough into the worldwide singles charts that year with "You're the Only One", a single successful in multiple countries.

Two months earlier, in March 2004, Maria Mena had released her second album in Norway.

Maria Mena performed at sold-out concerts in Utrecht and Amsterdam, following the success of "Just Hold Me".

Maria Mena released "All This Time" in the UK on 11 April 2010.

In 2011 Maria Mena recorded her version of "Mitt lille land" by Ole Paus as part of a project by the Norwegian TV channel TV2.

Maria Mena contributed to the album Mitt lille land, performing one of two versions of the title track.

Maria Mena released the single "I Don't Wanna See You with Her" on 6 November 2015.

In March 2020, Maria Mena announced a new album, They Never Leave Their Wives.

In October 2020, Maria Mena announced that she will release a new album in March 2021.

Maria Mena described the upcoming album as a sequel to They Never Leave Their Wives, containing songs about a woman who is on her own and then finds love.