Rustic Americana • Veteran voice • Backroad truth

Country songs for the roads that made us.

MyZ Backroads carries real stories, real struggles, and real hope through country, country-soul, gospel, and Americana songs shaped by faith, recovery, service, and hard roads.

Listen to the music Watch videos My Country Story
Sound
Country • Americana • Gospel
Roots
U.S. Army veteran storytelling
Message
Faith, recovery, courage, hope
Latest release “Embrace Yourself” — Released July 17, 2026
Listen now →
Michael Maraia, veteran singer, songwriter, and storyteller behind MyZ Backroads

U.S. Army Veteran
Singer • Songwriter • Storyteller

Real stories. Real struggles.
Real hope.

My Country Story

A life turned into music.

Michael Maraia is a United States Army veteran, singer, and songwriter behind MyZ Backroads. His music is rooted in lived experience—survival, recovery, faith, loneliness, courage, and the choice to keep going.

Every song begins with a real feeling or a real chapter. Some are heavy. Some are hopeful. All of them are honest.

“The backroads are where the noise fades, the truth gets louder, and the next chapter begins.”
Hear the songs Explore the music →

Music

Songs with something to say.

A growing catalog of country, gospel, soul, and Americana built around real stories and emotional truth.

Featured release Veteran stories Recovery songs All listening platforms
A Friend I Used to Know single cover art
Friendship and memory

A Friend I Used to Know

A deeply personal reflection on friendship, loss, trust, and the memories that remain.

Spotify Apple Music Bandcamp
Along the Way single cover art
Recovery and survival

Along the Way

A raw look at addiction, consequences, survival, and the hard-earned lessons found along the way.

Spotify Apple Music Bandcamp
The Lord Kept Me single cover art
Country gospel

The Lord Kept Me

A testimony about surviving the hardest chapters and recognizing the grace that carried you.

Spotify Apple Music Bandcamp
Hug a Horse single cover art
Healing and hope

Hug a Horse

A tribute to the quiet healing, trust, and peace found through horses.

Spotify Apple Music YouTube
Men Like Me single cover art
Identity and belonging

Men Like Me

A heartfelt song about honesty, identity, and the courage to be seen.

Spotify Apple Music Bandcamp
Leave While You Can single cover art
Awareness and courage

Leave While You Can

A direct, compassionate song about recognizing harm and finding the courage to walk away.

Spotify Apple Music Bandcamp

Videos

Watch the stories come alive.

Music videos, lyric videos, shorts, and behind-the-scenes moments.

Hug a Horse cover artwork for the official video

Hug a Horse — Official Video

Watch the song inspired by healing, trust, and horses.

 Embrace Yourself cover artwork for the YouTube Short

Embrace Yourself — MyZ Short

A short message of self-acceptance, courage, and hope.
Red MyZ Backroads truck beside a country road at a railroad crossing
Country roads. Real stories.

Country Life

Stories from the porch, pasture, and road.

Country life is part of the sound: horse-country calm, coffee-shop workdays, road stories, and everyday moments that turn into MyZ Backroads songs.

Horse-country healing Backroad reflections Coffee-shop workdays
Share a story idea

“Some songs entertain you. Others remind you that you made it through.”

Contact

Let’s connect.

For music, interviews, collaborations, appearances, or booking inquiries, contact Michael directly.

Email Michael

MyZ Backroads

Email
mcmaraia@gmail.com

Website
myzbackroads.com