Brianna Mai Colliard and the Desert Marigolds are a folk rock band based out of Carmel Valley and Salinas, California.
Frontwoman Brianna Mai Colliard hails from deep in the mountains of Carmel Valley, where off-grid country living provided the opportunity and inspiration to hone her voice and to write original music. After graduating with a degree in Music Performance from Cal State Monterey Bay in 2021, she began performing gigs in Salinas.
At Brianna’s very first gig, she met Ino Botello (lead guitar), and at her second she met Vince Contreras Iniguez (bass). The trio officially formed their band in January 2024, and within three months they were already playing at bluegrass festivals. In January 2025, they were joined by Jaimason Berkheimer (mandolin, drums), a musical jack of trades and fellow Carmel Valley native.
The band is a true amalgam of each member’s distinct musical taste and experience. The boys (as Brianna fondly refers to them) are all seasoned musicians and self-proclaimed music nerds. Brianna, on the other hand, was always a vocalist first, and it is only when she began learning guitar that she solidified her original music: a type of folk rock that draws inspiration from the likes of Linda Ronstadt, Fairport Convention, and Juice Newton.
Now, work is underway to finish their first full length album, expected to be released this year.
Brianna Mai Colliard and the Desert Marigolds take the Strawberry stage on Saturday, May 24!
