Mara’s journey as a performer began as the leader of her own band. Playing venues like SOB's, the Blue Note, and the Apollo Theater, Mara began to quickly cultivate both local and international followings. “As I listen to her sexy, husky voice, I closed my eyes for a second and let Mara take me to the hippest jazz club in the Village,” said art and culture journalist Juan Cruz-Barrios.

     After performing at local events with greats like Stevie Wonder, Mara began touring internationally. In Spain, she recorded the hit record, "Madrid", which dominated the Spanish charts. In Japan, she roused crowds night after night in clubs across the country. After seasoning her craft in venues from France to Puerto Rico, she returned to Manhattan, set to stretch herself as a performer.

     While always keeping music central, Mara stepped away from the nightclub circuit and began amassing a fast growing list of television, film, and theater credits. During her years away from the formal music industry, Mara enjoyed a rich acting career, gracing the stages of some of New York’s most reputable off-Broadway theaters like The Public, Perry Street, and Intar, while additionally tackling challenging roles in a number of independent films.

In recent years, Mara has returned to her music roots. In 2005, the singer/songwriter delighted crowds at CAMI Hall with standards from her own repertoire. From being a featured performer for Disney’s tribute to Chita Rivera, to belting, original songs on PBS, to ushering in the coronation pageant at the 2006 Puerto Rican parade with her stirring ballads, Mara’s burst back onto the New York music scene has been greeted with accolades from her old fans and new friends.

     With the release of Ventanas Abiertas in April 2009, Mara begins a new chapter in her career. Working with Menace, a renowned producer who has recently worked with Corrine Bailey Rae, Ventanas Abiertas shows Mara’s versatility and broad appeal. Her single, “BOOM BOOM,” promises to be a crowd pleaser as Mara lays her signature sound over an explosive Reggaeton beat. Singing in three languages, Mara retells, celebrates, and blends stories from the streetscape below her window to present a collection of international rhythms that could only be born in New York.
     

Recuerdo Bien - play Quicktime
"Recuerdo Bien" Performance at Milk Bar New York

"Hero" witten and peformed by Mara Sanchez & Urban Skies - play Quicktime
CD release party at Milk Bar, New York.