Raised in Houston and based in New York City, Katherine Mariko Zhang operates as Lil Mariko, blending aggressive trap metal, screamo, and hyperpop into a highly digital club sound. She first gained widespread attention with the 2019 viral breakout "Where's My Juul??" produced by frequent collaborator Full Tac, which paved the way for her 2021 self-titled debut EP on Tactical Music. Her catalog includes high-impact collaborations with Rico Nasty on the 2021 single "SIMP" and Dorian Electra on "Ram It Down", alongside the 2026 EP "Slightly Unhinged". On the live circuit, she has brought her chaotic, performance-art-leaning sets to international stages like CTM Festival in Berlin and Brooklyn venues such as Elsewhere. Her aesthetic weaponizes internet culture, dark humor, and sex positivity through blown-out production and guttural vocal deliveries. By merging the abrasive textures of hardcore with the synthetic gloss of modern pop, she occupies a distinct, boundary-pushing space in the modern electronic landscape.