Q: Welcome back, Maria Lane! It’s fantastic to have you with us again. Since our last conversation, a lot has happened in your musical journey. To kick things off, could you share some highlights or pivotal moments that have shaped your artistic path since our last interview?
A: It’s wonderful to be back! Yes absolutely, back in August 2023 I was featured on “The Fader” and that was definitely a huge highlight for me and a really cool experience. I released my second ep “35 days”, and I started doing live shows as well.
Q: Can you describe the musical style of Maria Lane in three words?
A: silky, vivid, cathartic
Q: How do you stay connected with your fans, and what role do they play in shaping your musical journey?
A: I stay connected to my fans through social media, and at live shows.
My fans inspire me and remind me of the impact my songs can have. I recently had a fan send me a fan edit with my song playing and it was my first one so I think it can be exciting to meet your first big fan!
Q: You have just released your new song, ‘carrie white’. Is there a story behind it?
A: Yes there is! I’ve always related to Carrie and I was actually up for the role in the musical when the song was being written. I wrote the song as an exercise to feel closer to Carrie White, and I ended up really liking the song and wanted to release it shortly after I wrote it.
Q: What is your favorite verse from the song and why?
A: I really like the lines
“You long for acceptance in a world so afraid,
and still, they won’t even say your name.”
These lyrics are a callback to the movie and the musical where she often gets called the wrong name.
She just wants to feel seen and accepted.
Q: Can you walk us through the creative process of producing the song, “carrie white”?
A: Yes! I brought it to my producer Justin and I told him I wanted the vibe to be very eerie and like a horror movie with an upbeat feel. All of the elements he added I think work so well and have that haunting feel. I love the bridge where you hear a sound that resembles the electricity bursting where carrie loses it after the blood gets dumped on her.
Q: What has been the most memorable concert or performance for Maria Lane so far?
A: I was playing at my second Majorstage show which is the first time I tried audience participation, and I had people singing along with me to my song “nashville” and it was really special. it is the BEST feeling when you have a crowd of people singing your lyrics with you. I also met my producer Justin at that show, and we became fast friends which is also why it holds significance.
Q: Reflecting on your body of work, each song holding its unique significance, could you share a particular track that stands out to you personally? What makes that specific tune special, and why does it hold a place of pride in your musical journey?
A: My song “crying in a cvs” is really personal to me because it actually happened and I truly never expected to ever write a song with that title before haha. I think it’s special because it’s something people go through, crying in public or crying while having to go about your day. It was the first song I ever truly released to people and put out there. In September 2021 I released a demo of it which wasn’t the best quality but I wanted people to see me. It feels like a song where I’m extremely vulnerable and open about it. I also think it’s cool when people write song titles that don’t exist yet, it feels even more unique to you.
Q: Exploring the diverse creative processes within the music industry is always fascinating. Could you provide insight into Maria Lane’s unique approach to crafting music? From the initial spark of an idea to the finished song, how do you navigate the creative journey and bring its musical concepts to life?
A: I’ll go from picking up my guitar and improvising with thoughts that happen to be on my mind, or sometimes I’ll jot down lyrics that pop up in my head in my notes app. It usually helps to write the melody as the lyrics are coming to see how they flow together. I want the production to resemble the story and the feeling that the song brings, I usually provide reference tracks of the vibe I’m going for and it really helps to have a great producer that understands your sound and artists you like/are inspired by. I like songs to feel immersive too, sometimes I’ll request to add sound effects to add an intimate environment.
Q: As we wrap up our conversation, looking ahead, what aspirations or dreams do you have for Maria Lane, and what message would you like to share with your fans as they continue to accompany you on this musical journey?
A: Oh gosh I have so many. I’d love to join someone on tour as their opener, perform at NPR Tiny Desk, Land a placement on an editorial playlist, i really want to experience being on broadway one day and what that feels like, and I would love to get to a point where I can say I get to do this as my job, making music is fulfilling creatively, but it’s also a lot of time and work and I would love to get back what I give in. To my fans, I am extremely grateful for you, I’m grateful that you listen to my art and hold space for me. I really hope my songs make you feel a little less alone. I have been hard at work on my debut album, and buckle up because I’m about to release some of the saddest music i’ve ever written haha.
