Maz Interview
Interview by Lindsey Dadourian
Up-and-coming electro-pop artist Maz recently released her new single, “Maybe Love.” Pleaser Magazine got the chance to chat with Maz about her start in music, her inspirations, future goals and more!
***
PLEASER: How has the release of your most recent single, “Maybe Love,” been?
Maz: Dude, it's been unreal. It’s so fun and crazy.
It's an amazing song.
M: Thank you! That means a lot. I don't know, it's been really cool and awesome.
Yeah! I actually found you on Tiktok from your song “Jungle Juice,” which I adore.
M: No way!
I was wondering if you were ever gonna put that on Spotify?
M: I had it on Spotify for a bit, but I took it off. I was literally known as the “Jungle Juice” girl for a bit, which was fine but that was the first song I ever made. Like ever.
That's so awesome that you were able to do that on your first try.
M: Thank you! Yeah I was just like this is so young and my first song so I don't know, but I think maybe I'll put it out again. We’ll see! It might just be a little Soundcloud, like an OG secret song, ya know?
Definitely! Where do you get some of your biggest influences from?
M: I love The Strokes, Grimes, and Blondie, and I love Björk. She's really cool, but I don't know if her stuff sounds similar to mine. Who else? I also really like punk stuff like Bikini Kill, and I think I'm slowly shifting more, we’ll see! Definitely a little bit more pop-y. That's kinda the stuff I listen to so I’m like okay—we’re gonna start making stuff that I would listen to all the time.
Going along with that, if you could describe your sound to someone who has never listened in three words, what would you say?
M: Three words? Oh no. Hmmm. I guess fun, experimental stuff.
That works! That's perfect! When did you start making music? Or what was that first initial push that made you be like, ‘Yeah this is what I wanna do.’
M: Yeah, this is so funny. I actually got cheated on by a scooter boy in sophomore year of high school. A scooter boy bro! And I was like, dude, I’m gonna make a punk song about this, like this is great stuff, good songwriting material. So I had just connected with a couple kids at my school. And actually, the punk song ended up sounding like crap, but it introduced me to this kid named Ryan Olsen, who ended up sending me the “Jungle Juice” beat and another beat called “Candyland.” I just recorded them in an hour in his basement, it was crazy! I put it on Soundcloud and it did decent. And then that summer 2019, bedroom pop was huge with Clairo and Joji, and “Jungle Juice” was picking up and I was like, Wow, this is crazy. That kinda just got me into it. I had managers reach out to me and people flying in to see my shows where I've never played. A&R was reaching out and being like, ‘Hey what's up!’ To a kid that has no idea what this is, that's pretty crazy. So I was like, okay, maybe I am meant to do this. I'll just ride the wave as long as I can.
That's awesome! What is your biggest goal in this industry? Thinking about a tour or an album, maybe?
M: Yeah, I mean that would be so fun. I wanna do all those things, but I think my goal is to just continue creating and collaborating with people, and just to be excited and be able to grow. I think true success and goals are just enjoying it and meeting the homies.
Speaking on collaborations, if you could pick anyone past or present to work with, who would you pick?
M: This is so hard! I would definitely love to work with Björk or The Strokes. Those are high up, definitely up there. It’d be cool to collab with Bob Marley, I grew up with Bob Marley. That’d be crazy. I don't know how that would work, but it would be so cool. I don't know who else, who do I just love so much. Oh there is this band named Makthaverskan and they are from Sweden, I believe. They’re like a girl punk band and I am obsessed with them. They are very up-and-coming and I just want them to like, go on tour with me and be best friends with me. That would be so fun. But yeah those artists, I’m sure there's a lot more that I’ll think of after and be like, shoot why didn't I say that!
My last question for you would be: Do you have any guilty pleasure songs that never fail to put you in a good mood?
M: Yes! I love “Satisfy My Soul” by Bob Marley. Every time. I could be really, really sad and I just can't be as sad as I was. I love “Demands” by Makthaverskan. I don't know, a lot of reggae can make me so happy. I'll just play that and I'll be like, I'm happy!
***
