Get To Know: Maisie Peters

Brighton songstress Maisie Peters is our new favourite popstar. With her honest lyrics and a clear songwriting talent, the 19 year old is quickly becoming one to watch. At only 12 years old she began writing her own music, and after uploading her songs onto YouTube during her teenage years, was signed to Atlantic Records at 18.
 
With a distinctive delicacy to her voice, Maisie says she’s trying to make “big universal feelings as little and intimate as possible”. That, she is definitely doing. Her debut EP, 'Dressed Too Nice For A Jacket’, released in late 2018 is full of vulnerability and youthful charm, with tracks including ‘In My Head’, and ‘Architecture’. The project earnt her a solid fan base, and led perfectly into the release ‘Stay Young’ which has so far got over 1.5 million views on YouTube. This summer has put Maisie on everyone’s radar after her track ‘Feels Like This’ featured on Love Island 2019, rocketing the song up the iTunes Chart.
 
With comparisons to the likes of Taylor Swift, the British singer is on an upward trajectory. With already a whopping 3.4 million monthly listeners on Spotify alone, the future is only looking bright for the young artist. Maisie chats to us about ABBA, her writing process and her busy festival schedule!

1) For those who don’t know about you and your music, tell us a little bit about who you are and where you’re from…

Hi I’m Maisie, I’m a singer songwriter from a small village near Brighton, and I write songs trying to make big universal feelings as little and intimate as possible.

2) Describe your sound in three words…

Emo organic girlpop (if we make girlpop one word then it’s not cheating OK) is my go to answer.

3) Who inspired you to start a career in music?

Taylor Swift, Lily Allen, seeing First Aid Kit play Brighton Dome with my Spanish exchange when I was 15, Sara bariellies - basically lots of amazing women in songwriting.

4) Who are your biggest musical influences?

So many people - I love the lyricism and cultural referencing of lots of rap music so early Kanye, The College Dropout, Ingrid Michaelson, early Taylor (duh), Kacey Musgraves, ABBA’s intricate, intelligent use of melody and chord is still such a thing for me. The Defamation of Strickland Banks, Plan B's album, was also very formative in making me love songs that tell stories.

5) Tell us about the writing and recording process for your new single/album…

I wrote my next single with my friend Sophie in her home studio. It was the end of the day and we’d been doing another song that day, but she played me this little loop of a filtered vocal and I just immediately knew I wanted to write to the words ‘this is on you’, as I had written that lyric the day before but not ended up using it in the song. The rest of the song came super quickly, and was this manic last minute adrenaline rush of bad bitch energy, so so much fun.

6) What can we expect from your live shows?

Chop and change! Me and my band all play different instruments throughout (we hilariously have seven guitars and only two of us who actually play them on stage) and I always want my live show to feel very traditional in providing authentic real musicianship and proper live music, while still having all the excitement and fluidity of a big pop show. Also expect inappropriate jokes and a healthy amount of self depreciation.

7) What has been your biggest career highlight so far?

So difficult! Maybe playing Scala this May (800 whole people! Watching ME! Honestly, who allowed it?) or having my song being on Love Island. I religiously watch Love Island with my sister, my mum, and my - reluctant - father, and it was wild hearing myself soundtrack those moments that I always discuss in depth anyway.

8) Have you met anyone and been totally starstruck?

Hmmmm, no?! I don’t think so?? I haven’t met that many mad famous people though sorry to disappoint, probably my most starstruck was when I met JLS in a pub in Cambridge when I was 10, that really was a big day for small me. 'Everybody In Love' still bangs to this day.

9) What’s on your playlists that people wouldn’t expect?

'Buddy Holly' by Weezer is one of my fav ever songs, which I think is pretty unexpected? 'Good Luck' by Basment Jaxx is also an absolute fav, and 'Often' by The Weeknd was - hilariously - my Year 11 school trip anthem with me and my girls.

10) When can we see you live?

Will be announcing some very exciting news about that imminently, but in the meantime I’m playing Latitude, 110 Above, Belladrum festival this summer and would big love to see you there!

Maisie's also playing our MTV PUSH Live event at Tape London next week - stick your name on the guestlist here.