SPOTLIGHT: MAGGIE ANDREW

Photo By Michaela Jessome

Meet Maggie Andrew and tune into her new EP “HOW TO SING FOR MONEY”

HOW TO SING FOR MONEY blends glowing synths, grinding guitars, and acoustic moments. How did you decide on the sonic palette for this record?

For this EP, I wanted to step back a little bit from the current pop music landscape and really incorporate a lot of real instruments into the recordings. There were definitely a lot of ‘70s and ‘80s influences flying around in the studio too. It all just kind of came together naturally. There was never a point where we like “okay, everything needs to sound like this or that,” it was more that we were just writing songs with amazing lyrics and using the production and instruments to amplify and connect everything in a way that made sense.

The EP was largely written during a concentrated period in Toronto. How did that focused environment shape the music?

My favourite way to create music in the way we made this project. I love being able to co-write with the same people consistently because I think it makes the music better and also makes me feel much more connected to it. These songs capture a moment in time and the energy we felt while creating them. I don’t think it would have been the same result had we broken up the writing and recording process over a longer period of time. I’m someone who is very driven by results, so knowing I can go to the studio everyday and work towards a finished project always feels exciting for me. For me, it’s hard to write half a song and then let it sit for months before coming back to it. I feel that it’s important to strike while the iron is hot and that’s exactly what it felt like creating my new music.

You’ve said the project reveals “another dimension” of yourself. What new side of Maggie Andrew do listeners hear on this record?

I think there’s a lot of new dimensions of myself that this record reveals. There’s definitely more of a pop flair to these new songs. My music is definitely a reflection of what I’m going through and experiencing, so as I continue to live my life, my music also continues to be an area where I can dream up anything or create anything that lets people see inside of my brain a little bit. I think if you listen to the songs on HOW TO SING FOR MONEY, this “other side” is revealed throughout. 

The title track critiques the exhaustion of the music industry. How do you balance your artistic integrity with the pressures of making a career in music?

The most important thing to me is to just be myself and do what I want. I make music because I find it freeing and I love being creative. I think being true to yourself and following your own creative vision is the most important thing—without those things, I don’t think I would have a career. 

“Emotional Touchdown” paints the emptiness of a jet-set lifestyle. What inspired that exploration of glamour versus reality?

Truthfully, I walked in the studio and Michael (Goldchain) and I started talking about spiders and how many spiders you supposedly swallow in your sleep each year. When Ralph arrived, we decided we just wanted to make a song about chasing happiness and doing whatever you need to do to chase the high of life being exciting. It started with the “spiders in the champagne glass,” which was a little nod to the one time I flew first class, haha.

“Unfinished Business” dives into the ache of chasing someone still stuck in their past. How do you translate deeply personal emotions into universally relatable songs?

When I was coming up with “Unfinished Business,” I was really just thinking about a relationship I was in and the experience. I often write what I know and those lyrics in particular feel so personal and specific because they are. Sometimes when you’re hurting it can feel like nobody else would ever understand, but it’s actually very relatable. 

The focus single, “Did You Cry,” builds into distortion-fueled catharsis. What does that track represent in the context of the EP?

I wrote this song with my current partner and my ex, and I think it represents how chaotic my life can be sometimes, but in a beautiful way. I also think it represents how time can heal all things. Being creative is an outlet for all 3 of us and we’ve always loved making music together, so why would we want to stop doing that? I think that being raw and honest can take you far, especially in a room full of songwriters! 

In “Father Figure,” you reflect on growing up and transcending your past. How did writing this song help you process those experiences?

If I’m being honest with you, it didn't really help me process any of those experiences, haha. Writing the song with my friends was a great way for me to really let them into my life and talk about my past trauma and experiences, and that’s where the song really came from. I never intended it to be a way for me to process anything or make sense of things that had happened. I think the song can be interpreted in a nice way too. I talk about my family in a lot of different ways. Everyone in my family is older than me, so I watched them all growing up. I was there for the good and the bad, and learned a lot about what to do or not to do just by watching them.

“If God Was Real” takes a playful yet poignant approach to questioning belief. What drove you to write a track that challenges such a big idea?

It was late at night, I was just sitting at my piano, and that's what came out. The song started with the “if God was real, why’d he do that shit to me” because I was thinking exactly that! 

The EP closes with “Fall Like a Feather,” an anthem of resilience. Why did you feel this song was the right note to end on?

It was the first song I wrote, before I knew I was going to have the opportunity to make a new collection of songs. The day we wrote that song, it felt really good and I remember feeling really excited and proud of it. I chose to close the EP with “Fall Like a Feather” because I think it offers a nice note to end on. After talking about heartbreak, trauma, and all the not-so-nice parts of life, I wanted the last song to leave things on the note that no matter what, nothing can keep me down forever! 

Winning CBC’s Searchlight competition and recording at the National Music Centre was a pivotal moment. How did that opportunity influence the making of this record?

Winning CBC Music’s Searchlight was amazing! This project wouldn’t have been the same without it. Getting to work at the National Music Centre for a week and having access to all of the incredible gear in the studio really elevated the sound of the recordings. It helped us make this collection of songs even more interesting and fun to listen to. I don’t know if the experience necessarily influenced the songs directly, but winning Searching definitely helped support the creation of the music. It was nice to be able to plan something in November and have it all finished just a few months later. Finishing a record often takes much longer than that, so having that access and freedom to just be able to show up and make this record was very nice.

You collaborated closely with Carleton Stone and Kyle Mischiek, who also happen to be your partner and ex. How does that dynamic impact the songwriting process?

I think it’s interesting! I don’t feel like it makes anything weird, if anything it makes it better. We’re all friends and we all love making music and creating things. Getting to make music with the people you love is a beautiful thing. 

You’ve worked with big names like blackbear, Doc McKinney, and Yeti Beats. How did those early collaborations prepare you for this chapter of your career?

I think those things were less “preparation” and more just part of my journey. Those were some of my very first sessions and studio days that I cherish and think of fondly! I really value the time that I spent with all of those producers. All of those people believed in me very early on and taught me how key it is to surround yourself with people who believe in you. It was definitely a really fun experience working with all of them and being able to lean on them for advice. I also very much appreciate their patience with me when I was still learning how to make music in an environment that I wasn’t used to yet at that time. 

You’ve described your music as label-resistant but always centered on your voice. How do you see your sound evolving moving forward?

I think my sound will continue to evolve in the same way it has been. I feel like it’s silly to confine yourself to one genre or put yourself in a box. Who’s to say that I can’t make any type of music I want…? If I want to make a folk album next or a hip-hop record, there’s no reason why that should be off limits. I think my voice and being confident in the quality of the work I’m making is what’s most important. We don’t know what music is going to sound like in 20 years, so I see it as a benefit to be able to shapeshift through different styles of music. I’m also inspired by a lot of different things and sounds, so I don’t want to limit myself. Moving forward, I definitely want to keep focusing on my vocals and continue to develop as a songwriter. When it comes to the sound of my music, I always like when my songs evoke an emotion or memory or feeling. Whatever I create next, I’m sure it’ll be something exciting! 

HOW TO SING FOR MONEY feels both deeply personal and broadly resonant. What do you most hope listeners take away from this collection of songs?

I hope that everyone is able to find something that they like on HOW TO SING FOR MONEY. I hope they listen to the lyrics and understand that we’re all just humans living our own experiences. Maybe they’ll find a melody that speaks to them or a lyric they relate to. I like to let people find their own meaning in my art, so I hope whatever they take from it, it means something to them.

Listen to “HOW TO SING FOR MONEY” here.