Back with her strongest body of work to date, a rejuvenated Mae Muller reflects on how her whirlwind early career has made her the creative force she has now become.
For someone still so young, Mae Muller has already been on quite the artistic journey. Emerging at the back end of the 2010s with now classic cuts like “Jennie” and “Therapist”, the Kentish Town-born singer-songwriter spent much of her early twenties in the spotlight, sharing multiple bodies of work, working with major producers, touring with Little Mix, etc.
Her rise culminated in being nominated as the UK’s entry for the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest, an impressive achievement that ultimately ended wistfully with a low scoring finish — such is often the case for British entries though. After Eurovision, Muller needed a breather. She left her major label home of eight years and took some time out, travelled, reflected, shifted perspectives. Now, she’s returned — bolder, brighter, better than ever.
New EP “My Island” is a five-pronged pop smorgasbord, biting off soupçons of styles and blending them into an augmented sonic credo. From the hazy synths of euphoric, Madonna-coded title-track opener to the emotive hyper pop-esque closer “Breakaway”, the many sided coin of her artistry spins seamlessly. It’s a tender and timely opus, one that repositions Muller into the most authentic and creative posture she has perhaps ever upheld.
Talking the EP, Eurovision and life lessons, Wonderland gets the lowdown.
Listen to “My Island”…
Read the exclusive interview…
Hey Mae! How are you feeling? How’s your summer?
Hiiii! I’m so good, my summer has been gorgeous so far, been back on stage and releasing music I love so cant complain, although I am sweating my tits off.
Take us back to your early musical memories? Who inspired you? What made you want to be a musician yourself?
I can’t talk about my early musical memories without mentioning Lily Allen’s debut album alright still. I was around eight years old when it came out and it just changed my life. My mum bought the CD and would play it in the car, and I just remember thinking, who is this and how are they being so honest? Everything’s just wonderful was my favourite, even though I didn’t fully understand the subject matter at the time, I was totally enamoured by it. ‘I wanna be able to eat spaghetti bolognese, and not feel bad about it for days and days and days’. I just thought it was mad! Listening as a twenty seven year old woman, its a totally different experience as I have now lived these experiences, but I just remember hearing those songs as a little kid and thinking, I want to write songs like that. It was also the first time I had heard a british singer sing with their british accent which felt special.
How do you look back on your discography? What stands out? Is there anything you’d do differently?
Looking back on my discography gives me a mix of emotions if I’m honest. I feel an immense sense of pride, especially with the earlier stuff like Jenny, Anticlimax and Therapist. I can really hear me finding my voice as an artist in those songs and I still enjoy performing them. Then there’s my debut album Sorry I’m Late which I’m really proud of, songs like Breathe, MTJL and Miss America I think show how far I had come in my song writing. In terms of what I’d do differently, there’s definitely some releases that don’t feel authentic to who I am as an artist today, but I understand they served a purpose. It’s all part of the journey and I don’t regret anything! Now I’m just focusing on the music I’m making and releasing now, which feels like exactly where I need to be.
How do you reflect on your experience on Eurovision?
It feels like a lifetime ago now! When I do reflect on it which is if I’m honest, not that often, I just think of the people I met along the way, and the amazing fans! They were what made it enjoyable, and the sound of the arena on the night, after I had performed. That was a really beautiful moment.
What did it teach you about yourself? And about the industry?
This might sound a bit cheesy but it taught me that I’m a lot stronger than I thought. There were some moments throughout that experience which I thought god, I don’t know if I can get through this! But I did, and learnt how to thrive even when something doesn’t quite go the way you thought.
How has the experience — as well as your wider career so far — made you a better artist and a stronger person?
It made me a better artist because it forced me out of my comfort zone. After Eurovision I took a break, which was a little scary but very necessary. Coming back as an independent artist I had to really learn how to trust my own instincts and that’s something I had almost forgotten how to do. When there’s a huge team with managers, and a&r’s and execs you sometimes find yourself making music for their validation, but when its only you, you don’t need that, it’s just you your taste. Trusting your taste as an artist is what makes you a good one, in my opinion.
The new music sounds fantastic, with a sharpened sonic identity and a crisp and contemporary feel. Where did the root of your new era begin?
Thank you! This era started from just listening to a lot of iconic pop music. A lot of Madonna and Marina, some Robyn, and Lily Allen of course. I actually had stopped listening to music all together before I had started making this EP, I think in some weird way I had some weird trauma response every time I would try and listen to something, which sounds insane, but I think being in the rat race of it all, I had just lost sight a little bit and I couldn’t hear the joy anymore, it just made me feel kind of anxious! I am and always have been, since I was literally 2 years old, a huge music lover so it was kind of a dark time not being able to enjoy it. This ep documents me falling back in love with music again.
Why was “Breakaway” the track to welcome the next step of your artistry?
I thought it was really important for my first track back to be something vulnerable and raw, and that’s exactly what Breakaway is. It was originally going to be Hello Kitty, but I thought, we can’t start the story there. Ive just been away for over a year, I need to give some context! I almost wrote it like I was speaking to a therapist or writing a diary. While I was writing it I was quite nervous to be so open but also felt weirdly self assured, like I knew that this was what I was supposed to be doing, even though it felt scary. It’s the perfect mix of honesty, euphoria and vulnerability, a concoction of happy and sad emotions, which is exactly what the past few years have been.
Congratulations on your new EP, “My Island”. How are you feeling about the release?
Thank you so much! I’m just so excited! It’s my first project as an independent artist in what feels like forever so there’s definitely a great sense of pride there. I fucking did this and I made it happen on my own! The response so far has been incredible as well, I’ve missed that connection with the fans so much, so to see them enjoying the music is all I could ask for.
What informed the sonic decisions of the new EP?
I had been listening to all the pop girlies, like Charli and Addison, I was obsessed with “Aquamarine” for so long, and it got me thinking, who are the current girlies inspired by? It made me go back and start listening to earlier stuff like Madonna, Ray of Light, Seal and All Saints. I was also listening to stuff I loved as a kid, like Chase and Status. It all sounds like a wild mix but even if it’s just one line or one moment, they all inspired the sound of this EP in some way.
What do you tackle across the project, thematically?
There are a few themes of this EP, I think the main one is vulnerability, but also the power in that. Another is honesty, losing yourself, then finding yourself again. And also just wanting to party and have a good fucking time! All the themes that have spanned over my life the past 2 years, they’re there.
What does the EP mean to you? What do you hope listeners take away from it? What else is to come from you — this year and beyond?
This EP means everything to me, I know that sounds like a cliche but it’s true. There are some songs on there that I made in a really uncertain, and fearful time in my life, which just further reminds me that there is such beauty in not only the highs, but also the lows. I listen to it and think damn, you really did that. With no manager or label, I can do anything! I would love anyone who listens to it to know that its okay if they’re feeling a little lost and confused, or scared for the future. We all are, but there’s beauty and light all around us, especially in music. And if they can find some solace in this ep that’s all I could ever ask for! Or if people just wanna put it on and shake their ass around their bedroom, that’s also a win.
What else is to come from you — this year and beyond?
More music, more shows, writing for other artists is a big one too! Im going to do it all, and I’m doing it my way, which makes it a lot more fun.
