Meet indie-electronic artist Maya Payne, a Kiwi who we're definitely adopting as our own

Meet indie-electronic artist Maya Payne, a Kiwi who we're definitely adopting as our own

Her new single Something We Once Knew is as confident as they come.

It seems like every day we're discovering an exciting new artist out of New Zealand, and today's the day we meet Maya Payne. She released her debut EP The Lucky Ones through her own label Rolley Records last year, and its lead single racked streams in the millions, eventually leading to her supporting Charli XCX on her last tour of New Zealand. This year finds Maya Payne moving over our way (Sydney to be exact), to get cracking on her next EP, and Something We Once Knew is a sparkling first cut. We sent her a few questions to make her feel more at home, so that we may eventually claim her as Australian.

Tell us about yourself?

I’m from Christchurch, NZ and I moved to Sydney four months ago to work on my second record. I’m really digging it here! I love the beaches and city life, there are so many gigs to go to and f*cking good food everywhere. I’ve always loved to play and listen to music, it’s been my thing since I was a kid.

What kinda tunes we talkin’?

I create indie-pop with some electro elements. I love to experiment with styles. I started writing my first EP when I was 16 so I’ve grown a lot since then and my style has changed. This next record is going to be more organic. I want to evoke emotion in my audience, get them out of their reality. My latest single Something We Once Knew is about longing for those moments you were happiest.

Production/writing process:

My process can vary. I get melody/lyric ideas in my head, sometimes when I’m walking home or falling asleep and then I’ll record them into my phone. Or I’ll sit at my piano and guitar and write. I can write something super fast and other times it takes weeeeks to get it finished, it really just depends how I’m feeling. Once I have something down I get into a studio and suss out the production with my producer. I always have sound references and notes before I go in. I also love to co write with other songwriters around the world because I love having their perspective on a situation/feeling.

Can you tell us about your new single, Something We Once Knew?

Something We Once Knew was written over in Berlin, I was living there for a bit last year working on new music and going to songwriting camps. Then I had it produced here in Sydney. The track is about escaping your reality and going back to a moment that you were happiest. Whether it’s a place, a person, an important event, even just a conversation.

Any shows coming up?

Currently I’m working on this second EP, then when that is out I’ll be playing as much as I can in as many places as I can!

What’s the rest of the year have in store?

I’m going to be in and out of the studio working on this EP and writing with as many people as I can. I hope to do some music videos and start playing live too. It’s exciting because I don’t know what’s going to happen.

Where can we hear more of your music?

Best place to listen to more of my music is on my SOUNDCLOUD, SPOTIFY and ITUNES

Follow Maya Payne: FACEBOOK / TWITTER/ INSTAGRAM / BANDCAMP

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