MAYVE – Head High

By starrymag | April 30, 2019

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

 

A) I don’t think we’ll ever come out and classify ourselves into one genre, it would be like backing ourselves into a corner. I might listen to an R&B song one day and go onto writing a song which infuses that style, the next day it’s 70s singer/songwriter. In many ways, MAYVE is just an extension of our personalities and right now it’s changing a lot.

 

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

 

A) Depeche Mode, Prince, Blood Orange

 

Q) Talk about the story behind your new song “Head High.”

 

A) After releasing our song, “Neon,” we all sort of fell into an identity forming period. We were all experiencing things that were causing some growing pains and self-reflection. It’s easy to get lost in the rhythm of life and end up just going with it until it spirals out.  “Head High” is an attempt at capturing the sound of that moment.  There’s influence from pumping summer discos, the city at night, and a sense of isolation.  I guess that’s what it sounds like.  It’s definitely a transitionary song for us.

 

Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans connect to?

 

A) We live in a time where lines are blurred between happiness and success and we exist as products of our perceived value in the eyes of our peers. It’s a mysterious moment of self-reflection that we all eventually go through.

 

Q) How will the video for the track play into the message behind it?

 

A) We haven’t released a video for this track yet, we’re still in the early stages of hashing out the concept.

 

Q) What is your song writing process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics?

 

A) Not particularly, it really just depends on what comes first. The notepad on my phone is littered with tons of one-liners and hooks. Whenever we’re working on something musically, I’ll always go through them. It kind of acts as a back catalog for the song at hand and I usually find something that fits. Sonically, we’re usually just picking up different instruments, looking for sounds and playing something until it sticks. Usually there’s that moment of, “Oh, that’s cool,” and then you’re off.

 

Q) How much of hand do you have in the production of your music?

 

A) All of the writing and pre-production is done by us. Each of us is fortunate enough to have our own studio at home so we get to work on a lot of ideas. Before hitting the studio, we had ten songs in a really good spot. We sat down with our producer Chad Coplin and talked about which ones we all felt were the strongest. During the recording process, it was all just about getting the right take and “feel” for the song.

 

Q) What can fans expect from a live MAYVE performance?

 

A) We bring a lot of energy with us on stage and hope the combination of our sonic aesthetic and physical aesthetic creates a different experience for those watching.

 

Q) Will you be releasing a full EP or album in the near future?

 

A) We’ve been writing a lot of new material since leaving the studio in August. We plan to record again. As far as what the next project will entail is to be determined. We’re focused on the task at hand and that’s our next two singles. We’re excited to have them out and we want to deliver good product a fan base could grow from, ultimately warranting something as big as an album.

 

Q) Where are some of your favorite places to perform and what makes those locations so significant to you?

 

A) We haven’t gotten much of an opportunity to travel much outside of New York. That being said, we had an awesome time playing venues like Knitting Factory, Music Hall of Williamsburg and Mercury Lounge.

 

Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?

 

A) Dr. Dre

 

Q) What album/band are you currently listening to and why do you dig them?

 

A) The latest Toro Y Moi album was wild. A lot of cool sounds.

 

Q) You are a part of social media. Why is that such an important way for you to connect with your fans?

 

A) It really helps them get a sense of who we are outside of music. It’s anyone’s opportunity to display how they see the world. Not only does it give us an audience to release our music to, it helps us grow connections with people in areas we can’t get to yet.

 

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

 

A) There’s a lot more to come and we hope you enjoy, thank you.