Maidin began singing and playing instruments as a very young child. Fascinated by the violin in the first grade, she begged her mother for music lessons but became frustrated with reading sheet music. This led Maidin to learn music her own way, pretending to read sheet music while secretly playing by ear. Soon after, Maidin began to pick up piano by ear in church and school, and eventually received piano, guitar, and voice lessons which progressed her natural talent and helped shape her technique.
Drawing influences from the likes of songwriting powerhouses Joni Mitchell and Dolly Parton, along with experimental pop musicians St. Vincent and Sylvan Esso, Maidin aims to create music that captures the vivid storytelling of folk music with a fresh and modern alternative pop sound. Her upcoming releases detail coming-of-age relationships and all the relatable emotions that go hand-in-hand with experiencing love, loss, yearning, and grief.
Tell us about your story as an artist.
I always wrote songs, sang, and played instruments. But I never considered sharing them with an audience before. Until the pandemic hit, and I was out of a job and needed to make some extra money. So I started busking on the sidewalks. I actually made some good money doing it too, I think people were just so desperate to hear any form of live music at the time. Luckily for me though, the head of my label Chauncy happened to be having lunch right across the street, and he asked for my socials. I thought “there’s no way this guy is for real” at first, but I guess it’s all working out. Now people are finally going to hear my music, and it’s all pretty surreal.
What do you think is the most important aspect of your life right now?
The obvious answer would be my music, but that has been important to me my whole life, and not just true in the “right now.” So right now, my friendships are very important to me. Catching up on family time I’ve missed out on, I’m sure a lot of people can relate to that. And I’ve recently been learning to find moments of joyful solitude every day. Outdoor activities help with that. It’s very important to me to live in the present, and to try to escape all these blue screens.
What makes this song special in your opinion?
It’s so personal to me, that I’m almost embarrassed for anyone to hear it. However, some of my favorite songs from other artists, the songs that have brought me the most comfort, have a kind of intense vulnerability. I am grateful for other artists who display their vulnerability, and I hope I can do the same for my listeners.
What inspired this track?
Well, nature is always inspiring to me. So I used images from outer space as a metaphor for wanting to get close to somebody who won’t let you, or who is cold and distant to you when you are trying to be warm and caring.
What are some of the core messages here?
Far be it from me to give anybody who hears my song a message, or to preach any lessons. I don’t even have any of this “life” stuff figured out for myself, so I would hope the audience takes away whatever message their heart tells them to. But I guess to answer the question in a different sense, this song is a conversation that I never got to have with somebody. It’s also a conversation that I had to have with myself, about knowing when to move on, and feeling proud that you tried even if you failed. These are the messages I’m trying to teach myself. Celestial Body is also, for me, an attempt to come to my own conclusions about a somewhat confusing, somewhat painful situation. I wrote it after an event where I didn’t get any explanations, so instead I got a song.
How do you think tik tok and social media are contributing to change an artist’s career?
I think it can be really good, because it puts a lot of power back into the artists’ hands. People are discovering new artists on TikTok that they never would have heard. I just went to a concert of an artist that I first found on my for you page – I probably wouldn’t have heard of them otherwise. Plus, they had two great opening acts, and now I’ve been listening to all three groups nonstop. Right now, it’s a very creative space.
What are some of your core values as a human being?
Damn, I mean let’s get into it then. Broadly, I believe each of us has a very real responsibility to make this messed up planet even just a little bit better than it was before we got here. And it’s each individual’s responsibility to figure out how to do that. For me, that looks like empathy, kindness, and selflessness. Helping people who need it, donating to worthy causes. Giving snacks to those living without homes. These are things I actively work on. It doesn’t always come naturally to me, or to any of us I’m sure. But I’m fortunate to have great examples of these virtues from others in my life, and I intend to follow those examples. I think humans, as a species, have survived so long because we are very social, and we are natural-born helpers. I really believe that’s in our DNA, but sometimes we all lose sight of that.
To speak more specifically, I believe passionately in equality. For all genders, races, backgrounds, and even species. I am a pacifist. I believe we should do our best to feed, shelter, and clothe our fellow humans. That every person deserves a chance at happiness, and that it’s our responsibility to create happiness for those around us.
What are your projects for this year?
The single is first, and soon we’ll shoot a music video for Celestial Body. Then an EP, then maybe a second EP then an album. Then hopefully finally some live performances, I’m just so excited to get back into it.
