Maggie Rogers is a 24-year-old singer, songwriter, and record-producer originating from Maryland. She has a bachelor’s degree from New York University and a talent that I can only think to describe as a massive spiritual connection to the energy of her music. Maggie’s most recent and first release with the major label, Heard It in a Past Life, was released on Jan. 18, 2019, and has been described by Time Magazine as “genre-defying” and “refreshingly direct.”
Courtesy: Time.com
Maggie has recently found her place in the realm of popular up-and-coming artists, but she is no stranger to music. During her senior year of high school, she recorded her songs in a makeshift studio and released Echo (2012), which she sent demos of in her application to NYU. During her sophomore year at NYU, she released Blood Ballet (2014). Then in 2016, everything changed.
In 2016, Pharrell Williams hosted a master class with Maggie Rogers and her peers at NYU. A video was uploaded online of the students’ experience of being able to play songs for him and receive feedback. To say the least, Pharrell was impressed by Maggie Rogers as an artist and this video went viral. Immediately following, The Echo and Blood Ballet received increasing attention and suddenly there was a massive group of people looking to Maggie wondering, what’s next?
Source: worldofwonder.net
Maggie released her EP, Now That the Light is Fading, on Feb. 17, 2017, with Capitol Records. Her television debut was on Feb. 15, 2017, on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. She took this opportunity to go on tour for a year with her EP, ending the tour with an acoustic show at a University in Alaska.
Her time in Alaska was a great opportunity for reflection and time to breathe after the whirlwind year that newfound fame and touring brought. She shares in the documentary, Back in My Body, that she is doing what she loves in the way that she loves and will first and foremost just be herself. After the tour of her EP, it was time to make her album.
On Nov. 3, 2018, Maggie performed two singles and previewed her new record on Saturday Night Live.
On Jan. 18, 2019, Heard It In a Past Life was released and her upcoming U.S. tour for the album sold out.
Her website includes a bio section in which Maggie writes:
“I can’t promise I won’t change or that I won’t fall in love with new people or ideas that’ll change the way I see the world, but I can promise to be me. To be messy. To be flawed. To be honest. To be open. To be human. And of that, I won’t let you down. x Maggie”
I was one of the lucky people who had the opportunity to buy tickets for her tour before they sold out (tickets included a copy of her album… what!!!). I am excited to experience the tour and see what’s next in store for Maggie Rogers. If you haven’t experienced her music for yourself yet, there is no better time than the present. I suggest starting with her music videos!