After the successful release of her first single of 2023 ‘I Never Needed Anyone,’ Maisy Grace returns with the glistening ‘Break It Down’. This is the second single taken from her highly anticipated debut album ‘Based On A True Story,’ penned for release this summer (and produced by Kouncilhouse). We caught up with her on the day of the single release to learn more about the track, her approach to music, influences, dream dinner dates and the Cornish music scene, read on for more….
We know you’re a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and producer from Cornwall, tell me something about yourself that not many people would know….
When I was 14 years old, I decided to shave all my hair off because I had a dream that I did it. I ended up raising about £1500 and donated all my hair to the Little Princess Trust.
You’re from Cornwall, would you say that this influences your work?
As you can imagine, Cornwall is an extremely inspiring place. Just the coast and the ocean gives me so much to write about, I don’t think I could ever run out of ideas. Also growing up performing music in Cornwall has boosted my confidence in reaching out to people and making friends, there is such a great community here.
Do you think that your sound would be altogether different if you were brought up in a big city?
My experiences have such an impact on my songwriting that there probably would be a bit of a change, but I have no idea. I’m glad I didn’t though!
Who would you cite as major influences on your music/sound?
I think that my influences change depending on who I’m listening to at the time. As a whole I try to incorporate Ben Howard’s lyricism, Sade’s interesting melodies and London Grammar’s emotions, but if I’m listening to Tom Misch that day I might try to add some funky guitar riffs. If I’m listening to Little Simz or Self Esteem I might have a go at some spoken word, but it hasn’t proved successful yet.
What are your thoughts on the health of the music scene in your area at the moment?
The music scene in Cornwall is great. For such a small place there is a lot going on and everyone is always doing things. Everyone seems to know everyone, so you will be at a festival and you will run into people you saw the other week at a different event! Everyone just focuses on enjoying it as well, which I think is so important.
What about live venues, are there enough to allow musicians to showcase their talent?
We do have a bunch of places to play, but there could always be more. Unlike cities there aren’t many venues that are so well known, but everyone is always keen to hear new music, so there are events going on all the time that people enjoy attending. I actually had my latest photos taken in the Cornish Bank which is a really cool venue.
If you had to single out just one artist or band that made YOU want to start writing your own music, who would it be and why?
I’m not entirely sure why, but Ocean Alley have always been a big one for me. They have such a distinct style that is right for them and their music makes me feel really inspired to create my own music. I don’t fully believe I have found my own sound yet, as everything I’ve done has been so different, and I have worked with different people on all my releases. But in September 2023, I will be studying production so I’ll be in control which is slightly scary!
Your second single ‘Break it Down’ is released today (28th April 2023), are you as excited for this as you were for your debut single release (I Never Needed Anyone)?
If I’m being fully honest, I was slightly distracted when ‘I Never Needed Anyone’ came out as I was on a trip in New York at the time! But for ‘Break it Down’ I am home, and only focused on that so it’s basically taking up all my brain capacity! I also think ‘Break it Down’ is quite special and I might be a bit more excited for it than I was the first single.
Please open up the bonnet and tell me what the track is all about….
‘Break it Down’ is about a friend of mine who deserved better in a relationship. I might be a bit of an overprotective friend when it comes to dating, so the song is basically a warning not to hurt people I care about.
Your debut album ‘Based on a True Story’ is set to be released in the Summer, how are you planning on celebrating this landmark event?
I want to arrange an event where I get some friends to play, bring everyone I know and just have a big party because this really is a huge thing for me. I am so excited and so are my friends, and maybe an event where I can play them all the songs will make it actually feel real to me.
Where did you record the album and did anyone help to produce it?
This album is all thanks to the producer Kouncilhouse, who is so incredibly talented. With me writing the songs and him producing them, I think we have made a great team over the last 6 months and I could not be more thankful to him.
You’ve received a lot of support from local blogs and have been featured on BBC Introducing and Radio 6 Music, how do you feel when you hear people talking about you on the radio?
It feels completely unreal. I grew up playing music just because I loved it, and I decided I would give it a bit of a go in 2020 because my exams had been cancelled and I had a bit of free time. I never would have thought that I would have ended up here, as I never intended to have music as my main thing. I thought it would just be a hobby alongside my actual career but all of the wonderful things people have said about me have made me decide that this is what I want to do with my life.
I read that you have already played some incredible festivals including Boardmasters and The Great Estate, tell me about any that you’ll be performing at this year….
I have some great festivals lined up, for example I am playing main stage Shindig Festival in June with Kouncilhouse which will be pretty mega. I am main stage Rock Oyster, which is a festival so dear to me that I think I will be playing there when I’m 60. St Ives Food Festival has been a dream the last couple of years so I’m excited to go there again. Then maybe a few more depending how the summer lines up.
You’re hosting a dinner party and need to come up with a 3 course menu, what are your guests going to eat?
For starters I will make some cheese and pineapple sticks, maybe with some party rings and hula-hoops. Then for main course I will make barbecue chicken burgers, or halloumi and sweet potato burgers for my veggie friends, then for dessert an apple crumble with some vanilla ice-cream. And there will of course be drinks provided throughout the evening so I expect the servings of food to become more and more sloppy as the night progresses.
Speaking of guests, who would you invite? You can have 3 and they can be dead or alive….
I will invite my friend Bea, as she would be mad if I didn’t invite her. I will just invite alive people as I am sure having dead people at my dinner party would put a bit of a dampener on the evening, so my other two would be Jack Sparrow, because I feel like he would be very interesting conversation and also maybe Luna Lovegood from Harry Potter just because I think she’s awesome.
Dream Festival lineup time, you have to select 3 acts/bands/artists to headline your 3 day festival, who would you choose and why?
I have never seen Bicep, and I am obsessed with the idea of seeing them at some point. I would also love to see Loyle Carner, who I was going to see at Boardmasters when he was there but I was working so couldn’t make it. Also if we are talking dream, I would wish Prince back to life to see him play.
Tell me about some other local acts that you are into at the moment?
I absolutely love the sound of Max Rad and his latest album, and also a good friend of mine, Peri Rae is absolutely sick and I love her music. There is also Webmoms who is amazing, and a few of his tracks are on some playlists of mine.
Where is the best place to keep up to date with your musical whereabouts?
Instagram or Facebook, but I have all my upcoming gigs on my website.
We’d like to thank Maisy Grace for sparing the time to chat to us and we wish her every success for both her new single (OUT TODAY) and her highly anticipated forthcoming debut album ‘Based on a True Story’ which will be hitting the shelves in Summer 23. Keep up to date with her musical whereabouts at the following sites.
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