- Words Darcy Culverhouse
As we revel in the acoustics of her latest release, 'Just A Girl', we follow Maya Lane around Newcastle for the day.
One balmy July afternoon, Maya Lane perched on the edge of her bed, reflecting on her emotions. Once again, a family member had asked her—for the 100th time— “Are you going to ever get a boyfriend?” Frustrated by the inability of others to understand her contentment in being single, Maya quickly put pen to paper, and started writing the verses of ‘Just A Girl’. Before it stood complete, she sensed that the track would be one of her favourites.
This quintessential beginning is part of the allure of ‘Just A Girl’ which sees the sugar-sweet artist’s ethereal vocals atop an acoustic timeless beat. With subtle nuances of folk and hints of country, Maya begins answering the unwelcome question—courtesy of her family member— with the lyrics “I’m happiest alone”, providing the impetus for Maya to express her wider thoughts on what it truly means to be a young independent woman.
We witness Maya Lane’s songwriting prowess take centre stage, all to the delicate plucking of guitar strings set against a spellbinding beat. Exploring the facets of “the beauty, the power, the chaos and emotions” of womanhood, she confronts societal stereotypes linked to being a girl, advocating for transformative change.
As ‘Just A Girl’ marks another track to add to her impressive roster, we catch up with Maya as she takes us on a day in her life…
"I arrived in Newcastle the morning of the show and headed straight out to explore the city."
"If I have some spare time before a show, I love to pop into local vintage shops and look around. It helps me calm my nerves and take my mind off the evening."
"Back to the hotel to practice and pick out the outfit for the night!"
"I love to drink Throat Comfort Yogi Tea before I sing."
"Getting ready."
"Showtime!"
"Every night I've been playing a duet with Dwight Baker (from Far From Saints). Dwight and I first wrote together at the beginning of the year, and is the reason I got put forward for the tour. At the time I was feeling a little stuck in my career and so it feels like such a full circle moment and the most incredible experience, to be playing the first song we wrote together on my first ever support tour!"
"Me and the crowd at Tyne Theatre Hall in Newcastle."
"As an independent artist it's important to have a grasp of the business side of things as well as the writing and performing. I decided to get merch made for the tour so I could go to the merch table after each gig and chat with fans. I'm also a bit of a sucker for buying little souvenirs to remember the night, so I wanted to provide fans with that experience as well."
"One of my favourite parts of this experience has been staying behind and meeting everyone after the shows, being able to meet and chat to fans each night is so special!"