Interview: Maggie Lindemann discusses new single “GASLIGHT!” and more
Photography: 36NEEX / 36neex
Words: Guilherme Ferrari / gferrari____
Music has always been a constant in Maggie Lindemann’s life. Through the internet, since she was only 16 she has been releasing incredible songs based on her personal experiences. Integrating nineties-style grit and modern pop vulnerability, “Knife Under My Pillow” marked her debut for Caroline Records this year and today she releases her new single “GASLIGHT!” in a collaboration with Siiickbrain. French Fries Magazine had the opportunity to talk with Maggie / maggielindemann about her new projects, her clothing line Swixxz and how to keep creative during quarantine.
Listen to “GASLIGHT!”:
You started your career through the internet, how has your sound evolved from then to being signed to a record label now?
I was only 16 when I started actually recording music and putting out songs, so I was really young. I didn’t know what I wanted to do at all, except for make music. I also had no sense of self or individuality, so as time has gone by i’ve really changed a lot, in my personal life and music. I’m finally making music I genuinely love and am happy with and I think you can tell in the music.
And from moving from Texas to Los Angeles, how has that influenced your work? Tell us about your single “Knife Under My Pillow”?
I think it just opened my mind a lot. I was very closed minded and stubborn as a teenager and moving to LA definitely gave me some real perspective. “Knife Under My Pillow” is about me being super paranoid. I literally sleep with a knife under my pillow and have knives everywhere cause I’m so paranoid. It takes up a pretty big portion of my life I feel like so I had to write about it.
What about your new single “GASLIGHT!” that is coming out today? There is a sense of hard anti-pop through the song, as well as within your latest tracks. How do you relate this genre to your early works?
I wouldn’t say it’s anti-pop. It’s just cool metal, rock and underground influenced. I think the term pop has been so spewed over time and it doesn’t even mean “popular” anymore, it’s turned into an actual genre. It’s different from my older stuff for sure. I was signed to a major label at 17 and I’m 22 now. I’ve grown so much as a person and a songwriter since then. We all grow and evolve with time. The new stuff is just more emotional and meaningful to me.
How did the collaboration with Siiickbrain come around?
We’re just really good friends and we just decided to do a song. It wasn’t really a thought out process at all.
What is it like promoting a single during quarantine?
It’s weird. It’s kinda nice cause I’m such a homebody, I love to go on tour and have fun but not being able to come sleep in my bed at night has always been hard for me. But it’s also weird cause I miss performing and being able to meet people.
How have you been keeping busy creatively? What has been your favourite part of becoming a music artist?
I’ve just been in sessions almost every day. Everyone around me is also super creative so it helps to have that around me. My favorite part is definitely just finding myself. I think if I was still in Texas I would’ve never found myself and who I’m meant to be.
Is there anything about the industry that has surprised you?
The whole thing, haha. It’s really hard to navigate especially being in it so young and not knowing what you’re doing. I used to be really fucking hard headed too so trying to navigate through things was really tough for me.
Last year you released a song with Travis Barker, how was connecting with him?
So fucking sick, I mean he’s literally a legend so for him to wanna hop on my song was so crazy. The whole experience is something I will definitely never forget.
Out of all the music you've written, which song has meant the most to you and why?
I would say “Love Songs” is the most heartfelt thing I’ve ever written. “Would I” definitely hits too, but I think with “Love Songs” it was just such a raw emotion. It’s hard for me to listen to that song, it makes me feel weird cause of how gushy it is.
Talking about fashion... can you tell us about your clothing line? What are your main references?
Ya so I have a clothing line with Zumiez called swixxz that we started 2 years ago! I wanted to have a women’s clothing line that is still unisex clothing that’s just dope. Any influences are just goth/punk fashion for a lot of the fonts and designs. I wanted to have a line that I would actually wear myself.
Can you tell us about what you've got in the works right now?
I have an EP coming out top of next year that I’ve been working on for the past year. I’m about to start dropping tons of songs, I’m so hype.
