An Interview With The Very Promising Singer-Songwriter, MAGGIE SCHNEIDER On Covering Taylor Swift, Her New EP ‘Tinted Glasses’ and More!

The bright-eyed and bubbly new artist, Maggie Schneider, is kicking off 2018 with a bang, with her recent cover of Taylor Swift’s melodic tune, “New Year’s Day.“ To help bring in the new year, Maggie also released her brand new EP, entitled Tinted Glasses on January 12th. With a culmination of fresh, honest, and open-hearted lyrics, Schneider writes her songs about her love of life and optimistic point of view. The 4-track EP, produced by Rian Dawson of All Time Low at Track Happy Studios, is about navigating life, relationships, growing up and delves into how her life has changed since her debut release, Insomniac. 

Off the forthcoming release, Maggie released “Chuck Bass,” a feminist anthem that encourages women to stand up for their rights. Schneider continues, “it’s a sassy song about women valuing honesty and integrity in relationships, over wealth and status. It’s about how I can’t be bought. My song is a positive reminder of how much strength we have as women, and I think that this is an important topic to be expressed in music. It is up to us to celebrate each other and make a difference in the world without diminishing out male counterparts.” Inspirer coins Schneider as one of the “voices for a new generation of feminist badasses” and fans can view the brand new music video for “Chuck Bass” here!

Also off the forthcoming EP, Tinted Glasses, comes “695 North Avenue” which released in November via Sick Snaps. They stated “Schneider combines her singer/songwriter style with a bit of a pop-rock touch to bring the song to life…Her writing is upbeat, but will fill you with feelings of nostalgia through her storytelling approach in her lyricism.” The song is about the Atlanta-based venue The Masquerade, which she coins as a major part of building her musical career. As an ode to her hometown venue, Schneider continues,

“It’s a place dear to my heart, and I feel like I’ve grown up there. 695 North Avenue was the original address of the venue before they moved to another space last year, and it will always serve as my musical home. So many of my favorite memories took place in this building, from singing live with State Champs to a sold-out crowd, to dancing the nights away with my best friends. I am so thankful for all of the moments I’ve spent at The Masquerade, and for all of the support that the management and crew have given me over the years. This song is dedicated to them and all that they’ve done for both myself and the Atlanta music scene as a whole.”

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Learn more about Maggie Schneider in the following All Access interview:

Happy New Year! Thanks for your time today! Where does this interview find you?

    Happy New Year to you guys, and thanks for having me. I’m currently at home in Atlanta, sitting inside with my cute dog, Annie!

Overall, how do you think 2017 was for you and your music career? What are you most excited about for this year? Did you make any New Year’s Resolutions? Care to share them with us?

    I think that 2017 was the biggest year for me as an artist so far. I’ve been playing music for as long as I can remember, but I feel like I had the most creative growth during 2017. Recording my new EP with Rian Dawson of All Time Low was most definitely the highlight of my year, and continues to impact me in the most positive of ways. I learned so much from working with Rian, and I am so proud of what we created together.

   I am excited for so many things coming up in 2018. My EP, Tinted Glasses, was just released, and I have some really fun shows coming up to support it. On March 18, I’m playing my first show in New York at The Bitter End, which is the oldest rock club in the city! It’s been a huge dream of mine to play this venue for years, and I think it’s going to be a really special night.

    My New Year’s Resolution this year is to grow both as an artist, and as a person. This is my usual New Year’s Resolution, because I think it’s always important to learn from my past experiences. These memories, both the good and bad, inspire me to spread positivity and honesty through my music and throughout my everyday life.

Growing up, did you always want to be a musician? Can you recall your earliest musical memory? Was there a time where you thought of doing something completely different? 

    I’ve always wanted to be a musician. My parents introduced me to artists and bands like P!nk, Bon Jovi, and Rick Springfield at a very young age, and I remember singing “Jessie’s Girl” and “Wanted Dead or Alive” at the top of my lungs in the car on the way to preschool. I know these songs by heart to this day!

    In addition to my music career, I’m also a writing student at the Savannah College of Art and Design at the Atlanta campus. My major encompasses all different kinds of writing, but I’m focusing on new media and journalistic styles. I love going to school for writing because it’s another passion of mine where I can access my creativity. It has also really benefitted my songwriting and social media profiles!

I always like to ask artists about where they came from and how that city or town has influenced them as an artist now. So how do you think your home has affected you and your music today?

    Growing up in Atlanta, I’ve been influenced by the city and the amazing music scene. The Masquerade venue is a specific place that has influenced my love for music as well as my artistic growth. I’ve been going to shows at The Masquerade since I was 12 years old, and I played my first show there at that same age. Since then, The Masquerade family has given me so many opportunities to share my music with people, and it really has become my musical home. My song “695 North Avenue” is about The Masquerade and all of the wonderful memories I’ve created there.

Let’s talk about your forthcoming release EP called “Tinted Glasses.” Where did the inspiration for this collection come from? 

    My new EP is inspired by my personal experiences, and the ways that I’ve grown as a person this past year. The EP itself is all about the highs and lows of life and relationships, and the lessons to take away from these experiences. I explore everything from love and joy, to loss and sadness. I set out to write a very honest record and my goal was to write something honest and relatable for listeners to connect with.

Where did your already released track “Chuck Bass” come from? It’s such an incredible female empowerment song! What made you want to write this feminist anthem? 

    Thank you so much! As a young woman, I think it’s very important to empower women in all forms of art, particularly music. “Chuck Bass” is all about women celebrating each other and valuing what’s truly important in life; it’s about how strong women are, and the idea that we can’t be bought or bribed. I wanted to discuss these important themes through a positive anthem, in an effort to inspire women to stay strong and stick together.

What made you decide to do a cover of Taylor Swift’s song, “New Year’s Day”? What other covers have you put out? What do you think makes for an ideal song to cover? 

    I decided to cover “New Year’s Day” by Taylor Swift because it’s my favorite song off of her new album, reputation. The first time I heard it, I immediately knew that I had to cover it!

    I’ve put out many covers on my YouTube channel, including “Toothbrush” by DNCE, “Secrets” by State Champs, and “Dirty Laundry” by All Time Low. For me, the ideal song to cover is one that I can truly connect to, and they are definitely the most fun to make! I also like choosing songs where I have a lot of room to make the arrangement my own. Sometimes I like to improvise melody, change the rhythm, or play a different instrument to what is on the track. I always try and give my covers their own unique style.

We are living in a crazy and at times rough world right now so I am curious how you think being a musician gives you the most joy in life today? How do you think that new music being created today is going to reflect these difficult times?

    It’s very true that the world can be very rough at times, and it’s hard to get away from this negativity. For me, music is that outlet where I can escape all of this, and hopefully, make a positive difference for listeners with what I create. I can’t imagine my life without music. I think that new music being created today will allude to what is going on in the world, and I hope that these upcoming releases exude optimism. It is so easy to lose hope, especially during such divisive times. However, I strongly believe that artists should make a larger impact on the world by spreading awareness and hope for the future.

Who are some of your favorite artists or rather, what musicians have continued to inspire you and your music? What musicians would you absolutely still love to work with in the future? 

     I think that the Jonas Brothers were the first band to really inspire me to play music. I began listening to them at a really young age, and was the biggest fan of the Camp Rock movies. Seeing them play their original music on the radio, television, and on tour really inspired me to pick up an acoustic guitar and write my own songs. I’m definitely still inspired by the Jonas Brothers, and I have also found inspiration from All Time Low, State Champs, DNCE, Lady Gaga, and P!nk. It would be a dream come true to work with any of these bands/artists!

What do you hope your fans take away from your music? Do you find that a lot of your music has a greater meaning behind it?  

    My number one goal is for my fans to connect with the music I make. No matter what, I want my songs to be genuine and relatable, so that they can really impact my listeners and make them feel something. I also hope that my music and story inspires my fans to follow their dreams. Doing what you love is so important, and if I can encourage just one person to follow their passion, that’d mean the world to me!

Where can fans see you perform next? What are some of your first few tour dates in 2018?

    Fans can see me performing in Atlanta on January 24^th at Smith’s Olde Bar! I’m playing a headlining show at the venue to celebrate my birthday. On February 18, I’m playing Smith’s Olde Bar again, and on March 18, I’m performing in New York City for the very first time at The Bitter End. I’m planning more tour dates for Summer 2018 as well!

Would you like to share anything with our readers about yourself or your music?

    My new EP, Tinted Glasses, is now available everywhere! I hope it inspires you to follow your dreams.