So today we have hooked up with the talented Maiah Wynne. Maiah is a female singer/songwriter who has got amazing music you need to hear today. We got hooked after seeing her video for “I Got Nuthin’ featuring Aliephant.” Join us today as we ask 5 questions and Maiah really opens up about what is going on in her world!
Skope: Where are you talking from today and how is winter going?
Hi! I am currently writing from Portland, OR, but I just got back from a huge trip. I went to LA for 2 weeks after winning the international Claim2Fame contest!
Los Angeles was so much fun. I got to play 2 shows at the famous Hotel Cafe and meet with some really amazing people and vocal coaches. Michael Orland and Piesha Mcfee were both so wonderful to work with. I was there at the same time the Oscars were happening and that was really amazing too. Everything was incredible and I felt like a celebrity walking through Hollywood.
When I got back from Portland, I found out that I had the opportunity to go play a show at SXSW in Austin TX for the premiere of “The Ballad of Lefty Brown”; a gritty western film that features my song in the end credits. That was such a cool experience! I got to go to the premiere and hear my song in surround at the theater, something I got to cross off my bucket list. As both an actress and a musician, going to SXSW was a really incredible experience. Not only did I get to perform at a fantastic venue, but I also got to perform for some of my biggest idols. It was the experience of a lifetime.
This whole month has been pretty crazy and surreal. When I left for LA it was still winter and we were driving through snow and now that I am finally back home, it is spring and everything is warm.
Skope: What does being a musician offer your life that made you go after your dreams?
Being a musician offers me the opportunity to share stories with the world. I love being able to be creative and connect with people on a deeper level. When I am singing on stage and I can see the faces in the crowd and share a moment with them, it is an indescribably beautiful feeling.
I also get to travel and meet a lot of really amazing musicians and story tellers around the world. I am currently working on a collaboration album with ukulele players, mainly women, from around the world. The project is called “Ukulele Sirens” and the proceeds from the album go to organizations that help protect the ocean and ocean life.
I also love making music in the studio. Being able to craft a song and layer all of the instruments to create a completely unique piece is such a fantastic feeling. It fuels my heart and my passion.
I have had the music bug ever since I was little. I started writing songs when I was just 3 years old on the piano. When I picked up the guitar at 13 and started singing, everything clicked. I continued learning and teaching myself new techniques and instruments. I eventually learned to play the piano, guitar, ukulele, banjo, dulcimer, mandolin, melodica, autoharp, the organ, and even the hammered dulcimer. I’m currently learning how to play the cello… I am definitely crazy for music.
Skope: Speak on your song & video for “I Got Nuthin’ featuring Aliephant”?
“I Got Nuthin” was kind of a happy accident. My producer, Troy W Dunn, and I were in the studio listening to some of his older instrumental songs, and this one really peaked my interest. I immediately heard a melody when I listened to it, and we wrote lyrics for it together.
It is kind of a song zombie, and we made something really unique and cool that neither of us were expecting. It was pieced together from different times, genres, and songs. In the end it feels like it is a genre of it’s own. The closest thing we could come up with to describe it is industrial meets alt. pop electronic. I really love how it turned out.
Aliephant is the musician name for Troy. The song really should be Aliephant featuring Maiah Wynne, but he was sweet and let me take the credit. Really all I wrote was the lyrical melody and sang, the rest (all instrumentation, music, producing, mixing, and mastering) was him. The name Aliephant is a mix between alien and elephant, and the character of “Aliephant” has become sort of a long running joke in the studio. It’s silly and fun.
We are hoping to make more songs like this on the next album.
Skope: What drives you everyday to be creative and make music?
Making a difference in the world is a huge drive for me. If I ever make it “big”, or even to the point where I’m making more money than I need, I plan to do as much good in the world as I can. I am a strong believer in saving the planet, helping endangered animals, and helping my fellow humans around the world that are in scary and unhealthy situations. I have been blessed with a really happy life, and the least I can do is to share some of that with the world.
My brain is also a little strange. I write music constantly. There’s always a song in my head, and I even write music in my sleep. Making music is a way for me to stay sane in a lot of ways. I don’t know what I’d do if I just left it all inside of my brain. Maybe I’d explode.
Skope: What is coming up for Maiah Wynne and where are you at online?
The ocean benefit compilation album I am participating in, “Ukulele Sirens – Songs for the Sea”, is going to be released in 2 months. My single will be titled “A Siren’s Song”. You can read more about that project here on the Songs for the Sea Website – http://songsforthesea.weebly.com.
I am also currently working on my next album. I am so excited to be working in the studio on it right now. Everything is coming together really well, and my producer Troy is truly incredible. I will hopefully be releasing it in early July before my tour through Montana.
I have one other project in the works with a company called Media Horse. I will be releasing a dark and spooky version of Elvis’ “Devil in Disguise”. I am so excited about how this song turned out. I can’t wait to share it with everyone.
Thank you so much for having me on Skope. You can find me everywhere online under Maiah Wynne. Follow me on instagram, facebook, twitter, and subscribe to my youtube channel. I post videos every month- collaborations, covers, and originals! Send me a message, I’d love to hear from you!
