Mae Muller breaks away: "This is only the beginning"

"They towered over me to tell me I'm the next big thing. A fine line, and it's so paper thin..."

In a world all too often ruled by instant gratification, Mae Muller is a ray of light.

Having released her first track in 2018, she's experienced every facet of the music industry. From big dreams to board rooms and back again, her story is one of perseverance under a very public lens. Now, it's time to reclaim the passion; and her own power.

New single Breakaway serves as Mae's first release since parting from her major label deal. An arresting statement of independence, it sees her at her most vulnerable yet; starting over after a year of self-reflection. In her own words, it's 'only the beginning.' Today, we find out why.

MORE: Where every Mae Muller song and album has charted in the UK

Mae, welcome back! It's been a hot minute, but Breakaway's finally out there. Talk us through the makings of the track.

This song came in a time where I was so lost. I didn't know where I was going as an artist, because I'd done so many different things in the past few years. When it was just me alone, it was like 'what do you want to do?' I didn't even have the answers.

I just went into the studio, got on the mic, and it was almost like word vomit.

It was just me and Henrik [Michelsen], who's one of my favorite people to make music with. It felt like a diary entry. Some of the stuff, I was like, 'can I really say this?', but it feels right. It was a very honest moment.

It just feels like a new energy. And it did take a second, you know? I took the year, not just musically, figuring out who I was on my own. It's been so long; so many people, so many opinions. In so many ways, that's been amazing and fruitful, but in a lot of ways, I was like, 'what do I do? What do I say?'

The reaction from fans so far has been great - there's lots of talk along the lines of 'mother delivered' and 'this eats so hard'...

I've missed that connection so much, it feels really good. Because it has been a while, I feel blessed that people are still here; they've stuck around!

Lyrically, it's so raw and arresting, but with this overarching positivity...

This isn't a sad song. Parts of it were painful, but then it became this euphoric feeling of, 'oh, this isn't like the end.'

I still have it in me, this is only the beginning. I had to isolate myself and break away from what I thought was 'normal.'

Were there times you thought you might not return to music?

All I've ever known is that I want to do music, I love music, and that's all that it boils down to. I thought 'there's still so much joy to be had.' Whether you're with a major label, have a big management company, whether you're writing with 10 writers, one or none, music's always going to be there, and it's if you want to still create or not.

After everything that I've been through, the highs and lows, I've still just wanted to create music.

Yours is surely an inspiring tale for other artists...

That makes me really happy to hear that. With women in music, we've always been taught that there's an expiration date. That, if you haven't made it by the time you're 25, it's not going to happen.

I think now there's such an exciting energy around. If music's good, it's good.

Listening to Chappell Roan's interviews; it took her so long. She was getting a job in a coffee shop, with no idea what her next chapter might be. You can't wait for a manager to come and sweep you off your feet. You can't wait for someone else to come and be like, 'this is the plan.'

If the likes of Chappell, Sabrina Carpenter and Charli xcx have proven anything, its that perseverance in pop can pay off.

It's a marathon, not a sprint. It takes a long time. It's really easy to compare yourself, but no one knows the back story. I just feel really lucky that I've had the privilege to take a year out, in this current climate, and get some therapy; do human things. See my family, see my friends, then write and integrate myself back into being creative at my own pace. The fact that I've been able to do that is such a blessing; such a luxury.

WATCH Mae Muller's Breakaway music video:

How's the rest of the new music coming along - is Breakaway representative of the direction sonically?

I've been listening to a lot of Ray of Light era Madonna. I've also been listening to a lot of Addison Rae, who I'm obsessed with. I remember listening to Aquamarine, and I was like, 'this is so Madonna!' All her choices that she's making are just...chef's kiss. I think she's amazing.

It reminded me that Ray of Light was one of my favorite albums growing up. I started listening to it and I was like, 'oh my god, this must've blown people's minds back in the day.' The new music's sort of in that world, I would say.

I'm just doing what feels right for me. I'm not feeling like I have to do something to appease other people or thinking 'maybe I'll get a spot on radio.' That's not what's driving me. I'm doing it because I want to feel good, and I want the music to sound good.

It sounds like you're in a great place - has going independent been a liberating experience for you?

Absolutely. If you leave a big kind company or corporation, it's not the end of the road. There are other avenues, and there are people that are willing to support you in different ways.

Look at someone like RAYE, who just loves music through and through. No matter how successful she was, she'd be doing it anyway, you know? I think that that's why it works, because her love for it is palpable. That's kind of where I wanted to get back to; that love to do it. I really think I'm there now. I'm so ready to get back out there, release my EP and do shows again; playing these new songs. I love them so much, I'm so proud of them.

Mae Muller's Breakaway is out now.