Interview With Maisy Kay: How “Wonderlust: The Dusk” Captures Love’s Mystique

Photos by Shervin Lainez

Maisy Kay is a rising star in pop music, bringing a bold and refreshing voice to the genre. Having moved from the picturesque English countryside to the vibrant music scene of Los Angeles, Maisy has created a unique musical style.

Her songwriting is deep and authentic, and every song she writes or performs is an inspiring journey. She has collaborated with powerhouse producers such as Timbaland, Rodney "Darkchild" Jenkins, and Lukas "LULOU" Loules which has helped her establish herself in the industry, but beware! Her talent is the real key to her success.

In 2023, Maisy Kay joined JVKE's What Tour Feels Like Summer Tour in the United States and is now enchanting audiences as part of Tori Kelly's Purple Skies World Tour.

Maisy Kay’s story is one of passion, resilience, and unrestrained creativity. In this interview, she opens up about her inspirations, the creative process behind her newest EP “Wonderlust: The Dusk”, and the philosophies that guide her both in music and life.

We would like to start with a refresher on your career in the music industry. How did it all start for you?

It all started when I wrote a musical for my school. I was 10, and I made the local papers. A recording studio saw it and invited me to come in and record my own original songs, and I fell in love with the process from there! 

Moving from a small English countryside to Los Angeles was a big leap. How has this changed or influenced your career and your art?

I think it’s definitely made a huge difference in both me as an artist and as a person. The musical influences are very different, and there was just such a huge market in LA that Claverley (my hometown) couldn’t offer me. As challenging as it’s been in some ways, I do believe I wouldn’t be where I am today had I not made that move. 

You've just released a series of singles like “Sunlight”, “In Your Car”, “Technicolor Honeymoon,” and “Karma” with Tiësto that has been a total success. What is your formula? Modesty aside, what do you think you're doing that sets you apart from other artists?

I don’t know that I have a formula per se, and honestly, the more I try to think about what something should or shouldn’t be, the more I can feel boxed in. I just try to write what feels natural to me, and sometimes those songs get shelved, and sometimes they come out! 

Let's talk about your latest album, “Wonderlust: The Dusk”. First of all, why did you choose that name? What inspired you to create this work, and what did you want to convey with this EP?

I chose Wonderlust because I was researching terms for love and feeling frustrated because nothing was conveying the intensity of the feelings I was having. So, I decided to make my own word! “Wonderlust”, is being totally infatuated with the idea of knowing someone and getting lost in the wonders of who they are as a person. I wanted to put out a love EP because I never thought I’d get to feel those feelings, and I was so excited. I felt so proud of the music and knew I had to share it. 

How would you describe it in conceptual terms? In particular, a good part of this album felt like a balm of positive things in the midst of all the chaos we live in.

Wonderlust is a reminder that the true beauty of life is in the love we find and the love we share.

One of the singles that gives a very comforting idea about love and life in general terms is “Cosmically Intertwined”. “Now something's changing in the water / God sent me a second start and / I've been waiting my whole life for you.” What’s the story behind this song and the visual?

Funnily enough, I started writing Cosmically Intertwined the day I got offered the Tori tour. Those lines were the first ones I wrote and were directly inspired by getting the tour offer. I’d had the title “Cosmically Intertwined” written down for a long time but couldn’t finish it, and after I had that phone call about the Purple Skies tour, I wrote the song in about 20 minutes. 

Is there any particular song on “Wonderlust: The Dusk” that has a special meaning for you and why?

I love “Eternity”, because it never should’ve been on the EP. It was originally a song named Heat Rush, and transparently, my producer told me it was fine, but he knew I could do better. I loved this feedback and scrapped the whole song and remade it into Eternity, which ended up being multiple people’s favorite song on the track!

Let's talk about the instrumentation on this album. Was the sound spontaneous, or did you wanted to achieve a certain musical atmosphere in it?

I knew I wanted it to be a darker, grittier sound to part one, a nighttime sister of sorts. I really entrusted my producer, Mike Avenaim, with bringing my piano vocal demos to life. We worked together, exchanged ideas, and spent a lot of time making sure this project was the best it could be.

You have an exciting schedule of shows all over the United States. What can fans expect from these performances?

A lot of butterfly visuals!! I am super proud of the show me and my team put together—the costumes, the choreo, the microphone—it all comes together in a very special fantasy-esque way.  

Do you have a life mantra or a phrase that you often say to yourself that you can share with your fan base?I say “everything is temporary” a lot, which sounds grim, but it’s actually a super hopeful message for me. Everything, good or bad, is temporary, and one way or another, you WILL get through it. If I’m not feeling well, or if I’m going through something difficult or that I don’t enjoy, I try to remind myself of that. It’s temporary. On the flip side, every good moment is temporary too, so savor it.

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