interview

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interview ✦

Maggie Andrew is a fresh force in alt-pop, conjuring vibrant melodies and unflinching honesty into introspective pop music. In fact, tracks like her latest single, "How to Sing for Money," showcase her knack for blending these catchy hooks with biting social commentary, poking fun at the music industry’s tendency to monetize pain while delivering a melodic experience that lingers. And, with an evolving sound that’s bold, vivid, and unapologetically her own, she’s continuously making an impact on the alt-pop scene—one anthem at a time.

Now, the gifted singer-songwriter is opening up to Stardust about her choice to pursue a career as an artist, and her desire to forge music that comes from the heart.

In "How to Sing for Money," you explore the irony of turning heartbreak into commercial success. What inspired you to write from the perspective of teaching someone who hurt you how to profit from their own pain?

Maggie Andrew: I was inspired by the line itself—“How to Sing for Money”—and wrote from a place that’s both real and satirical. If someone hurt me, I would in theory use that experience to write a song, but in “How to Sing for Money,” the person who hurt me is suddenly down on their luck, in a shit situation, and coming back to me for help—so, I’ll teach them how to sing for money. I think it’s just a really great concept, and when you look at a lot of hit songs, they’re often about heartbreak or reflecting on things that weren’t so great. There’s a lot of pain in the world, but it’s so universal to feel it—and through that, we can find a way to connect.

The song features ‘80s-inspired guitar riffs and innovative production. Can you share more about your creative process and how you collaborated with your team to shape this track’s unique sound?

Maggie Andrew: I wanted the song to have a good bounce to it, and the bassline is amazing! Carleton Stone played guitar on the song, and I think adding an electric guitar gave the song a lot of upward momentum, which was super important. We were working on this song at the National Music Center in Calgary, where they have an impressive collection of instruments that have been donated by some incredible musicians. Once we got it there, it felt like the sky was the limit! We were able to use Neil Young’s guitar amp and Myles Goodwyn's drum kit, which definitely played a part in how the production of the song turned out. Working with Corey Lerue, Carleton Stone, and Kyle Mischiek on the production was such a blast. We threw in some really fun synths in the chorus, and when it came to the bridge, I thought a chant would be a cool lead-in to the final chorus. We wrote that part in like 10 minutes—everyone’s brains were firing off amazing ideas. We recorded it, and the whole song just came together beautifully.

You’ve worked with some incredible producers and artists early in your career, like blackbear and Doc McKinney. How have those experiences influenced your approach to songwriting and production?

Maggie Andrew: I am very grateful for those sessions and experiences with people who I admire and love dearly! For me, music is such an ever-changing thing, so what I was making five years ago isn’t the same as what I’m doing today. I have a vision when I’m writing songs, and I try to tailor it to who I am working with in the present moment. I definitely adapt to the environment I'm in when I’m creating. I think those experiences I had early on helped me to gain the confidence to be myself fully.

Coming from Nova Scotia, how has your background shaped your identity as an artist, and how do you incorporate that perspective into your music?

Maggie Andrew: Well, my professional career as an artist actually started in Los Angeles! I moved to LA after I graduated from high school, but then the pandemic brought me back to Nova Scotia. I’m very proud to be a Nova Scotian, but I’m not sure I can necessarily say that my hometown shaped my artistic identity because I’m not sure it really did! When I first moved away from home, I had no plans on ever coming back. I think what really shaped me was that time I spent in LA at the age of 18, going to studios, riding around town with my older brother, meeting different people, and just experiencing the world. I think my identity is just who I am, regardless of where I am in the world.

You’ve had a whirlwind year with accolades like CBC Music’s Searchlight and ECMA’s African Canadian Artist of the Year. How do these achievements impact your confidence and vision moving forward?

Maggie Andrew: It was so awesome to experience those achievements! I’m especially proud of winning CBC Searchlight because without that, I don’t know if I would’ve been able to make and finish all of my new songs so quickly. That gave me an opportunity to work with some of the best equipment, and I was able to work on the songs with the people who I love to create with.

Winning the African Canadian Artist of the Year award wasn’t so much about the award itself, but more about the validation and the acknowledgment to others that yes, I am Black. I've spent my entire life being told by people ‘well you don’t look black,’ ‘you’re not black,’ and comments like that really hurt—especially because my family is so important to me, and our roots run deep. My grandmother was a trailblazer for Black communities across my province. When I first won that award, a lot of people online were actually upset and saying awful things…Anyway, I just won the 2025 ECMA for that category again. I think my vision moving forward has continued to remain the same. It’s always nice to receive recognition for hard work and it can be a great confidence boost, but I still have to keep working. As an artist, the work is never done. If anything, it’s good motivation to keep going.

Your lyrics often dive into personal themes like relationships and identity. How do you decide how much of your own story to share, and what’s it like to be so vulnerable with your audience?

Maggie Andrew: This is kind of a hard question, but truthfully, I think I just write songs about whatever I feel and then decide from there if the song is good enough. I write a lot of songs! It’s not like when you’re writing songs, you say ‘ooo I can't say that’ because you literally can. Being an artist is fun because in your music, you can write whatever you want, you can say anything you want, and you can express whatever you want in any way you feel. That's why I like it.

I think it’s important to stop being so precious with our experiences. I wrote songs about times when I felt like I was the only person who had felt a certain way, but actually it’s human to go through hard times, and it’s human to be embarrassed, sad, jealous, happy, excited, angry, etc. I also find a lot of joy in songwriting because it’s like creating little time capsules. You can capture a memory or a feeling in a song, and once it’s written, you can let it go and move on. Vulnerability is a big part of what makes a great song, and at the end of the day, I think everyone’s just looking for something to connect to. So if I can help even one person feel that, that’s enough.

Performing at festivals like The Great Escape and SOMMO must be exhilarating. What’s been your favorite live performance moment so far, and how do you connect with fans in those settings?

Maggie Andrew: I really loved playing at SOMMO Festival in particular! The stage was awesome, and the festival itself was amazing. That was one of my first shows where it felt like I was playing my music for fans. It was so cool to hear the crowd singing the chorus of one of my songs back to me. I even played one of my songs that I’d never played at a show before, and people went nuts for it, so that felt really good! Seeing people have fun at my shows always makes me so happy, and I also love getting to talk to fans at the end of a show. I’m excited for more opportunities like that, and I can’t wait for what comes next!