Sometimes, you hear a voice on the radio and it instantly draws you in. Not only can you sense the talent, but the passion in their song, like it’s the thing they were meant to be doing and they’ve embraced it.
For us, one of those new artists is Mags Duval and she’s got an incredible sound that’s all her own. Not only is she stunning in her looks, her voice is incredible and the way she puts her all into her music makes her stand out from the crowd. She doesn’t just write music to have a hit, she writes music to tell stories, and they’re real and raw ones.
We wanted to chat with Mags Duval so you could get some insight into who she is and why she’s our latest obsession. We think after you read her interview and check out her songs, she’ll be yours too.
Her new video for Stay Lonely is on YouTube now and it’s got a Lana Del Ray mixed with Jo Jo vibe. Give it a listen and check out our exclusive interview with Mags below.
Let’s start with your song and video for ‘Stay Lonely’ – the song is perfect for people stuck in that ‘not supposed to be in love, but are anyway’ situation. Is this a personal experience for you? If so, how did you navigate through it?
This definitely was a personal experience! It was me being sort of brutally honest about trying to prevent a guy friend of mine from dating anyone, but I wasn’t completely sure I wanted to date him myself. We stayed friends, thankfully, it just wasn’t meant to be!
The video is sultry and really hypnotizing, what was your favorite part of filming it?
Thank you! It was my first music video ever so the entire process was a highlight for me! The funniest part was driving around downtown Nashville in the backseat of a car with a mannequin…we got some interesting looks from people at red lights!
This song follows up your tune ‘Pink Cadillac’, which is quite different – were they written close together? If so, how did you change your headspace to write the two in quick succession?
I wrote “Stay Lonely” a good little while after writing “Pink Cadillac”. I think the difference in sound comes from the writing process. I wrote “Stay Lonely” in my bedroom at 3 AM on my guitar and I wrote, “Pink Cadillac” with two other girls I love to collaborate with on a songwriting retreat in Denver, Colorado. We were just having fun talking about our dream cars when we were kids and that song came out of it!
Speaking of songwriting, what is one song on the radio (in any era) do you wish you’d written, or which would you like to put a special touch on?
Ohh, great question! “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen will forever be one of the most well-written songs, in my opinion. It’s hauntingly beautiful, it was one of the first songs I learned to play on guitar and I love to sing it.
You have a new song out too, ‘Cinnamon Gum’ and once we heard it we couldn’t stop listening to it. Out of the three, which was your favorite to write?
Thank you so much! “Cinnamon Gum” was a lot of fun to write. It was the first time Luke Laird, John Hill and I had worked together and the song just sort of came out in a magical way. John started playing this track he was working on and I immediately started singing that chorus.
‘Cinnamon Gum’ is absolutely relatable, when someone burns you in that unforgettable way – it’s the perfect description for them. What was the inspiration for this one? Was it similar to the inspiration for ‘Stay Lonely’?
Thank you for saying that! The song is definitely about a very specific situation. I went on a date with this guy a few summers ago, and it was pretty clear to me that he was bad news and would probably break my heart if I let him, so that was our first and our last date. He kissed me that night and it tasted like “Cinnamon Gum”.
Do you hope to make another music video soon? If so, would it be for a song already out or a new one?
I do hope to make another video! The next full video will most likely be for a song that isn’t released yet. We just released three mini music videos for “Cinnamon Gum” which were so much fun to film.
What is your guilty pleasure song?
“London Bridge” by Fergie hahaha that song is eternally a jam! I have no shame!
When did you know music was the passion you wanted to explore?
I can’t remember an exact moment, to be honest! I always sang and when I was nine years old, I fell in love with writing songs. It was never a conscious decision, music has just always been my love.
If you could write or collaborate with anyone, who would it be?
I really want to collaborate with Nick Jonas one day. I’m such a fan of his music.
For new fans, where can we go to learn more about you?
I’m on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook etc. @magsduvalmusic! I’d love to connect with and get to know anyone who resonates with my music. It’s the best feeling in the world to have my songs mean something to someone.
If you’ve yet to do so, go follow Mags on her social media, you’ll want to keep up with what she’s got in store for you next.