Last month saw MaeThePirate get personal on her awesome new album, titled “Xenon”. With a total of five tracks, MaeThePirate delves deep into mental health and social media issues with inspiration taken from her own personal life. The release of this album acts as the follow-up to her previous collection of tracks that she dropped in April, under the title “Neon”.
MaeThePirate, real name Maeve E Higgins, is a skilled musician, audio engineer, and live performer who has made a mark in the music industry. With a lifelong passion for music, MaeThePirate’s journey began at a young age when she first laid her hands on a piano. After studying Electronic Production and Design at Berklee College of Music, she delved deeper into her craft, showcasing her talents with her band at various venues. Later, she ventured to Los Angeles, where she immersed herself in the film industry, working on notable shows like The L Word, Black Mirror, Ozark, and Sex Life as a recordist and engineer. MaeThePirate draws inspiration from her love for video games and embraces her heritage through her unique stage name, which reflects her connection to Viking and Pirate ancestry. Her musical prowess extends beyond playing instruments, as she is also skilled in audio programming and C# programming. Leveraging these skills, she has developed her own music remixing programs and mesmerizing light displays for her live performances. MaeThePirate’s synesthesia and chromesthesia, where she sees colours when hearing music, add an extra layer of creativity to her work. She skillfully incorporates these sensory experiences into her visuals and lighting, making her music and performances truly unique. MaeThePirate’s music is an evolution, influenced by her lyrics, her cello playing, and her personal experiences. During the COVID lockdown, she channelled her energy into songwriting, using music as a way to heal and overcome a past abusive relationship. Her music served as a source of strength and inspiration for herself, and she hopes it can resonate with others, helping them navigate their own challenging moments.
The focus single from this album is “High”. MaeThePirate has elaborated on this track, by saying: “Right after I left my boyfriend, and I left a terrible abusive situation, I wrote this song when I realised that a lot, if not the majority of this pain, was caused by someone else, and now I’m actually free.” Mae recalls that the Lofi sound on this track was influenced by the new room she was in; she had never mixed in that room, and she had never sung in that room. She explains by saying, “My roommate was next door so I didn’t really want him to hear me yelling these lyrics, the shyness of being free but also the light energy of the cello and airy sounds have the energy of someone who is a little shy in her excitement because truly, I was. I thought he was my everything and that we were meant for each other. And now, after escaping, I’m feeling so high.”
Stream “Xenon” by MaeThePirate on Spotify here:
The album, “Xenon”, starts off with the song “Go Find Less”, which is a strong pop song with a prominent cello which is clearly her sound and it wraps gorgeously around her stunning vocals. A hint of electro rolls into the track as her vocals touch upon indie-rock whilst sticking to the addictive pop sound that effortlessly works for this track. Showcasing her emotional energy, she delves in deep, with the lyrics, making it clear that pressure is difficult to deal with and being authentically yourself is the best thing anyone can do. “Flight Risk” follows, which slows the energy down a bit with a slow rhythm of a piano and drums whilst her strong vocals take the spotlight. Capturing the feeling of being in love with someone and how that can lift you up, but also can be scary at the thought of falling from up there, “Flight Risk” effortlessly takes that moment and hyper-evaluates it, making it relatable to every listener.
The focus single is next, titled “High”, which allows MaeThePirate to show her incredible falsetto vocals which are wrapped around a quick electro rhythm. She uses the title lines as part of the production, incorporating them into the sound and transforming it sonically. This track alone is a statement piece and you can feel the freedom she is feeling, being in a new apartment, being independent, being free and feeling high. The fourth track on the album is “I’m still mad at the girls who were mean to me in grade school”, and what a title that is, some part of all of us are still mad at those people who were mean to us back then; this track sees MaeThePirate take a darker side to her pop aesthetic, telling us her childhood story and hitting out at those people alongside their parents and explaining to the world that the words still hurt. Her emotion floods through her storytelling and vocals, giving chills to everyone who hears it, and we can’t help but hope those mean girls hear this track. MaeThePirate ends her “Xenon” album with the track “How to make men respect you”, an upbeat electro track that really allows MaeThePirate to shine lyrically as she delivers incredible rhyming lines and a consistent melody that feels positive while hitting out at negativity and the difficulties of being a woman and how she can be treated by men. Addictive, iconic, and unforgettable, “How to make men respect you” is one that will leave a lasting impression whilst also being incredibly catchy and one we all need to add to our everyday playlists.
Stream the focus track “High” on Spotify here:
“Xenon”, by MaeThePirate, is available to download and stream, right now, across all platforms.