AN INTERVIEW WITH MAEVE DE VOE
Artist’s House: Who is Maeve De Voe? How would you describe yourself, as an artist and a person, to someone discovering you for the first time?
Maeve De Voe: I am the World’s First Princess Pop Star with a mission to Make The World Smile! I wear a tiara and princess clothes every day, along with living my life like it’s a fairy tale! I work 80+ hours a week, constantly devoting myself to my career and my music. I’m always happy—I want to make people around me feel my confetti-like joy. I also have peach hair, which is my favorite color of all time!
Artist’s House: Apart from your love for music, you’ve taken on the role of the first princess popstar to make a positive impact and be a role model for other girls and women. When did this mission become a passion for you, and what steps are you taking to achieve these goals? Additionally, what does being a good role model mean to you?
Maeve De Voe: I’ve always been for the girls. Uplifting other women is something I’ve wished to do for years. I want women around the world to feel comfy and confident in their fashion, look, and personality. What I’m doing to hopefully inspire other girls and women, is by doing things you wouldn’t expect someone to do while in princess clothes. For example, I studied neuroscience with a tiara on, and I go out publicly in a princess dress every single time. I wear what makes me feel sparkly inside, and I want them to as well. Being a good role model to me means to spark positive change in someone’s life, or to help them think in a whole new way. I want to let girls know that you can dress modest and still be cute! You can be a princess and do anything.
Artist’s House: With 13 years of vocal training, you’ve gained a lot of experience in singing. What’s the most important lesson you learned about your voice? And is there anything new you’d still like to explore or achieve vocally?
Maeve De Voe: The most important lesson was to stop being shy. Don’t hold yourself back and try to be quiet. Allow yourself to sing your heart out; sing with personality, passion—anything you want. I used to be horrified to sing with my heart because I didn’t want to be judged. I’d long for expressing myself, but I wanted to sound “cute.” My voice is deeper and powerful, but my appearance is, well…I’m a princess! Don’t ever fake your voice: it’s so unique! I want to sing and belt higher, get better at vocal runs, and practice opera more!
Artist’s House: You’ve mentioned before that artists like Lady Gaga and Britney Spears have been major inspirations for you, and their bold, sassy styles are definitely noticeable in your songs. How have they influenced or shaped your approach to creating music?
Maeve De Voe: Lady Gaga was my childhood. I was born with a tiara, already sassy, but she showed me that I could be myself. I could be as creative as I desired, or as expressive as I wanted to be. Perfume, my favorite group, also inspires me in a whole different way! They’re so cutesy and youthful, inspiring me to make music as feminine and princessy as I want to be.
Artist’s House: In addition to being a singer and songwriter, you’re also involved in the more technical side of music, like mixing. How did you become a mixing engineer, and do you have any tips for beginners?
Maeve De Voe: It started out with me making music on my phone, realizing that I also needed to balance volumes. When I got Logic Pro X, I’d have to mix the stems and vocals to blend. I went to Frost School of Music during the summer in 2016 and learned how to mix and engineer, along with produce. Since then, I’ve practiced intensely on my mixing to make it as radio-ready quality as I can! I’ve even opened mixing commissions for those who would like me to mix their song(s)! For the beginners out there, the biggest advice I can give is to study your favorite artists. For me, I listen to how Perfume mixes their music, and I’ll try to imitate the balance! The more I study professional mixes, the more mine become equal.
Artist’s House: As a one-woman show, you’ve successfully managed various aspects of your career, from branding to promotion and beyond. How did you develop the skills to handle all these different areas so effectively?
Maeve De Voe: Devotion! Practice genuinely makes perfect, along with a drive like no other. I want this more than I want anything else, so I create over and over again, allowing myself to grow each time. Don’t be scared to learn—take courses and be curious!
Artist’s House: What does a typical day in your 12-hour music schedule look like? Could you walk us through your routine, from creative work to managing other aspects of your career?
Maeve De Voe: Right after waking up, I spend about an hour on maladaptive daydreaming, manifesting my future. After eating lunch, I go straight to working, and it changes daily! For example, yesterday, I spent seven hours recording and mixing a song from start to finish, but some days I’ll spend my time doing various tasks for my career: creating promo, content, mixing, writing lyrics, producing, photoshoots, legalities, collaborations, studying industry professionals and the history of stardom, mixing commissions, singing, communications, brand management, etc.! I don’t have a set routine, so I usually do things as they come to me, or if I have a deadline.
Artist’s House: Breaking into the music industry can be tough for indie artists. In your opinion, what changes could the industry make to create a more supportive and welcoming environment for independent musicians?
Maeve De Voe: Everything is pay to play. The more you have to gamble with, the more you could win. This cripples so many artists because most indie artists have full-time jobs—some having multiple jobs at once. This career also demands your time online, with you needing to be active on social media. The more active you are, the more you create, the more people “remember” you, which I think is very overwhelming. I also think we have a culture right now of creating music to go “viral” instead of making music for the art of it. TikTok and social media have really restricted art as a whole, making it similar to fast fashion, in a way. Make the song because you love it. Let’s bring back meaning to music, make more opportunities free, not push artists to be online 24/7, and have streaming services PAY ARTISTS!
Artist’s House: In your experience, what do you think indie artists often miss or overlook when building their careers? Are there any areas they should focus on more to really elevate their success?
Maeve De Voe: Brand management. Please don’t be afraid to express yourself in the way you truly want to. A lot of people try to fit in and be “ideal,” when that’s not what people want. Go full out with your OWN aesthetic, dress yourself like a video game character, live like you’re in an anime, don’t be afraid to be “cringe.” Confidence is intimidating and powerful. Become your walking dream. Freedom is the best feeling.
Artist’s House: Congratulations on winning the “USA Female Emerging Artist” award at the ISSA Awards! What were some of the most fun moments from your time at the event? Was there anything especially memorable or exciting that stood out to you, either during the ceremony or behind the scenes?
Maeve De Voe: Thank you so much! I adored being surrounded by people just like me. Everyone there is following their dreams, creating art as their passion. The energy alone in that room was electric, making me even more devoted now than I was. I was really happy to have my mom and my best friend, Josh, there with me and supporting me! When my name was called, I screamed and went, “WHAT?!” Haha! I did not expect it at all. I was so honored and humbled to win an award. This is what I daydream of; this is my life passion—being myself and being known for my art.
Maeve De Voe on the ISSA Awards red carpet
Artist’s House: You’ve loved being a princess since you were a child. Did you have any favorite princesses growing up that inspired you, and do you have any current favorites?
Maeve De Voe: Barbie, for sure. I also adore Ariel; I hope to play her one day in a movie or on Broadway! I’m currently revisiting a lot of older Barbie movies, like The Princess & the Popstar (funny enough). I’m very obsessed! It’s quite interesting how my life has come to this point when I didn’t plan this out. I’m exactly what my child-self would cry for. I hope I can be like Barbie!
Artist’s House: What album(s) have you been listening to the most lately? Are there any genres or artists you’ve recently gotten into?
Maeve De Voe: All of Perfume’s discography has been on repeat. I also love K-pop! I listen to STAYC, Le Sserafim, IZ*ONE (my ult since 2021), Blackpink, Billlie, ILLIT, (G)I-DLE, aespa, WJSN, Yves, and more! I adore listening to Vocaloid, Love Live!, BanG Dream, video game OSTs, music in every language, and Odetari.
Artist’s House: You often use the phrase “asanzuri,” which means “hello.” How did you come up with it, and what inclined you to start using it and to create your own language?
Maeve De Voe: I’ve always made up my own words since I was little. I customize my life very heavily—even the language I speak. I wanted to make something that my fans and I could have as our own “thing.” I want to build a fun and fantasy-like community for my fans, including our own flag (the Maeveland flag), language, kingdom, and more.
Artist’s House: If you could go back and talk to your younger self, what advice or message would you share with young Maeve?
Maeve De Voe: Please be yourself. That colorful, loud party you feel inside of you shouldn’t be minimalized. Use your voice, meditate more, focus on what YOU want, and embrace every side of yourself.
Artist’s House: Thank you so much for joining us for this interview! It’s been a pleasure having you. Is there anything else you’d like to say to our readers and your fans?
Maeve De Voe: Let’s be smile ambassadors and make the WORLD smile! Asanzuri~!
OCTOBER 16, 2024
Interview and editing by Skaivi