There’s something really special about falling in love with a band or musician early on in their career, which I made a point of doing as much as possible throughout my adolescence spent at The Downtown music venue in Farmingdale, NY.
Not only do you get major hipster cred for knowing them first…
(which makes you completely obnoxious, but it’s still kind of a great feeling :P)
…but you also get the unique experience of watching as they grow and evolve musically, maybe becoming more authentic, maybe becoming more outrageous, maybe becoming something you would have never expected, and you were one of the lucky ones who got to witness the entire evolution first hand. And when it’s one of those musicians that speaks to your soul in such a way that you hope they never ever stop making music, it’s like magic! Or crack! Or Magic Crack!
But I digress… So I had the privilege of seeing Maggie Koerner perform at a New Orleans themed music and food festival called Crawdebauchery down here in Florida a few weeks ago, and have been absorbing her two-album discography ever since.
This is how it went down – I just so happened to hear about this festival on the Timbre app (amazing and so worth the download if you haven’t already checked it out) and decided I was already down because crawfish and mardi gras beads, duh. But if I was going to a music festival, I had to listen to who I was going to see before I got there right? So on the list of eight or nine acts, Maggie’s was the first that jumped out at me. I listened to one track, got hooked, and had to had to HAD TO see this girl.
Now, I know I have a penchant for powerful female vocals and that muddy bayou sound, but this girl is the real deal. Her songs are raw and intense and well-crafted, and she’s only getting better.
So, without further ado, here’s my list of the Top 3 Things That Make Me Excited For Maggie Koerner’s Musical Future:
When I first listened to Maggie’s music, I told my sister I thought her voice sounded like smooth and smoky bourbon. She has the ability to flow fluidly through swells of gritty intensity to subtley sweet oohs and ahs with impeccable control and grace. Seeing her live, you can tell she sings with her whole body. She has technique, she has power, and she has style. Plus, she practically unhinges her jaw on stage, which is pretty effing impressive.
As any vocal nerd can tell you, your voice continues to mature and change through your 30s and 40s, so I can’t wait to see what vocal pyrotechnics are awaiting us from Maggie.
One of the greatest things that stands out to me about many tracks on both Quarter Life and Neutral Ground is the authenticity of the songs. No matter what story Maggie is telling you, it feels honest and real. The tale is relatable, but unquestionably hers, which is a delicate balance to achieve in songwriting. I would personally like to believe that performing/writing/living in New Orleans would foster that kind of musical authenticity and honesty, but I may be a tad bit biased because I am obsessed with that city.
Nevertheless, I’m ready for more of your storytelling, Maggie.
When we saw Maggie at Crawdebauchery, she played a lot of new material that she had recently written, and she gushed about getting to work on the new songs with an artist that she’s inspired by. She has collaborated and performed with Galactic, Adam Shaw, and the Revivalists, among others. She also encouraged all of us at the show to reach out to her on social media, promising to respond to everyone. Her eagerness to meet and collaborate with different people, connect with her audience, and try new things with music make me truly excited for what’s coming next from this powerhouse of an artist.
Maggie Koerner will be playing Jazz Fest this Friday, May 1st, in New Orleans. For more on Maggie, visit maggiekoerner.com, or check her out on Facebook and Instagram.
What up and coming artists are you excited about? Let me know in the comments…
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