Mae Krell Talks About New Single 'are you sure?'

After a two-year hiatus, Mae Krell is back with their newest single 'are you sure?'. A deeply personal story with enough space for the listener's own interpretation, combined with Mae's one of a kind voice is what makes 'are you sure?' so memorable. We were lucky enough to have a talk with Mae and get a glimpse into their life as an artist, the process behind 'are you sure?', and more, so let's have a look!

Hi Mae! We are so happy to talk with you about your beautiful new single ‘are you sure?’. How does it feel to finally release it?
Hi! Thank you so much for having me and listening to "are you sure?"! I'm stoked it's finally out- this ones been sitting and waiting in the depths of my computer for at least a year now.
 
You’ve had three other releases in 2020 that did very well, each one having over 500.000 streams already. What a milestone! Has it ever been overwhelming for you?
Oh god yes. So overwhelming but in the best way possible! It's super exciting but at the same time kind of terrifying that so many people are listening. 
 
You were on a 2-year break before releasing those singles. What new insights and perspectives did you gain during that time? 
For a long time I was super focused on if I was good enough to try to do this as a career or not. The more time I took to focus on making music, the more I realized that I don't really care if I'm good enough or not. I love making music, and I love playing shows and connecting with people, and that's what really matters to me. 
 
How was it to finally release music again after that time, with so many new experiences?
Exciting, and also really scary! The main reason I took a break after releasing Anabasis and touring it was to focus on making and releasing new music in a sustainable way. I recorded and wrote a lot of new tracks before beginning to release again so I could be consistent while not losing my mind (or so I hoped). Releasing music now feels scarier than ever, but at the same time I'm more confident than I was before. I guess what I'm trying to say is that not much has changed, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.
 
In ‘are you sure?’ you sing about a ‘moment of cognitive dissonance’. Can you tell us more about this?
Recovery, from anything, is hard and requires constant work. Naturally, when you're working hard to get better, you're going to doubt yourself. are you sure? is about those moments of doubt- when although you know that you've improved and things have changed, you question and convince yourself that they haven't. That's where there's a disconnect- you know consciously that things have changed, that you have improved, but your feelings are saying something else.  
 
It is clear that the lyrics are close to your heart, the way it is written and sung is very poetic. So it is not surprising you have a background in poetry, and photography too! Were you already involved with so much creativity as a child?
I didn't do much proper art as a kid, but I do remember we would make paper mache art and paint for fun at home. My mom is super creative- she used to make her own books for us and draw photos on our napkins / banana peels for school lunches.
 
You actively use your creativity to spread mental health awareness, and you even volunteer for Musicians on Call. That’s very impressive! How do you see your role as a musician in spreading awareness about mental health? 
I almost feel bad saying this, but I don't really actively make an effort to raise awareness for mental health. I think since my music is so personal, it opens up a conversation about mental health, though- and being open and honest when that does happen is super important. I try to use the influence I have to encourage people to be vulnerable as a way of connecting with others.

What do you wish for your fans and listeners to feel while listening to ‘are you sure?’
I hope it makes them feel something.
 
Can you tell us a bit about your creative plans for the future? What’s next?
Yes! I'm working on a ton of new music and am planning to release as much as I can! No exact date yet, but my next single is going to release in late April :)
 
Is there anything else you would like to tell your fans and our readers?
Thank you so much for taking the time to read and listen!
 
Mae, thank you so much for telling us all about ‘are you sure?’. We can’t wait to stream it and to hear so much more from you in the future!
Thank you! :) x

Guusje Hulsbosch