Maggie Lindemann was introduced to us as a purveyor of pristine pop anthems at the start of her career. However, she’s truly come into herself as one of the industry’s most promising young rockers.
The 25-year-old hitmaker left songs like the wispy “Things” and infectious “Obsessed” in the past, trading them in for plucky anthems with hard-hitting productions. Her career well and truly took flight with her EP Paranoia in 2021, and her debut album SUCKERPUNCH followed the following year.
She’s back again with her latest EP HEADSPLIT, and Maggie delivers edgy, reflective songs reminiscent of acts like Evanescence across the 8-song tracklist. Fans in Los Angeles will have the opportunity to experience the project live in the coming months with two performances recently announced.
Ahead of that, we had the opportunity to catch up with Maggie to discuss HEADSPLIT. She opened up about her evolution, touching on those early pop songs that first introduced her to fans and how she found her current sound.
We also discussed plans for the rest of the year, a second full-length album that’s already in the works and so much more!
Head inside to read our interview with Maggie Lindemann…
Just Jared: When you started working on the EP, is this what you imagined that you were going to make or were you a little surprised by how it all came together?
Maggie Lindemann: I was definitely surprised by how it came together. I feel like I always go in with a certain mindset and then it usually just changes like always. So yeah, I definitely wasn’t expecting it to sound like this, but I think it came together really well.
JJ: Your sound has evolved so much over the years. Can you talk a little bit about the journey that you’ve been on to kind of find your new sound?
ML: I honestly think it’s just a part of growing up and just evolving as a person. Because I love “Would I.” I remember when I came out with “Would I,” that was one of the first songs I ever felt really, really proud of myself on. I was so happy putting out that song. So I feel like it’s just been a progression of myself and also my artistry just growing and trying new things. And I don’t know, we’re just always evolving as people. So I think that really shows in my music too.
JJ: Have you always been a fan of rock music? And can you talk a little bit about who were your first favorite artists in the genre?
ML: Yes, big fan! So growing up, my parents listened to a lot of alternative rock and indie rock and metal. So I grew up on a lot of that. And then once I started kind of developing my own music taste, I was listening to like Sleeping with Sirens, Black Veil Brides, Pierce the Veil, Alesana, Paramore, all those people. And I think my biggest influences now are just like Evanescence. Evanescence is my number one influence. And then probably Paramore also. Those are like my top two.
JJ: Evanescence really comes across on the new EP. Do you have a favorite song by them?
ML: I appreciate that. I love being compared to Evanescence. But I don’t know, I’m really into the song “Hello” by them right now. That was heavy inspo for me. “Hello” and probably like “Going Under.”
JJ: With HEADSPLIT, is there a song that you are most excited for fans to hear?
ML: Probably “you hold my love” and “taking over me.” “You hold my love” is my favorite. So I just, I’m just curious to see what the reaction is going to be. But I’m really excited for “taking over me.” I think people are really going to like that one.
JJ: That’s going to be the next single, right? Can you talk a bit about what it was like working on the video and on the song and how you collaborated with Jasiah on it?
ML: It was really cool. Basically just the process of the song, I had written the song, and I immediately knew I wanted to collab with someone like Jasiah. Jasiah was like the first person in mind, but I knew I really wanted to bring that type of element to the song. So I got a day with him, and he came in and wrote his verse and recorded it. And immediately it was just so sick. And then the music video was just so fun. I always like filming music videos with my director Vixx. It’s like the best, and it was just a good energy because all my friends were there also.
JJ: It seems like the aesthetic of the video fits with everything else that is coming out visually for the project so far. What are your inspirations for the visuals?
ML: Well, so the inspiration for the visuals behind “taking over me,” it was heavily inspired by the movie 13. I really wanted, I don’t know, I just had been kind of wanting to use that movie as inspo, and I felt like for this song it just felt right. And then kind of the whole project inspo has been, I’ve been on this kind of like darker, whimsical fairy, like, I don’t know what it is, but I’m in this more whimsical era right now, I think.
JJ: On the EP, is there a song that you worked on that came together maybe easier than everything else? Is there one that was super instant for you?
ML: I think probably “die for” and “one last time” were the easiest for me. That specific sound comes really naturally to me. So anytime I write songs that have that style, they’re usually pretty easy.
JJ: I was curious about the EP’s title. How did you come up with that?
ML: So I was having a really hard time with the title this time. I just, I feel like I always kind of struggle with the title of my projects. It’s just, I don’t know, it’s just obviously so defining. And it’s like a big, I don’t know… It’s the title, you know? So you want it to match and to be something that sticks out. So I was coming up with a couple different things, and the first song I had out was “deprecating.” And I was just listening to it one day, and Siiickbrain says, “Get your head split.” And I was like, “Oh my God, that’s literally perfect… HEADSPLIT.” Cause I like doing one word titles also. So I was like, that’s perfect. And then it also just tied in so well with the theme of the whole project, just being like so many different emotions and feeling like I’m so split into two with my thoughts. It just really tied in perfectly.
JJ: Looking back at the course of your career, do you have any favorite songs? I know you mentioned “Would I,” but are there any other favorites that you think kind of hold up to where you’re at now?
ML: I think “Would I” is definitely like my favorite song that I did prior to all these projects. That’s probably my favorite besides all these. And then I also like… OK, the thing is I like “Obsessed.” I can appreciate “Obsessed” as a good pop song. I think that’s a really good pop song. I personally wouldn’t really listen to that if it came out now. But I do appreciate that song. I thought it was a very cute little catchy song.
JJ: Have you ever considered putting a more modern spin on some of the earlier music? Like doing it your new way almost?
ML: I get asked that all the time, but I really don’t think I would do that unless it was for a good reason. You know, if I got asked to perform at the Grammys or something. Or if someone wanted me to come perform somewhere, and they were like, “We’re gonna give you this much money but you have to sing “Pretty Girl.” Okay, maybe I’ll do it. But I don’t think so. I’m not super into revisiting that stuff. I think it could be cool if it was something big, but other than that, no, I don’t think so.
JJ: You’ve really accomplished so much over the years. Is there something that you’re most proud of having achieved?
ML: I think my proudest achievements are just my projects. It’s just like, I feel like it was just such a work in progress for such a long time that the fact that this is now my third project is really mind blowing to me. And that I’m actually happy with them too. It’s not stuff I’m just like doing and then putting out and I’m like, “OK, cool. I did that or whatever.” Right?
I’m just really proud of how far I’ve come in my life and in my music. And I’m also really proud of my first headlining tour. That was a really, really crazy experience.
JJ: Is there something that’s still on your bucket list to achieve?
ML: I definitely want to do more tours, and I want to continue to grow. So I think like, you know, obviously every artist’s goal is to sell out big venues and be able to do that. So I think that’s definitely on my bucket list to be able to go on a tour like that and sell out these big venues. And I think that’s like my main bucket list. I also just want to get the second album out. That’s a bucket list thing right now.
JJ: Is that something you’re working on already?
ML: I’m just starting. I’m finally getting back into it. So I’m a couple of sessions in now. But yeah.
JJ: You have already lined up some really cool collaborations. Are there any dream ones that you would really like to achieve?
ML: I think I would really love to do something with Bring Me the Horizon. I think that would be really cool. I think I would love to do… This is like a newer collaboration I’ve been thinking of. But I’ve been really into electronic stuff lately, not like EDM type music, but more like hyper pop. I don’t have a certain person in mind, but it could be really cool to do something with a really cool hyper pop person or hyper pop DJ. I think that that could be really cool. So that’s a new one.
JJ: Do you have anything else planned for the rest of the year? Are there any live performances or anything coming up?
ML: So there are a couple of live performances that will be announced super, super soon. So a couple of those. And then I’m just hoping to do some festivals this year, just some shows and just work on this next project. Yeah.
JJ: What’s your dream festival?
ML: Ooh, probably Coachella just because I go there all the time. Probably Coachella or like ACL. And maybe like Lollapalooza. I’ve never been to Lollapalooza, but I have been dying to go. So that could be like a good excuse that, you know, I would have to go. But then, you know, I obviously want to do the ones that are overseas because those are like the craziest. Like I don’t want to butcher those names like Rock in Rio. I would definitely love to do like some of those, just be able to travel and also get in front of those fans that I’ve never been in front of. That would be really cool.
JJ: You’ve been in the industry for so long. If you could go back to the very beginning of your career, what advice would you have for yourself?
ML: I would just tell myself to stay true to myself and listen to advice, but you don’t need to take all the advice that you’re given. I took a lot of advice that I feel like I didn’t need.