Mae Muller on taking an industry break, going independent, and returning with her "authentic" new EP 'My Island' • Interview • DIY Magazine

The rollercoaster of music stardom is a ride Mae Muller knows better than most: she’s represented her country on the international stage (at 2023’s Eurovision Song Contest), scored a UK Top 10, and released a major-label debut album, ‘Sorry I’m Late’. She’s also faced the sting of said public profile (after some old, anti-nationalist tweets of hers resurfaced), parted ways with that major label, and dealt with a brutal, burnout-inducing workload.

Having given herself some space - mentally and geographically - from the hectic life of a London-based pop girl, Mae’s now made her return with ‘My Island’: a new EP that sees her making bangers on her own terms.

Hey Mae! How are you doing? How’s summer been treating you so far?
Summer has been gorgeous so far!! I’ve been really enjoying just taking things in my own time, eating nice food, and making good music.

It’s been a few weeks since the release of ‘My Island’ - now the dust has (slightly) settled, how does it feel to have the project out in the world? What’s the reception to the EP been like?
It’s the best feeling in the world!! It means so much to release something I can 100% stand behind, and look at and think ‘that’s all me’. It’s a really satisfying feeling.

Following the release of your debut album ‘Sorry I’m Late’, you took a temporary step back from the industry. Can you tell us a bit about the factors which influenced this decision, and what you learned from giving yourself some breathing space?
Honestly, I was just mentally and physically burnt out from going from one intense promo campaign to another, and it’s obviously the definition of a first world problem, but I just needed a break. I think it’s because, deep down, I knew that the work I was producing didn’t feel completely authentic to who I was, so it just felt really exhausting. I needed to step away and re-learn who I am without all the noise.

Last time DIY spoke to you back in 2023, you said that “to be confident and empowered is great for young girls to see, but it’s also important to show that it’s not like that everyday.” Was it important to you to be honest about your industry experience - including parting ways with your label - and to not sugar-coat the tough moments of the past year or so?
The older I get, the more I realise that I don’t think it’s that normal, this pressure to share every vulnerable moment with the world for the sake of authenticity. Saying this though, being honest comes quite naturally to me, and I would want my audience to know the real journey!

There’s a palpable sense of freedom and fun to ‘My Island’ - how did the experience of writing and recording the EP compare with that of ‘Sorry I’m Late’?
Thank you!! It’s exactly that; it was just making music in the most freeing way. I didn’t have to report back to anyone - whether something got released was solely down to me, so trusting my own instincts again has been really therapeutic! I did have a lot of fun making my debut album too, but it was over such a long stretch of time, and I was thinking about a lot of other people’s opinions making that record, so I suppose it wasn’t as fun.

“Deep down, I knew that the work I was producing didn’t feel completely authentic to who I was, so it just felt really exhausting.”

While ‘My Island’ does have - let’s face it - some serious bangers, ‘In My Head’ equally showcases your lyrically vulnerable, deeply relatable side. Did you go into the studio knowing that you wanted to strike these two different tones, or did that contrast emerge more organically?
It emerged organically! ‘In My Head’ was actually a kind of hail mary moment: we’d been in the studio all day and nothing else was really sticking, so Gil, who produced the track, started messing around on guitar and played the riff you hear in the song. Something just clicked and I started writing what felt like a diary.

Tracks like ‘Hello Kitty’ really embrace the dancier, hyper-pop aspects of your sound - why did this feel like the right sonic direction to lean into for this next chapter, rather than, say, the balladry of tracks like ‘Porn Lied To Us’ or ‘Miss America’?
I just like to do what feels right in the moment: I still love a ballad, but right now I wanna dance! I’m feeling free and fun and grateful, and I think that sound just comes out when I’m feeling that way.

You’ve also just released the official video for ‘Hello Kitty’, which features some serious choreo (it’s Britney bitch!). How did you come up with the visual concept? What’s your favourite memory from shooting the vid?
OMG! A Britney reference - thank you so much. Honestly, I was fighting for my life trying to keep up with the dancers (who were incredible), but I knew we could not release this song without choreo! I came up with the vision with Ben Cole, who directed: I knew I wanted something a bit industrial and gritty to collide with a fantasy world, and that’s where the green screen concept came in!

You recently made your live return at Isle Of Wight Festival - what was it like to play these new songs to a crowd for the first time? Can you give us any hints about your gig plans for the rest of 2025…?
It was incredible! I love playing live and doing shows - it’s my favourite thing! Speaking of, I’ve literally just announced my next headline show, on 4th October in Hackney!!! I’m so excited; it’s been a while, so I can’t wait to get back on stage in a room of people who I know are there for the music.

Now we know what your island sounds like, but what would it LOOK like?
A beach, sun, sand, a bikini so small you can’t even see it, tequila, Marlboro Golds, and my girlfriends!!!!

‘My Island’ is out now.

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