INTERVIEW: Maisy Kay on her music and Australian tour: "There’s something about getting to connect with people in real time that is so special."
Published: 26 March 2025
UK born, US based Maisy Kay creates pop with a fascinating twist. With a traditional electronic-pop foundation, Kay’s music is at times ethereal, dreamy, powerful and emotive, and her lyrics are inspired by her love of fantasy and alternate universes setting her music apart from the rest.
First releasing music in 2015 with the impressive debut single ‘Blood Filled Tears’, an emotional. almost gothic pop-rock track about a friend’s suicide. In 2019 the pared back, electronic track ‘Almost Touch Me’ gained attention with almost 3 million streams to date, and in 2020 she had a major breakthrough with the eclectic track ‘The Storm’ with TheFatRat. Its unique sound mixes electronic pop with what can only be described as medieval fairytale and to date is sitting just under 40 million global streams on Spotify alone.
Last year she released the two part EP Wanderlust: The Dawn and Wanderlust: The Dusk. A gorgeous collection of electronic pop music with May’s impressive vocal gliding over delicious melodies and beats. Sonically opposites in many ways, The Dawn is the quieter, mellower, romantic half while The Dusk amps up the beats and attitude.
The Dawn is infused with love, with tracks like ‘Technicolor Honeymoon’ and it’s pop sound and lyrics speaking of devotion to your other half. ‘We found joy in the mundane / Your laughter is in my dreams / I’ll keep calling out your name / Till my lungs will collapse under me.’ The dreamy ‘Incandescent’ is a highlight, which sees Kay singing of the transformative power of love: ‘I never thought I’d find / Love is gentle, softened presence, effervescent…it’s incandescent with you.’
While the theme of love continues on The Dusk, there are moments where the production is ramped up with a harder sound and a more powerful vocal from May. ‘Addict’ has a thumping club beat mixed with jazzy piano as May sings of being addicted to her crush - “One more hit, I won't promise to stop / I can't quit, but I could window shop.” ‘Sorry!’ has a broody, moody sound with a downbeat vocal, while closing track ‘Eternity’ is a glorious, 1980s synth infused pop track with Kay determinedly pursuing the object of her desire: ‘So make a copy of your key / And fall deeply in love with me.’
Kay is currently touring with Jamie Miller, and after a number of shows in the UK in February and March, she is now in Australia, performing in Sydney tomorrow before wrapping up in Melbourne on 30 March. It is the perfect opportunity to experience Kay’s magical music in person, and we recently caught up with her to chat about her career and her live shows.
Hi Maisy! It’s so good to chat with you today, thank you for your time.. How is everything in your world right now?
It’s good, hectic! We’ve been running around between tours, which has been amazing, but I definitely cried saying goodbye to my cat earlier today.
As you mentioned, you are right in the middle of touring with Jamie Miller which must be incredible. You recently wrapped up the UK leg - prior to this tour you had only ever played two shows in the UK, despite being born there. What was the experience like?
It was wonderful. I love the UK so much, and it was always such a dream to get to play where I was from. I hope to get to play there many more times in future.
You are now here in Australia playing three shows. I read this was one of the countries you most wanted to play in - how are you feeling about having that dream come true?!
I feel amazing! It’s always such an incredible opportunity to tour, and I’m so delighted Jamie wanted me back for the Australia run.
Most artists we speak to say performing live is the main reason why they love being a musician, despite it often being a terrifying experience. Do you feel the same way about performing?
I think performing live is something I used to dread, but something I was surprisingly enamoured by once I started doing it. There’s something about getting to connect with people in real time that is so special. The fear of not being good enough is still something that sticks with me every show, but the connection I get to have with fans every night far overpowers it.
Is there one song from your discography that is always a blast for you to perform, that the crowd really go crazy for?
I know performing the ending of 'Love Is A God' tends to get the crowd’s attention, as it’s a fun demonstration of my upper register I don’t always get to show. I always love playing ‘Technicolor Honeymoon’ as I get the crowd dancing, and it’s fun to have that interactive experience with the people coming to the shows.
Your music is a gorgeous mix of pop, electronica and powerful balladry and one of the most beautiful aspects of your music is how you bring fantasy and alternative universes into your lyrics. As we grow up, an interest in fantasy worlds is often frowned upon or not taken seriously, particularly for women, but in reality it is really such a powerful and important creative force that we all should continue to enjoy. Is that how it feels for you as a creator, it brings you immense creative power and freedom?
Absolutely. I love that there’s an upcoming resurgence of nerdiness being cool. Long overdue if you ask me! The moment I felt my career clicked for me was when I really leaned into that whimsy and fantastical element of my personality. Storytelling is one of my favorite things in the world, and so I love getting to combine my two loves of music and fantasy.
Is there any particular direction you want to take your music for your next project, or themes you want to explore?
I think my next project is going to feel a bit darker and heavier than the last projects. For the last few years I’ve really been going back and forth between darker leaning alternative sounds, to emotional lyrically driven ballads, to pure pop. I think this next chapter will include a blend of it all, as well as taking a deeper look into loss and the stages of grief.
For those who may be new to your music, how did you get started in your musical career?
I got into my local papers in England for writing a musical at 10 that my primary school put on. A recording studio in Birmingham invited me over to record some demos after that, and when I was around 14 I got invited to move to LA to pursue music professionally!
The music industry has traditionally been a difficult space for women to exist in, thanks in part to be being run by older, straight, white men for so long. There is pressure for women to fit into a particular box or look a certain way, pressure that is never put on male artists. What are your thoughts on gender (in)equality in the music industry?
It is something I think is so crucial to point your attention to. It is so hard to be a woman in a male dominated field, especially in entertainment, when women are already held to a different standard to men. I think we are starting to see the rise of more women producers, women musicians, women A&R’s and engineers. There is still so much work to do, and I think part of our duty as women in the industry is to shout out the other hard working women that are working to re-shape the music industry. It is still a heavily male dominated field, but I feel optimistic about the rise of women for entertainment.
The Australia tour is underway, what does the rest of 2025 look like?
I hope to release new music, and hopefully play some of my own shows, and build upon the incredible wonderful fanbase that supports and drives me in life.
Maisy Kay is supporting Jamie Miller on his Australia tour. Tickets are on sale now here.
27 March - Liberty Hall, Moore Park, Sydney
30 March - Prince Bandroom, St Kilda, Melbourne
