“It’s truly wonderful to be someone’s star witness.” For True Blue, Maya Laner’s artistic vision, creating music has always centered around emotional expression. As a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, fashion designer, and visual artist, Maya infuses every facet of her essence into her creative work.
“It’s somewhat enclosed within a melancholic, ethereal realm, which I suppose reflects my inner self,” she shares with CLASH, “and that has always been my guiding principle.” Over the years, Maya has accompanied artists like Caroline Polachek, Alex G, and Porches as an instrumentalist, witnessing their rise to stardom. Now, with the launch of her new project, ‘Star Witness’, her own brilliance is finally recognized.
From a young age, music has come naturally to Maya. “I was fortunate to discover that music had no rules,” she recalls. “Initially, I was drawn to the glamour and concept of it, and was also spiritually inspired to learn different instruments.” Once she grasped this realization, Maya wanted to experiment with every instrument she could find: mandolin, accordion, ukulele—anything that produced sound. In high school, she devoted countless hours to teaching herself how to play, captivated by covering various songs.
It wasn't until her late teenage years that Maya began composing her own music. “That was when I truly started to experience life, facing those profound and universal feelings,” she states. Around this time, she initiated the True Blue project, a name reflecting her melancholic nature.
True Blue’s debut album explores the beauty of witnessing another's journey while pondering the wish to experience that for oneself. “Playing a supporting role can be just as significant as being in the spotlight,” she asserts. Co-executively produced with her collaborator Nature Boy and released under their newly established independent label True Nature, the album exudes a dreamlike, trance-like quality that prioritizes rhythm and intuition over traditional structure.
“I perceive songs as a kind of enchantment,” she elaborates. “Once the emotional journey is fulfilled, it’s ready to be shared.” Visually, Maya considers her music as an extension of her inner landscape. The ethereal, surreal video for ‘Truest of Blues’ feels like a glimpse into her subconscious. Collaborating closely with long-time stylist Nancy Koté (“my creative soulmate”), Maya has developed a visual language for her cover art that’s as intentional as her music.
Maya Laner possesses an undeniable magnetic quality: serene, intuitive, and wholly authentic. True Blue in name, and in every aspect of her essence.
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WHAT: Divine, euphoric, melancholic
WHERE: Between Copenhagen and New York City
3 SONGS: ‘Truest of Blues’, ‘Fountain’, ‘Cherry-coloured Funk’
FACT: Maya experiences an intense form of Frisson, particularly with music
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Words: Amelia Garrett
Photography: Bella Howard
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