Meet Maisie Bull: Songwriter & Musician

We had the good fortune of connecting with Maisie Bull and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Maisie, let’s start by talking about what inspires you?
I feel lucky to be able to find inspiration absolutely everywhere – from the ocean to the trees to the city to the people living there. I am inspired by the pursuit of something more. Not necessarily happiness, nor “success”, but rather a constant journey of growth and learning. We all deserve to love ourselves and our lives and if I can learn to exist that way, maybe I can help other people feel the same passion for life. Things are quite difficult a lot of the time and I want to play my part to make life better for others in whatever way I can.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am a songwriter who focuses primarily on pop music as a singer and a musician. I grew up constantly making music and singing my thoughts and emotions so by the time I was choosing what to do with my life, music just made sense. So very many people are trying to “make it” in the music industry and it’s fairly saturated in the pop industry specifically, but I still feel that I have a unique voice to share with the world. I am a plus size, queer, pagan woman who suffers from mental illness and has an almost compulsive need to tell the truth. I don’t want to hide or tailor my image to be more successful. I want to show all the young adults in the world that you can be fat and still love yourself. You can be queer and stand tall. You can go to therapy when you need to and be proud of yourself for taking care of your mental health. And most importantly, we do not need to squeeze ourselves into a mold that does not fit in the name of being successful.

I think it is incredibly difficult to grow up in America with the “other” label on your back. To constantly be told that who you are is wrong or needs to change or be hidden is so harmful to the many beautiful young minds we should be nurturing. I am certainly not perfect and can never represent all of the marginalized communities who deserve to have their voices heard, but I believe representation is so important.

My music is incredibly honest, sometimes painfully so, because in my life, expression has been the key to my own healing. I am choosing to share this personal music knowing that people will have adverse opinions and I will have to defend my stances, but hoping that even one person will hear something I’ve written and feel less alone. I don’t think I would consider my career to be “successful” quite yet. I graduated from Berklee College of Music in August 2019 and soon after the pandemic shut down the world. Behind the scenes I have been writing music and reading about the world and learning and planning because I have every intention of coming out of this pandemic and changing this world for the better, even if it’s just a tiny bit.

The most important lesson I have learned as someone who makes many lists and plans absolutely everything, the best thing we can learn to do is go with the flow. We need to adapt when life throws crazy things at us (like a pandemic lol) because we can never know what to expect on any given day. I’m a thinker. I think and analyze and organize my thoughts constantly. I’m coming up on my chapter of doing. Action is what sparks a reaction and I may not always choose the correct actions, but I’ll be darned if I don’t try.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Living in LA is absolutely a dream of mine. Admittedly I’m not terribly fond of the sun or the heat (nor is my easily burned Swedish skin) but the atmosphere of music and entertainment and all of the people there makes me feel alive! Truth be told, I haven’t had the opportunity to spend much actual time in LA, though I am finally planning a move there for the fall. I expect I’d want to spend a day there with my best friend somewhere between the beach and the gorgeous hikes and in the evening maybe experience some of the nightlife. I love a variety of experiences, especially in one day! It makes for an amazing memory and a good time all around. Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I have the most amazing little sister who is so loving and supportive, I would absolutely not be who/where I am today if not for her influence. She is incredibly wise and intelligent and pursuing neuroscience in her studies, but she is also a phenomenal musician. Growing up with a built in best friend who would sing with me, give me feedback on my music, and teach me to be confident in myself is without a doubt the best gift I could have been given. She taught me to be strong and I owe her everything.

Instagram: instagram.com/maisiebull

Youtube: youtube.com/maisiebull

Image Credits
Sue Hobson Jarred Hahn