Conversations with Meaghan Maples

Today we’d like to introduce you to Meaghan Maples.

Hi Meaghan, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I was born and raised in the Bay Area and grew up singing in classical choral and gospel settings. I’ve always thrived in the live performance setting, where I can create intimate and authentic moments with the audience. After getting my Sociology degree in San Diego, I moved to LA for four years. My years there were challenging yet rewarding. It was in LA that I started songwriting in the TV and Film space under the moniker ‘Mama Haze.’ I’ve had incredible success in that space, partnering with brands such as HBO, Netflix, Toyota, and Peleton. The music I write for these partnerships is more in the pop-genre and so much fun and very rewarding, but I started to miss the Bay and making music more true to my roots and soul in R&B.

I moved back to the Bay about a year before lockdown and started making music under my own name. I would describe this music as more soulful, sensory, and raw. I started producing a lot of my own live performance events up here. I’ve loved these opportunities to bring my community together and create a live music space that feels inclusive, heartfelt, and empowering. In 2020, I entered my song, “On Your Side” in the NPR Tiny Desk Contest – earning a top spot and a feature in the first episode of Tiny Desk Contest Top Shelf. It was so exciting to see music I made with my dear friends and a song that felt so healing to me, connect and touch so many people.

I released the “On Your Side” Live EP via Over Everything (a LA-based non-profit label/artist empowerment organization) in October 2020. I started to partner with more Bay Area musicians and artists, continuing to produce live events and bring my family and friends together. This past summer I released “1763” – a 7-song EP with a studio version of “On Your Side.” We released live music videos for each song on the EP, recorded at Hyde Street Studios in San Francisco. We’re releasing a 1763 featurette music documentary later this year.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
I don’t think any road in the music industry is smooth, to be honest. It takes hard work, dedication, and lots of tears along the way. When I moved to LA after college, it was really hard. I hated LA. It was hot and I hated sitting in my car all day and I felt alone and desperate in a lot of ways. I was working multiple jobs and fighting for a space in the music industry. My four years there were a whirlwind of frustration, joy, and growth. I made lifelong friends along the way and being there really solidified my desire to be a musician and to share and create stories by any means possible. I remember when Instagram became a thing; the influencer, the blogger, the self-made online only persona. I remember feeling like that world was inaccessible to me as a woman with four jobs trying to make it as a musician, a woman with a larger body, a woman from a community of color where we were just trying to meet our basic needs.

Jealousy would rise in me as I would see some of my peers and friends from college gaining followers and “success.” The night before releasing my first solo album, I broke down with my best friend over the phone saying, “Why is this so hard?! Do I just not wear enough hats?” I didn’t mean wearing hats as in, do I have enough jobs or am I good at enough things… I was talking about actual hats. Those big ass hats that were all over Instagram in 2014. I wanted to gain followers and wear hats but at the end of the day, I needed to find a way to express beauty and strength in my own skin, and it couldn’t be at the pace of trends or anybody else on the internet. I wish there was this massive turning point that I could attribute to the growth and confidence that I’ve stepped into as a grown woman but honestly I can say it was always choosing the next good thing. Little by little, step by step. Shedding debt to focus on saving. Shedding insecurity to focus on all the beautiful bits and pieces of me. Shedding jobs to focus on music. Shedding fear and asking for what I needed from my community. Layer by layer getting to the core of who I am. It was every little next good thing and still is.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I feel like what I’m “known for” is my anonymity. For the past five years, I’ve produced music under the name “Mama Haze” It’s been five years of amazing collaborations in the TV and Film industry. My songs have played in so many ads, shows, etc. but the funny thing is, no one really knows it’s me or a part of me. It’s success that I’ve created in a very anonymous way. One of my biggest achievements in this space was when one of my Mama Haze songs was featured in Halle Berry’s directorial debut movie, Bruised. It was such a joy to be chosen for this movie with a soundtrack of all female artists. It was another wonderful moment that I worked on “anonymously” and really didn’t expect any recognition from it. One morning I woke up, and Halle Berry had shouted me out on her Instagram. I was baffled. To see my name, my photo, recognized and appreciated by this incredibly talented and amazing woman, it was such an honor. I felt so grateful to be seen, to be heard, and still do.

I think I’m most proud of my versatility as an artist and the range in my sound. I’ve done pop songs in Crest Whitening Strips commercials, worked with rappers up in the Bay, but can also sing on a classic soul track. Before the 1763 Ep came out, I released one of the songs “Someone” as a single. My team and I watched as it climbed the streaming charts and was playlisted more times than I could count. It’s an example that a simple, soulful, love song can connect with so many different people. It’s one that I’m really proud of.

Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
Zync – my music publisher. I wouldn’t be where I am without them. They’re the reason my songs are heard around the world. It’s been such a lovely relationship working together and I’m so thankful.

Mars Today and Siaira Shawn at Over Everything in LA. My dear friends and favorite collaborators. 1763 would not be possible without them and their beautiful artistry and support. I’m forever grateful.

Ryan Shoemaker and Claire Spence – My main squeezes and creative collaborators. With everything from album artwork to designing the 1763 merch, they intuitively understand what I want to put out into the world. They have immense creativity, a balanced workflow and keep me sane. I love my team.

My band – It’s such a privilege to collaborate and work with so many talented and wonderful people. They make working in the music industry fun, communal, and so rewarding.

My parents, brother, and my partner – They are my biggest support system. They bring so much joy, love and encouragement into my life.

And my FANS. I truly could not continue to do what I do without them. Every stream, every ticket or piece of merch purchased, every like, share, etc. It means the world to me. They are the ones who have truly supported me every step of the way. With them, I’m able to make music that connects and heals; that’s my biggest motivation and joy in life.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.meaghanmaples.com
• Instagram: @hellomamahaze
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBnTXHuvkin5YgzunQaOhNw

Image Credits
Sarah Shreves