ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: Maggie Rogers

Maggie Rogers is undoubtedly one of my favorite artists. After watching Rogers work her magic on “Saturday Night Live” back in 2018, I was in awe of how amazing her music is. You may remember Maggie Rogers from the video that thrust her into stardom -- The one where she is sitting in a songwriting class at NYU sitting beside Pharrell Williams listening to her song “Alaska” and brought the award-winning producer to tears.

After the video went viral, the singer-songwriter released her first full-length album in early 2019, Heard It in a Past Life. The album further demonstrated Maggie’s songwriting skills and how personal she can get with her music. Heard It in a Past Life received critical praise and earned her a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist, and it also landed her a coveted spot at the 2020 Democratic National Convention.

But even before her video with Pharrell Williams went viral, Maggie Rogers was always making music.

Last month, the singer-songwriter released the compilation album, Notes from the Archive: Recordings 2011-2016, which features songs she has written and produced herself leading up to her viral moment with Pharrell. When Rogers announced the album, she shared an “Intro” which explained her intention with this release saying, “I started writing songs as a way to process and document my life… This record is about looking back on ten years of work. It’s about looking to the future by honoring the past.”

The album goes in reverse chronological order, giving listeners a chance to hear a younger Maggie Rogers doing what she loves to do. Notes from the Archive also includes commentary from Rogers herself, giving context to the set of songs from each era in her life. The album gives fans a look into her journey through music and demonstrates her musical versatility. The songs range from indie-rock to alt-pop with tracks like “Celadon & Gold” and “Blood Ballet”. 

Maggie Rogers is one of those artists you can tell is dedicated to every aspect of their craft. If you haven’t given her a listen, this is your sign to do so! Notes from the Archive: Recordings 2011-2016 is available on Spotify and Apple Music.