May-C on Creative freedom and her new track Josephine

May-C is an independent artist in Auckland, and her latest single, Josephine, is out now. I had the chance to discuss this with her.

On this new song, she explained: On the surface, it's a romance song about yearning for someone or something. However, at its core, it's about striving for something that might not exist and the instinct to reshape yourself for others. Josephine isn't a real person; it's a concept of someone who seems more put together than you feel. The song explores how easy it is to lose yourself when you aren't sure who you are.

So, in a way, it’s about aspiring to this perfect person, while questioning if such a person really exists.

Exactly, and it's also that you can't keep trying to change who you are when you don't know who that is. In the middle section of the song, there are two different vocal lines overlaid on top of each other. And the top one's talking about how I lost myself long before I found you. And it's talking about how you didn't really lose yourself because of this other person; you were already there. And then the under one is basically talking about how I never really knew myself. And it's just talking about how you keep searching for something more. And yeah, I like how they're just sandwiched on top of each other.

I find that fascinating, portraying two versions of yourself not only lyrically but also through the song’s arrangement. I really appreciate it when artistic intention and production align so well.

Yes, the overlapping melodies both complement and clash, which was intentional. I wanted listeners to feel the anxiety of wanting something more but not knowing what it is.

Did you grow up loving music?

I did. I think I learned to sing before I could realistically speak. I grew up in the choir scene. So I grew up singing choral pieces and ensemble work, and then I went into jazz vocals in high school, working with combos, big bands, funk bands, and so on. And I was really into poetry as a kid. I started writing poems at 7 or 8, then got a guitar at 9, and kept writing. Until now, really.

Were there any other art forms that influenced your music?

Poetry is a huge influence on me. Lyricism matters most when I write songs, and poetry inspires that. Musical theatre is also important—I appreciate it when visuals and sound match. Theatre and poetry are my biggest inspirations from other art forms.

Do you have a favourite poet, a favourite songwriter, and a favourite musical or moment that inspires you?

For lyricism, I really admire Phoebe Bridgers and Lizzie McAlpine; their poetic songwriting inspires me. For playwrights, I love Shakespeare, especially when his work is performed with real emotion. Sam Hunt stands out in New Zealand poetry. I don’t have a single favourite poet, but there are many poems I connect with.

Is this someone you look up to that you feel like really does have the visuals that match their music?

There's this artist over in Australia, Charli, and she's just released. her album The Chronicles of Showgirl. Her visuals are insane, all of her music videos and everything, they're so creative, the colours are so well thought out, everything down to a T is so well planned. I admire that because you can tell she’s thought about the meaning of everything and how they interlink.

Who inspires your visuals?

I work with two photographers and videographers who are both based here in Auckland. I work with Chloe (@_chloescamera) and Ollie Madsen. (@olliemadsen and @madson.nz) And they are geniuses. I don't know what goes on in their heads, but they're insane. Sometimes I'll think of concepts, and I'll be like, " Hey, I know this is really random. Somehow, Ollie executes the most insane concepts. They're both so talented. They're really good.

Who do you make music for?

I mainly make music for myself as an outlet to process emotions and my experiences. However, I produce music aimed at 15- to 25-year-olds, since I relate to that group and can best write about their experiences.

How would you sum up your musical journey?

Messy. There was a big gap where I took a break from music After high school, I had a really bad experience with a music teacher in Year 13, and it After high school, a negative experience with a music teacher in Year 13 diminished my love for music, leading me to blame the industry and stop writing for a period. In 2024, joining a band revived my interest and passion for music, performing, and writing, and I think I just realised that was something I wanted to do. Despite what anyone else thought, I did it for me, and I loved it. And I kept it that. So I'd definitely say it was messy for a while. It waIt was up and down, lots of emotions, but now it's very exciting.

Looking back, do you think you were burnt out during that time when you needed to take that break?

Oh, 100%. I was so burnt out. If I didn’t take that break, I wouldn’t still be making music. I would have kept burning out, and the music wouldn't have been anywhere near as good, and it would have been rushed, messy,

Do you have advice for other creatives who might be going through a burnout stage?

Be kind to yourself. Give yourself patience. Because sometimes you do need a break, and that's okay. And a lot of people, specifically in the New Zealand music industry scene, think that they have to be going at 100 kilometres per hour, all the time. And even though that does get statistics up if you're consistent, and you're keeping everything on track. It's not always gonna be the best option for you at the time, and I think providing yourself with the space for a break, and being kind to yourself. And reminding yourself that you are just a human too. It is very important.

What is the story behind some of your music?

Every single song that I've ever written in my life is based around an event. or something that has happened, and they're all things that happened to me, which I think is quite vulnerable, But I like that everyone can interpret them how they want to.

So my first song that I released, Donut, was literally about this guy whom I'd been seeing for 3 months and it took me 3 months to realise that I only ever saw him on Wednesdays. Oh my goodness, I'm his Wednesday. I was like, that's actually so criminal.

And then we moved on to Air, my personal favourite song that has been released. Air was the first song that I released that wasn't an upbeat song. And that was something that I was a little bit nervous about, because people expected that said lyricism with the pop sound, and it wasn't that. And it definitely didn't do as well streams-wise, but I found that it has the biggest impact on people. I've gotten the most messages and the most things like stories from the song, which I never really expected people to connect with a song on such a deeper level. Even just the other day, I got a message from someone who I hadn't even met before, they'd never heard my music before, and they were just like, " Hey, I stumbled upon your song, and I do not understand how you're reading my brain, and I it was so sweet, because that's all I aim for, is to connect with people and to let them know that what they are feeling I'm feeling too, so But, yeah, I think that message of the whole it's only fresh air. definitely reached more people. than I expected. And that one's basically just a reminder of how I deal with like, panic attacks or anxiety attacks. And the lyrics. quite literally just coping mechanisms. which I think is really vulnerable, but it's also extremely raw. Because I didn't sugarcoat it, and I didn't metaphor like, I didn't put it in a metaphor, I just said exactly what it is. Which is something I don't usually do. I'm usually very metaphorical in my songwriting.

 J + J is about the whole concept of falling in love with one of your friends, but You know, you're just friends. girls will be girls when they have white wine, and it's the whole curiosity of sexuality but not being certain if there's actually something there.

 Is there a song you've written that feels too personal or vulnerable to release?

Yes. 100%. There are a few, and a few of my regular showgoers have heard a few of them, because I remember sharing a couple at a few more acoustic-back shows I've done. And it's hard because the audience really liked them and requested them, and I don't know if I can do it. Because they are just that next level of vulnerable, they're a bit too real. and that's not saying they'll never make it out there, but at this stage, they're a bit too salt in the wound, I think.

I think about the fact that Noah Kahn's album has just come out. And I've seen his documentary recently, so I know how fresh some of those wounds are. I'm really interested to see: when it comes to the tour, are there songs that he just cannot put on the set list? And so I guess my question is for you: are there songs you've written that you've maybe released, maybe haven't? But you just can't actually get through them in front of an audience.

There Definitely is. So when I first wrote Air, I remember the first time I played it live. I thought it would be fine. And it was the second verse, and I was crying. And it's just something that I have to move with, and I'm very lucky that the people who do support me and my music are so considerate, and they're very thoughtful, and compassionate, and they give me the space to just cry with me, instead of Like, be like, I wasted 20 bucks on this? So I'm very, very lucky in that aspect, but no, there definitely are songs that I think I'd put on the setlist; I don't think I could make it through them.

What I thought of when you were saying that is the moment before Lewis Capaldi had to take a break, where his fans finished a song, and so, it almost sounds like you've had a few of those moments where the people who are genuinely there to support you as an artist carry you through anyway.

Exactly, I wrote A song for my grandmother last year after we found out that she had cancer And I remember my flatmates, I played it for them for the first time at home And I could barely get the words out, but we were all just sitting there, just crying together. And they were like, I think you should put it on the setlist. And I was like, oh, I don't know! And I did. And they were right in the front row crying, singing just as loud as I was. And I think for me, that was really beautiful, because I knew that Nana would have absolutely done the same thing, and it was really, really special to just know that they cared enough to not only sing louder while they're crying, but also know that that would help me as well.

Is that also what music means to you, though? As vulnerable as it is, there's a connection in it.

Exactly. I think everyone yearns for connection in different ways. And for me, I'm very much a thought daughter, and I think having people relate to words that I'm saying, whether they're being sung or not, that's a feeling that nothing else really gives me: that connection on such an intimate level. Because to everybody, songs mean different things, and I think that's so beautiful. That they mean different things to different people, but they still bring them all together.

How has your background growing up influenced your creative identity?

Well, my parents were never fully together, so I definitely grew up in two separate households, but mostly my dad's. So my dad and I were, and are best friends, and I was never really super close with my mum. So I found that, in my younger years, I was very drawn to more masculine energy, so I would be more into stereotypically masculine things, like Lego, motorbikes, and so on. But I think there's a lack of a strong female presence in the earlier stages of life. definitely made me yearn for that more. And a lot of the music I wrote, especially when I was younger, was about yearning for connection. Because I didn't feel that. And I think my great-grandfather on my dad's side was a musician as well, so he played the organ. He was a big fan of the organ. the jazz music. And he would always just sit down and play, and I found that that was when I felt most calm. And music was always something that would be connotated to happy emotions in our household, and I think I just carried that on through performing, writing,

What are some challenges you face because you are an independent artist?

It's definitely very freeing. Because I run my own schedule, I run my own finances, I run everything. So, marketing, I don't have a marketing agent, I don't have a PR agent. I handle everything myself, which can sometimes be overwhelming, but I do think it is very freeing. It means I have to be organised and learn how to read the statistics, and all of my analytics and how this post affects differently from this post, and what works, what doesn't, and I love every single aspect of it. The financial side is obviously a bit of a struggle. because it's not cheap. I think no amount of money spent can diminish what you're doing if it's something you're passionate about and I have no problem spending my money on something that means the world to me. I'm sure many other artists would say the same.

I still work full-time and left my studies so I could fully dive into my music, at least for the foreseeable future. And I had to sit down and think, how badly do I want this? Doing this fulfils me. Even if it means it's noodles for dinner. I was totally content with that decision. I think for me, it's not really about the money. I don't really mind how much money I make, I do free shows all the time and I try my absolute hardest to make the shows I headline extremely affordable. I know that even just your average worker is struggling with the price of everything these days so I try to make everything super accessible, which not a lot of people can do if they've got a label, because they've got targets to meet. I'm fortunate to have friends in the industry who will do pro bono work with me, and I'm so incredibly grateful for them. But if I can pay them, then absolutely I will, because I'd rather them get paid and me not, because I know I'm having a good time.

Something that I've found really, really interesting is that not everybody is there to support you. And a lot of people, or people within the industry even, we'll message you, and they'll be like, " Oh, I love what you're doing, we should do this, this, this, and this, and then they'll have a slight glimpse of something bigger. And you're no longer in that picture, because you're not in the bigger picture with them. And I think that's really unfortunate, because there are a lot of artists that aren't like that, and they're incredible, and they'll support you no matter how big they get. But there are some that chase bigger constantly, and they don't think about the people who were there with them when they weren't. And I think that's a hard pill you have to learn how to swallow.

I also think, on the financial side, definitely do not be opposed to fundraising. And do not be opposed to asking for help. If asking a musician friend how they would feel about tagging on with you for a show for free. things like that, it doesn't hurt to ask, and Most musicians get it. Most musicians do. If any of my friends were like, " Hey, would you be keen to open for me? I'm so sorry, I can't pay you, but like, help, I'm there, absolutely. And that's even things like a lot of people asking you for free tickets, as well. And it's okay to say no to free tickets, because if someone's not willing to spend $10 to come and support you. Then that's all good. And I get financial hardship as well. If you can't afford it, you can't afford it, but the people who expect free tickets and free entry rub me the wrong way a bit.

I understand that. As someone who reviews shows, if I'm requesting to Photograph a show, It's an artist that I'm already paying for to go for myself, and I know that there are perks that come with it, but it's like if I do get a free ticket, then I'm going to the merch table and buying something. I'm doing it for the love of music, not the perks, and it bugs me too when people just want it all for free.

Yeah, I think there are definitely levels to it. If someone messaged me and was like, "Hey, in exchange for a free ticket, I'll take photos, or I'll do this," I'm like, "Absolutely, I'll give you 4. Come along." But it's also that consideration of you still have the venue bill to pay, you've got to pay the sound guy, you've got to pay the vans, and they're not cheap, and like, some venues, specifically down in Christchurch, you can hire for free, and you just have to pay the sound guy. And that is incredible, because it means you can afford to pay people pretty well. But, especially up here in Auckland, I've found that since moving, it's not like that. It's expensive.

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