UK Country Singer/Songwriter Maya Lane, is one of those rare artists whose music will see longevity. An old soul and a highly gifted writer, her wise and relatable lyrics will evolve with time making her music continue to be a source of connection and comfort for new fans and old.

Having released an impressive catalogue of music thus far, which includes her debut album Diary of an Overthinker and various singles such as Heart for a Heart, Beyond Alaska and Bitter, Maya has brought this music to life on many ‘bucket list’ stages such as C2C Festival, Glastonbury and BST Hyde Park. It is at Hyde Park where we caught up with Maya Lane after her epic performance on the Birdcage Stage as part of the support line up for Noah Kahan.

Backstage, in the artists area, Lane was sat on one of the sofa’s in one of her many outfits that she wears from favourite store Free People.

How was your set on the Birdcage Stage?

It was so fun! Honestly, it felt like a really nice, special moment.

You said you were afraid that nobody was going to turn up, and then that crowd was amazing

Yeah, yeah. I was so surprised. I was, you know, I was posting about it on social media, sharing it, hoping I could reach a few more people and obviously, there’s so many incredible artists playing. I thought it was gonna be really hard to pull the crowd in but it was lovely to see that people showed up and sung along.

How was Glastonbury?

Oh, it was so good. It was so good. I was quite terrified the whole time I was there that I was gonna catch like, some bug or sickness, because last time I went I got a sinus infection, but I’ve stayed put, and I’ve been well for this gig, but it was so fun. I mean, Glastonbury is such a magical place and I feel like the atmosphere there, you can’t really recreate anywhere else.

Who did you see there?

Haim’s secret set. Jade Bird – love her, Steven Wilson Jr was amazing and Alanis Morissette – Iconic!

Tell us about touring with Breland?

Breland is just the loveliest person ever, like the most kind human and I had the best time touring with him. His crowd and his fans are so lovely and so welcoming and they were so nice to me in each City and each night. He puts on just the best show and the most incredible energy. It was really, really inspiring to kind of watch him every night go up there and just like, have so much fun on stage, see him really enjoying it, and then for him to bring me up every night to sing a song with him felt like a really nice moment. As a support act, it meant a lot to bring me up on stage with him.

He is amazing!

Let’s talk about your single ‘Bitter’ – who did you work with on that song?

‘Bitter’ I wrote with Matt and Tom from Small, Heavy People and we’ve been working together for a long time. This is the first song we have out together, which is so lovely. It is about a friendship breakup, growing apart from someone and feeling like they’re kind of leaving you behind, leaving you in their dust when you promised each other you’re gonna have all these moments, that you’re gonna have all these memories, you’re gonna do all these things. Especially when I was at school, my friends used to promise we’re gonna move to the same city, and go to the same schools, and go and do all these different things, and then you realize that actually everyone grows and takes different paths at different times. That can be a really hard thing to navigate, especially when maybe nothing went wrong in the friendship, you just grew apart. It’s kind of that feeling of feeling angry, slightly jealous.

Tell us about the song ‘I don’t know you yet’. You said on stage that you didn’t want to put it out as a single? Why did you not want to put that one out?

So ‘I don’t know you yet’ was written, I want to say, four years ago now. So, for me, I kept being like, “it’s an old song” and I’m a bit stubborn. So once everyone was like, “it’s my favorite song”, I was like, “guys, I don’t know if I want to put it out” And I just kind of, I felt funny about it. But I actually love the song so much, and I am glad it’s coming out. I also think, because I’m 22, I haven’t been a relationship, and you know, ‘Just a girl’ is about that. And I think there was part of me that was also a bit like, “Oh, I’m a bit embarrassed to put this one out”, but I haven’t ever found anyone that like, feels like my person. But actually, when I played it on every show, and seeing how people connect to it, it makes me more and more excited that it’s coming out in the world, and that there are going to be other people who’ve had the same feelings as me and actually way more than you realize.

I mean, that’s partly what teams are for, to tell you what you don’t hear yourself, necessarily. So what is your favorite song to perform?

I love playing ‘Bitter’ especially with my band member. It’s really fun just to open up acapella with the chorus and then just go into it. I also, for a favorite cover, it’s always going to be the chain.

It is a lovely version. You have obviously got unreleased songs, but are there any particular unreleased songs that you have that you’re desperate to get out, for people to hear?

The one that I played ‘Guys Like You’ – that is one that I am desperate to get out. That’s why I play it at every live show. I just want people to hear it. It’s one that I feel like I can have a lot of fun with performing. It’s a little bit cheeky. It has that kind of like country tongue in cheek lyric to it. And I feel like every girl can kind of relate to the feeling of a man talking and not getting the moment when you’re not interested?

I mean, what is it about them saying they’re six foot when they’re not? (song reference)

I know! So I am 5’9. So the guys who are like, “I’m 6ft” I’m like, “No,you’re my height – I’m the radar.”

I’m like, I’d respect you a lot more, if you didn’t lie. There’s nothing wrong with being shorter. What are you working on at the moment?

I have my EP coming out in September, September the 4th, I have a headline show September 2nd (The Grace, London) So I’m kind of getting in loads of rehearsals for the headline show and getting as ready as I can, preparing, but also always working on new music.

So, I know you Love the album Golden Hour by Kacey Musgraves – What’s your favourite song on there?

‘Slow Burn’, I know everyone says it.

It’s mine too, it’s such a beautiful song and she wasn’t originally going to start the album with that song, madness.

I know! It’s one of those songs that I wish I’d written.

Favourite song off of Taylor Swift’s ‘folklore’?

Oooh, I’m going to say at the moment, ‘mirrorball’

Oh really?

It changes all the time. I was a kid who was a bit of an over achieving kid and then kind of fell behind, so I relate to the lyrics a bit.

My favourite when the album came out was ‘august’ that was my immediate favourite. The way the bridge comes in with all the guitars.

Did you go to the eras tour?

I did, when Ed Sheeran came out!

Aww me too! Thank you so much for today, and we can’t wait for the new music!

Thank you so much!

You can catch Maya Lane playing a headline show at The Grace in London on September 3rd. Tickets and info here