Artist Profile: Maisie Johnson
Music is an art form that can truly transcend generations. With Exit Live, we love the idea of vintage performances being available on our platform but, just as much, we want to provide opportunities for young and burgeoning talent to grow.
No more is that as appropriate as in the case of Maisie Johnson, who recently added her show at The Basement Door in Richmond, London. At 16 years old, Maisie is a promising country/folk singer absolutely bursting with talent. She’s been writing her own songs since she was 12, and recently released her first solo EP, ‘Sixteen’. I sat down with Maisie recently to discuss her career, her hopes, and her experience with Exit Live.
You performed at The Basement Door this month. How did it go?
It went really well! I played two new songs (‘The Dark’ and ‘Dear You’) which was incredibly nerve wracking, but I was really happy with them. It’s so nice to be able to have that recorded and available on Exit Live. My friend Sam, who plays percussion with me, unexpectedly stood up at the end and said some really lovely things about our time playing together.
Why did you choose The Basement Door as the venue?
It’s where I’ve been playing since I was 14 and is my favourite place to play. It does so much for young people and has shaped me as an artist, so there was no better place for it! It has a really great atmosphere.
Why did you decide to use Exit Live?
Exit Live is such a great concept, and it was so easy to use — it really helped that you can do pretty much everything in advance, from pictures to track names and order, so that once you have the recordings you can put them up so easily.
I really love the idea of being able to take a unique performance home with you, and I always love the opportunity to be a part of something new!
One of the most important things about Exit Live is the ‘artists first’ mindset — that, as a value, is so important and to have a platform prioritise this is so encouraging! Services that help me to connect with fans and ‘immortalise’ performances (no two shows are ever the same!) are so important to me and imperative to the future of the music business in general.
Did any of your fans say anything about the ability to buy the live recordings?
I had a number of comments on how nice it was to be able to listen again after the show, especially with the new songs that I’d never played before — it also meant that people who couldn’t make it didn’t miss out!
What’s next for you?
I’m currently trying to juggle A-levels and my music, which is a bit of a struggle I must admit! I’m trying to focus on writing new material and getting as much performance experience as possible, so that I can hopefully release some new music soon!
There’s no doubt that Maisie is one to watch. Be sure to check out her live recording, and follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
