Maggie Rogers On Giving Yourself Permission To Still Be Processing

By Sara Radin


Maggie Rogers was not prepared nor planning for fame. Case in point, one could mention it’s something that happened to her, all thanks to a viral video from 2016 of Pharrell Williams delightfully listening to her song “Alaska.” At that time, Rogers was a senior attending New York University's Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music, although noticed herself struggling with a period of writer’s block. In January 2019, she explained to The New York Times, “All my teachers were really frustrated with me.” Having spent time working for music journalist Lizzy Goodman and interning at publications like Elle and Spin, Rogers contemplated a career in music journalism as a last resort.


“I’ve never heard anyone like you before,” Pharrell, then a NYU artist-in-residence, tells Rogers in the video. “That’s a drug for me.” The song she played for the famous musician that fateful day had only been drafted in 15 minutes however it still derived millions of views and immediately thrust the singer-songwriter into the spotlight. Right now, three years later, the folkie pop singer has released her debut album Heard It In a Past Life and gone on numerous tours (including one with Mumford & Sons), bringing her candescent, warm spirit to cities across the U.S. And U.K.


Yet despite her several accolades, sold-out shows, and hit singles, Rogers appears to exhibit herself in a way that’s distinct from most pop stars today: Up until recently she styled herself for all of her public appearances, she likes to shares bits of her process on social media, and has been incredibly open about the challenge of navigating virality you didn’t ask for and the highs and lows of being a public figure. In this way, she embodies a refreshing sense of approachability, making her feel almost within reach — like that friend of a friend you visualize out at parties some days who is routinely really kind and has cool style.


These days, as Rogers rises further into the spotlight, she remains humble and authentic, showing her fans that it’s OK to not have all of the answers while also reminding them of their humanity in everything that she does. Several days before her big Coachella efficiency and three years right after “Alaska” first spread like wildfire, the rising singer tells MTV News why she loves glitter, her latest self-care buy — a pillow — and the significance of processing.


MTV News: I really appreciate how sincere you’ve been about being unprepared for the spotlight and not having control over your song and story going viral. How did you work your way back to being yourself right after going through that experience?


Maggie Rogers: I don't know if it was coming back to being myself. Feel like I have been myself the entire time. It's just I think that every time you're in a new situation you're forced to work through new variables. The challenge for me was processing this intense quantity of statistics and energy coming my way and then attempting to really sit down and make decisions that felt like me. I had to take a second to validate everything I was feeling and give myself permission to feel all these things and then use that to fuel my art.


MTV News: Do you ever have any regrets over not being a music journalist?


Rogers: Not these days. Once you're super enthusiastic about something you’re more ready to do all the grunt work. You know, like, I'm so prepared to live on a bus for my whole life because that shows I get that one moment on stage or that one moment in the studio that fully fills me. I didn’t have that for journalism nevertheless it made me really appreciate what I had with music that much more. I still love writing, talking to other artists, and thinking about music and culture. That is very much a piece of my life, my creative practice, and the way that I think about the world. [Journalism] is just not my primary passion. I feel really lucky and grateful that I get to prepare my primary passion my real life.


MTV News: How do you navigate long periods of writer's block and do you have any tricks for getting through it?


Rogers: I've routinely used music to tell me who I am in a singular moment and I have only had one long period of writer's block in my life, which was any time Once I was in college, If I moved from the super rural area in Maryland to New York City. Like most people in college, I just wasn’t really sure who I was. I was changing, and attempted to take the time to learn that change. Right now, any time I'm having trouble with writing it generally has to do with my self-critic being also loud so I've made a lot of task to try and separate the method of creating and editing because I think if you're attempting to edit as you're making stuff, you'll just be getting in your own way.


MTV News: What sort of things do you do for your self-care as soon as you’re on the road?


Rogers: Self-care is something I'm learning a lot about now. I’ve been trying out different things on the road to feed my brain, my body and my soul. I spend a lot of time reading and attempt to create ensure that I can get a bit of alone time daily. I've routinely measured a good day as one where I can read, write, and run. Recently, I paid for myself a pillow for the bus from Bed Bath & Behind, and that's been a game changer. I also invested in a Bluetooth speaker because I don't know where my house really is now, nevertheless wherever I am living, there's habitually been a record player and I love having music around me.


MTV News: Do you have any weird or unexpected pre-concert or pre-tour rituals?


Rogers: Everybody wants to hear the weird stuff, however I just do usual things like a vocal heat up. I try and hydrate. I tell my musical group I love them. Oh, and then, I put some glitter on.


MTV News: You seem to really love glitter. Are you still decorating yourself or public appearances and why do you determine what you desire to wear for different performances?


Rogers: I just began working with a new stylist although she hasn't styled me for anything publicly although. Dressing for the stage is something I'm really still learning. I've Been through periods of time where I’ve worn really fancy, vibrant costumes although a lot of that had to do with the fact that I was really scared and overwhelmed. Then I went to a place where I was wearing jeans along with a t-shirt, yet suddenly my day-to-day clothes felt like a costume. So right now I wear some sort of hybrid. It’s constantly evolving however I love being playful on stage. With glitter, it’s just so foolish and there's this group kind of middle-school sleepover element that I like to incorporate into my stage life. It's not everyday you get to be a pop star.


MTV News: In all of your music videos and the videos I’ve seen of you performing on stage it seems like you’re really letting go and that’s what your music inspires me to do for myself.


Rogers: Some days you just need to dance it out and physically move through things. It's been special to be able to see people at these shows really let go. Each person is aware what it's like to feel sad and everybody is going through their own shit. And some days it's just nice to be with a crowd of people with each other in a room and feel things at the same time.


MTV News: So how does it feel to be selling out venues you never dreamed you'd play at?


Rogers: It is very surreal. I'm very much still processing all of that. Everything is moving speedily however I'm so excited and grateful.


MTV News: What do you like most about being on tour?


Rogers: Touring is really hard. I mean, I stay in a bus with 12 people and we have no real sleep schedule. Nevertheless being to be able to see that moment at the end of the night where folks are really radiating and moving through some things makes me feels like I'm doing some sort of energy work in the world and that is pretty fulfilling.