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Photo by Ana Peralta Chong

On her debut EP, NPC, rising singer-songwriter Maz explores the multitudes of her own life and sonic language. The 22-year-old, Utah based artist just wrapped support for Wallice’s North American tour, without even having a full project out. Singles “Kiss Kiss Boom” and “Conundrums” laid the groundwork for the project’s release, but do not define Maz’s sound. This is an artist who explores multiple genres in her short, but mighty, debut collection of songs. We chatted with Maz about NPC, starting an artist career from her hometown, and her many sonic influences: 

OnesToWatch: How are you doing today? How is Utah?

Maz: Good. I mean, it's kind of gloomy out today. You know, Utah. [laughs]

So many people, when they're embarking on their artist journey, they move to New York, Nashville, Los Angeles, etc. How is it living in your hometown in a more rural area, and starting this journey?

For a long time, I was kind of embarrassed to be from such a small town. But now I've realized it makes me very unique. I was just on tour with Wallice and it was so cool to have post show conversations with people. They're like, “Oh, so you're from L.A.” or they just assume I'm from those towns. And I'm like, “No, I'm actually from this small town in Utah, pretty close to where they filmed ‘Napoleon Dynamite’.” And they're like, “Woah.” It's cool to see people think you're cool and then you're like, “I'm from the middle of nowhere, bro.” It's fun to throw people for a loop like that. I'm proud of it now.

I first want to say that “Kiss Kiss Boom” has been on rotation for me ever since it came out. It's so good. I'm so glad that I got to discover you right now when you're just embarking on your first EP. Tell us about the experience of making your first project. Did you set out to make an EP or did the songs just come together? 

I feel like there's never just one song that represents a time of creation. It's usually multiple and these songs were probably just going to be singles at first. The past two years I've been working on them, I realized that some of these songs aren't “hits”. They're not THE single. But I wanted them all to exist as a collection to tell a story. I wanted to show different sides of myself that I feel like I haven't shown people yet. I definitely wanted a slow song and a little bit more storytelling than just what the singles have to offer. 

You can hear so many different influences. I love that you played around with different sounds for your first project because it doesn't pigeonhole you or tell listeners, “Okay, this is the genre.” You really explored.

Oh, thank you. That means a lot. That was definitely one of my goals, to not just be put in a box so early in my career.

Tell us about the first track, “Too Bad." I love hearing how artists choose the placement of songs. What about “Too Bad” felt like the right note to start on?

“Too Bad” was written in, I'm not kidding you, five minutes total. I don't know where it came from. I was just imagining this fairy…there weren't any words written, it was just these melodies. I loved it so much, it was a new way of writing that I've never done. I really loved how I used my lower register and I did a little bit more experimenting in my vocals. I didn't grow up in any musical background and I just barely started taking voice lessons. “Too Bad” really opened up my world to what I can do. So I was playing around with that. 

I love the end of “Too Bad," it feels the way you just described. Very organic, like you just let the music tell you what to make.

Yeah, it was really random. I was like, “Oh, that came out of nowhere.” But it was super fun. 

The second track is also the title track, “NPC”. It’s such a fun title and I would love to hear about how you landed on it. Tell us what NPC means to you.

The lyrics were written around three years ago, about this high school boyfriend I had. He was exactly what you think of a “jock” and I was just curious. I was like there's no way people exist like this.

That's so funny. Such a side character. 

Yeah! I was just really intrigued. I’ve learned a lot and I had a lot to vent about when it came to that relationship. I wrote this song originally just to be about gaslighters, manipulators, whatever. But, as a whole of the project…the more I matured, I realized that these songs and these experiences in my life have been a learning experience for me to be authentic and to learn who I am. You know, not to be an NPC.

It’s such a cool concept. There's also a little Western sound I picked up on, in this one at least. Tell us a little bit about your Utah Influence coming in there? 

I've been an electronic girl for a long time. But, I feel like I've never shown any of those [Western] references in my music. I listened to a lot of old country, like Johnny Cash and Neil Young. I also listened to a lot of Bob Dylan, it's very Utah…the mountain sound. It's definitely something I wanted to play with just to show that I can do electronic and I can do these cool 60’s vibes. I also wanted to incorporate surf. I love early Blondie and I love cool California stuff, so I wanted to introduce all of this to my sound with NPC. 

I love the marriage of all those sounds. I love contrast, just finding completely opposite worlds and trying to find a way to make them work together. You do it so well in this whole project. 

“Wa Oh," this title is so fun. Tell us about the decision to name it that and how the song kind of came about.

Honestly, there wasn't much thought in the name itself. When I record, I go maybe a weekend over to San Francisco and record with my producers Bob and Cole. We have pretty small time constraints so once we finished three of the songs that I was supposed to record they were like, “We have like an extra hour…do you want to write something?” And I said, “Yes, let's write a ballad.” I just really wanted a little pretty song on my EP. So we wrote that in an hour or two and it just kind of worked out. It was cute, little diddy. I was going through a breakup and “Wa Oh” is about the realization that the breakup kind of saved me. Even though I didn't want it, the song says, “Up against my will you hate me / Up against my will I saved me.” I was in my feels singing this song.

So circling back to “Kiss Kiss Boom”, choosing the lead single for your first project is a big impact. Tell us about the vision.

Thank you. Honestly, that song was so fun to write. I chose it as my first release of the EP because I feel like it had a good transition between the electronic stuff and the more instrumental sound. I was really influenced by the band Kittie. I just love the idea of combining texture and I love the idea of water and lyrics that are just like…boom

Boom is such a good word in songwriting. 

Yeah, I love having texture and playing with this bubbly soft song, mixed with lyrics about a toxic relationship and the feelings you have going through that. Also, having a little gangster swag to it. It’s fun, I've never really felt like I've had that swag introduced in my music, so I just kind of had fun with it. I like it. 

In the music video too, you really embody that. It's a great entryway to these songs. You play a lot with words, like we were just talking about with boom and throughout the whole project. For the song “Conundrums”, you must have had some sort of connection to the way that word sounds. Tell me about making this one.

A lot of my writing is super random at first and then I'm like, “Oh, that's kind of fun.” “Conundrums” didn't really have a lot of meaning honestly. I didn't really know what that word meant, I had to look it up to be sure. It's a memorable word in the way it's pronounced. I love drums, it flows right with the lyrics. Again, I love the contrast of the bass and being edgy, and then it goes to this 70s disco, ethereal feeling. I wanted people to feel inspired and badass listening to this one.

The EP closes with “Circle”, which is a softer moment. I would love to hear about the process of deciding that was the best closer.

The backstory of this song is from when my grandfather passed and I had no idea what I was doing with my music career. I ended up living with my grandma, it was so sweet. It was honestly a great experience but I was, you know, going through it. That song was basically a prayer. I was like, “Bro, help me. I need you. I'm stuck in this circle.” I feel like this whole project was such a learning experience, I write sometimes just to vent, or as a way for me to romanticize my struggles. I want to feel empowered in my life. So, “Circle” was about that. It was the end of that era for me. Also it’s a little bit edgier and moodier, which I was excited to introduce.

That’s such a meaningful note to end on, the idea of a circle. I love anything that ends with a restart. So, what’s next for Maz?

Honestly, this project has taught me so much. I've learned a ton and I'm already ready to take what I learned and start another project! I want to make music really bad. I also really want to take this EP and show the energy I have for it, live. When performing, I use a little beat pad, which is great. But, I want a band! I'm really excited to start just playing live for people. I want to show that I can do whatever. I might make a country album next, I don't know. I want to keep people on their toes and have them excited for what's to come.

You're not letting anyone put you in a box. When you were on tour with Wallice, that must have been a really interesting experience because you didn’t have much music out. What did you notice? Any reactions or that surprised you or affirmed you? 

I think the biggest reason why I want a band is because I already felt so much energy from just singing to people with these beats. People were dancing to the bass lines and there was a lot of energy that could be felt live. That was super cool to see. I was the luckiest girl in the world to be part of that tour. 

Last, but not least, who are your Ones To Watch? Who should we be listening to?

I’ve been listening to a lot of Ecca Vandal and Amyl and The Sniffers. I also love Santigold. 

She was one of your references, right? 

Yeah, she's a huge inspiration of mine. If I can make music like her…I'm good. I'm set for life. 

Listen to Maz’s NPC EP, out now: