It's official: Maggie Rogers spent five days last winter writing and recording "Don't Forget Me," her new album. As if she were penning "different scenes in a movie," the melodies flowed effortlessly and in sequence.
After 15 years of songwriting, I've finally reached a point where I have faith in my method and my skill. Before the album came out, Rogers gave a Zoom interview in which he explained that he was "willing to just play" due to the fact that he was in that headspace. This led to an album that Rogers describes as "relaxed," where she is "unguarded and present."
Rogers' explosive 2022 album "Surrender" was a release of pent-up epidemic energy; it was a collection of songs that yearned to be experienced live and with a crowd; this one is lighter in tone
Also, the acoustic elements are more prominent than on Rogers' 2019 album "Heard it in a Past Life," which was her debut following the viral video of Pharrell Williams' reaction to her song "Alaska" in a New York University class.
If "Heard it in a Past Life" is like air and "Surrender" is like fire, then "Don't Forget Me" is like soil, according to Rogers. One of the main themes of "Don't Forget Me" is community, just as in her previous work and her time spent studying at Harvard Divinity School.
Rogers includes her friends' stories alongside her own and mentions them by name. On tour, she hopes to maintain the same upbeat, in-the-moment vibe that the new songs have brought together the audience.
Looking forward to seeing people in it, she said, mentioning the album's release on Friday. Her listeners also like the communal nature of her music: For instance, a "one-day choir" dedicated to Rogers' "Light On" was organized by the Gaia Music Collective in New York. Nearly 400 individuals showed up to study the song and then belt it out a cappella.
She also is thinking about music as a connective force, as a thing that can bring us and our stories together," said Matt Goldstein, the group's founder and co-director. Singing along to her songs is a pleasurable experience, and that's not a coincidence. For the sake of clarity and brevity, this interview has been edited.
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