A Quick Chat with The Maggie Pills

Congrats on dropping your latest track ‘GOLD’! How long has this release been in the making?
Thank you!! ‘GOLD’ has been in the works since Christmas 2023.

What’s the central meaning behind ‘GOLD’? Where did the idea for the title come from?
‘GOLD’ is yet another song for the misfits. It’s anti-repression. But more than that, it’s a recognition of the value that each person can bring about and how this talent is often overshadowed by the more conventional creators. 

We are talented, brilliant and revolutionary. But also different, weird, queer, with a different accent or a way of being that is not part of the status quo and this is a permanent challenge that we face. Many won’t recognise our talent because we don't have the qualities that are considered ‘good’. However, we think that being different is a treasure. And we go through pain and we become strong when we embrace our oddness, evolve and transmute. Like the opaque lump of coal from which surfaces a raw, glowing piece of ‘GOLD’. 

What are your pre-show rituals? And how do you celebrate after a successful gig?
Pre-show rituals are some quiet times to relax, wash the day away and put on lots of makeup. A couple cheeky shots, and sometimes a cute little band dinner when we have the time.

Our favourite way to celebrate is to hang out after the gigs. Share with each other but also with the other acts that played that night. Getting to know them, hanging out with the venue workers and everyone who makes the night possible. We celebrate by enjoying each other’s company and the community around us! We also send cute messages on Whatsapp and praise our efforts! 

What’s been your favourite venue and audience to perform to so far?
We loved playing the Croxton Bandroom last year, supporting The Mark of Cain. The sound system, the stage set-up—everything was amazing from the sound check until the last song. And the audience was unexpectedly receptive and enthusiastic about our music. That day, we gained a lot of new supporters and are grateful for all of them!  

 Thinking of more recent ones, we played at Bonez Queer Party in April and want to do a special mention to their audience. We felt at home and I personally felt that every word I sang carried a lot of meaning and depth. It was a very heartfelt performance because of how comfortable I felt!

If you weren’t making music, what would the band be doing instead?
To be honest, I can’t think of any of us who don't make music. If we did, we would be desperately looking for it! 

What goals do you hope to achieve by the end of 2024?
After our ‘GOLD’ launch and tour, we will be playing some gigs but mostly focusing on writing our sophomore album. We expect to be releasing it in 2025 and all our energy and focus will be there!