Newcomer Maya Lane is earning glowing comparisons with extraordinary artists such as Kacey Musgraves, early Joni Mitchell, Stevie Nicks and HAIM. Achieving such lofty praise would be noteworthy for any emerging talent, but especially for Maya, who is just 19-years-old and has only so far released two singles, ‘Childish Games’ and ‘Still The Same’.
Now Maya continues to match that exemplary standard of songwriting as she shares her new single ‘When You Need Me’. It emerges as she prepares to release her debut EP in September, which includes all three new songs plus some brand new material.
The title ‘When You Need Me’ might suggest that it’s a love song, but it actually speaks to a different form of unconditional love – for her younger sister. Maya has lived through those teenage challenges that her younger sister is about to face, and offers a message of support that she’ll always be there if needed. The song provides fresh evidence that Maya is a young artist with a soul and maturity far beyond her young years, as she mixes modern folk-pop with the enchanting melodies and reflective lyricism of the Laurel Canyon scene, a hybrid that gives her a distinct footing in both the past and present.
Maya says, “‘When You Need Me’ was one of those songs where the lyrics came so naturally, it’s like they are pouring out of you. The song encapsulates the feeling of watching someone you love grow up and the desire to shield and protect them from everything. While it has that personal side to it, the song, as I’ve played it live, it has also evolved into a metaphor for women supporting women, especially within the music industry.”
Maya wrote ‘When You Need Me’ with Kaity Rae (The Shires). It is also her third collaboration with the hit-making producer Jonathan Quarmby (Lewis Capaldi, Tom Walker, James Arthur).
The video for ‘When You Need Me’ features both of the Lane sisters, immaculately self-styled in their own vintage dress choices. Filmed in the summer sun of Richmond Park, the video hides the younger sister’s face from shot, which provides a metaphor for the themes of protection that Maya is singing about. The serious tone is given a playful sense of nostalgia with childhood clips of the two siblings sharing some special moments.
Maya Lane has been compelled to write songs since childhood, using her craft to express her emotions. It wasn’t long before she was playing live, her first shows and festival sets coming at the age of 12. Word of her potential began to spread, which led to early sessions with Jonathan Quarmby in 2020, during which her artist identity became tightly focused on what we hear today.
Her self-confessed ’70s dream child boho-chic look is simply who Maya is: you’ll see her styled similarly whether she’s in the studio, on stage, or during downtime, like at a recent Harry Styles show. In addition to Jonathan Quarmby and Kaity Rae, her other recent collaborators include Benjamin Francis Leftwich (Holly Humberstone), Hayley Gene Penner (Lennon Stella, The Chicks), Jonny Latimer (Ellie Goulding, Anne Marie), and Wayne Hector (Tate McRae, Birdy).
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