Veteran NYC-Based Singer Songwriter Paul Maged always has something profound to express, whether it's hard-hitting and politically charged or emotionally charged and positive. His hyper-catchy new single "Everything's Gonna Be Alright" leans towards the latter tendency, themed on gratitude and seizing the moment, a message we all could use right now. Paul's songwriting is about as versatile as they come, and this new single finds him stretching lyrically, musically, and generally in life as he finds the positive message within a space of doubt and fear. Paul's songwriting pedigree comes from artists like Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen and Billie Joe Armstrong, all writers who evolve and adapt to modern times without shying away from speaking their truth.
By Kamil Bobin
Discovered via Musosoup
Kamil) Hey Paul Maged, super nice to have the chance to chat with you. What inspired you to start playing and making music?
- Hi Kamil, thanks a lot for having me. I started writing both music and lyrics when I was a young child after my dad bought me a tiny Casio keyboard to learn and play on. Music was then and is now, my form of self-expression and therapy.
Which qualities do you think make a great musician?
– Be authentic. From a songwriting standpoint, being honest about what you’re writing about, without inhibition. I think writing from the heart about something you’re passionate about and not holding back is key. When you’re writing about something you’re disconnected from, it’s evident and people can sense it.
Your latest song is 'Everything’s Gonna Be Alright'. Can you tell us more about the making of it and if there were any unusual things happening during the process?
- I had released my prior album, “Culture War”, during the height of the pandemic in November 2020. When covid hit, I was locked out of the longtime music studio I had worked in and subsequently ghosted by my former friend and producer. This cut me off from all my songs I had recorded for that album. Instrumental tracks, vocal tracks, all the stems; years’ worth of work and money gone. I had to then spend time and money to re-record several of those songs from scratch. This was a traumatic experience but, in my mind, I was determined to push through and complete the album on my own. After it was released, I felt burnt out and didn’t know if I wanted to write or record anymore music.
One day I decided to visit some of my old stomping grounds in New York. That day I started to feel more positive, reconnecting with the city I love, and it inspired me to write something that felt hopeful but still captured the grittiness of NYC. I went home, sat at the keyboard, and the new song, “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright”, was born very quickly, within a couple of hours. It was cathartic for me and a way to put that previous period in the rear-view mirror and move forward.
Do you have any hobbies or interests outside of music?
- I love cooking and I’ve always wanted to open a food truck somewhere. I’ve got a cool name for it that ties it into music and so we’ll see what happens with that down the road.
How useful has social media been for you?
– For artists it’s a must have. I don’t like social media but it’s a necessary evil to promote yourself. I personally have a hard time with self-promotion and it’s something I have to force myself to do.
What is the biggest challenge of being an artist?
– Who you know. It’s all about connections. Talent is helpful of course but if you don’t know people connected within the industry you want to succeed in, then it’s hard to get to where you want to go.
What is your creative process like?
– I get music in my head all the time. It could be a melody or some lyrical phrase and if it’s something I can’t get out of my head I know that I have to record that thought, melody or lyric into a voice memo. Then I’ll sit down at the keyboard and start fleshing out the idea. A couple weeks ago I woke up at 2:30am and couldn’t get a melody out of my head for a ballad. I couldn’t go back to sleep so I had to get up and start working on it. I wrote that song in about an hour. The times that happen feels like winning the lottery. Sometimes though, it’s an arduous process and nothing comes of it and I have to walk away from the keyboard. The writing process is like pain and pleasure rolled into one.
If you could go open a show for any artist who would it be?
– Pearl Jam
What is the best advice you’ve been given?
– Don’t let other people’s opinions cloud your artistic vision of what you are and what you know you can be.
What are your plans for the future?
– I’m currently working on an EP of new rock music. In a way the trauma I went through has now benefited me because I’m working with new musicians and engineers who bring a fresh vibe to my sound. Sometimes change is good, once you work your way through the other side. The new music is edgy and deals with similar themes I’ve written about in the past such as where we are as a society as well as personal experiences and discovery. I look forward to completing and releasing it.