CombineWave: Maggie Rogers (Maggie Rogers born April 25, 1994) is an American singer, songwriter and producer from Easton, Maryland. Her song “Alaska” was played to artist-in-residence Pharrell Lanscilo Williams during a master class at The Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at the New York University Tisch School of the Arts in 2016.
After the Pharrell Williams video went viral, she gained widespread recognition and She has released two independent albums, 1)The Echo (2012) and 2)Blood Ballet (2014), and three studio albums, Heard It in a Past Life (2019), Surrender (2022) and Don’t Forget Me (2024). She was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 2020.
Maggie Rogers American singer Biography:
Maggie Rogers was born on April 25, 1994, in Easton, Maryland, USA. and she grew up in a small town on the Eastern Shore of Maryland along the banks of the Miles River in Easton, Maryland. where she developed an early love for music. Her father is a retired Ford Motor Company dealership owner and her mother, a former nurse.
Maggie Rogers began playing harp musical instrument at age 7 and and later expanded her musical interests, learning to play guitar and piano and loved the music of Antonio Vivaldi and Gustav Holst. By the time she was in middle school, She had added piano and guitar to her repertoire Gustav Holst and began songwriting in eighth grade.
For high school, she attended The Gunston School before attending and graduating from St. Andrew’s School in Delaware, At school, she played harp in the orchestra, sang in the choir, joined a jazz band, learned banjo and became interested in folk music, and taught herself how to program. After graduating, she went on to study at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, majoring in music production and engineering.
After her junior year in high school, Maggie Rogers attended a Berklee College of Music program and won the program’s songwriting contest. During her high school senior year, she made her television debut at DelmarvaLife and recorded her first album, The Echo (2012).
Maggie Rogers Graduate school (2021–2022):
In 2021 Rogers had started graduate school at Harvard Divinity School, where she was studying the spirituality of public gatherings and the ethics of power in pop culture and to learn how to keep art sacred. She graduated in May 2022 with a master’s degree in religion and public life.
She attended NYU, where she studied at the Tisch School of the Arts. She majored in Music Production and Engineering, which gave her a strong foundation in both the technical and creative aspects of music-making. During her time at NYU, Rogers was able to experiment with various musical genres, blending her folk roots with electronic elements, which would later become a defining characteristic of her sound.
Her time at NYU was pivotal in shaping her career, and it was during her studies that she had the famous encounter with Pharrell Williams, which helped launch her into the music industry.
Maggie Rogers Music Career: (2016-Present)
2016: Breakthrough with “Alaska”
After the Pharrell Williams video went viral, She signed a recording contract with Capitol Records where “she licenses her music to them through her own imprint, Debay Sounds. Maggie Rogers’ career took off in 2016 after a life-changing encounter with Pharrell Williams during a masterclass at New York University. Rogers played her song “Alaska” for Pharrell, and he was deeply impressed by her unique sound, blending folk and electronic elements.
Later in 2016, she released the “Now That the Light Is Fading” EP, which included “Alaska” as the lead single. The song became a viral hit, gaining millions of streams and catching the attention of major music publications. It was praised for its atmospheric production, emotional depth, and innovative style. The success of “Alaska” propelled Maggie Rogers into the spotlight, and her music gained traction across a global audience.
2017
Maggie continued to build her career with more live performances, including appearances at major festivals. She also released another single, “Dog Years,” which further showcased her ability to combine raw emotion with experimental sound.
2019: Debut Album “Heard It in a Past Life”
Rogers’ debut full-length album, “Heard It in a Past Life,” was released in January 2019. The album received widespread critical acclaim for its introspective lyrics, innovative sound, and genre-blending approach. It was a major milestone in her career, debuting at number 2 on the Billboard 200 chart.
The album featured several hit singles:
“Light On”: An upbeat, anthemic track about overcoming uncertainty.
“Fallingwater”: A powerful, emotional song with a driving beat and soaring vocals.
“The Knife”: A reflective, deeply personal track about the complexities of relationships.
“Heard It in a Past Life” helped solidify Rogers as one of the most promising new voices in pop and indie music. It also demonstrated her ability to experiment with both organic and electronic production, and she was praised for her vulnerability and honesty in her songwriting.
2020: The Global Pandemic and More Music
Like many artists, Maggie Rogers faced challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, with tours and live performances being postponed or canceled. However, she continued to connect with her fans through social media and online performances. During this time, Rogers hinted at working on new music, and fans eagerly anticipated her next project.
2022: “Surrender” and Artistic Evolution
Maggie Rogers released her second studio album, Surrender, on July 29, 2022 The album marked a new phase in her career, with a more expansive, energetic sound. Drawing inspiration from her personal growth and experiences, “Surrender” was a deeply cathartic album, combining her signature blend of folk, indie, and electronic styles.
“That’s Where I Am”: An upbeat, confident anthem about self-discovery and inner peace.
“Horses”: A song about the emotional release of letting go and accepting change.
“Shatter”: A reflective and emotional track that explores themes of vulnerability.
Her growth as an artist was evident, as the album was more experimental and adventurous, with a broader sound palette compared to her debut.
2024 and Beyond
As of 2024, Maggie Rogers continues to create music and perform globally, with a growing reputation as one of the most innovative and emotionally resonant artists of her generation. Fans eagerly await her future releases, and she remains an important figure in the evolution of indie-pop music.
Maggie Rogers has released 10th October, 2024 a new single, ‘In The Living Room’, inspired by the beauty and pain of memory.
In summary, from 2016 to the present, Maggie Rogers has built a successful and evolving career, blending personal introspection with boundary-pushing production to create a distinct and lasting voice in contemporary music.