The C2C Sit Down with Maggie Antone
Ever since we caught sight of this years C2C: Country to Country daytime programme in London was announced, there was one name that we were especially excited to see on the lineup. Whilst we caught a lot of artists in Berlin as well as London, we had to wait until we were at the O2 for our first chance to see Maggie Antone. The Richmond, Virginia native is just someone that oozes cool and her stunning “Rhinestoned” record which was released last year affirmed why she is one of the most talked about artists set for really big things in both the country and Americana music worlds. Maggie hung with Jamie on the Friday afternoon of the festival for one of the most fun interviews which we had had the pleasure of in a long time.
Welcome to London friend.
“Thank you, it's great to be here.”
How long have you been in town for?
“We got in on, Monday morning.”
Was the jetlag as bad as you expected it to be?
“I’m like a raging insomniac, so I will stay up till 3 AM anywhere regardless of jet lag. I mean, my days are definitely flipped, but it's not a big deal.”
Well, it’s the first time here and I guess the first thing you see when you get to The O2 is that there are a lot of people here.
“Oh, yeah, there's a lot of people here. This isn't my first time in London, though, I came here with family when I was like thirteen and did like touristy things but now I'm here for work.”
Yep, now you’re work and a little partying. What are you expecting from the festival this weekend and what are you hoping people are going to take away from seeing you play for the first time?
“I honestly, like don't have any expectations. I just hope that they enjoy it, that they have a good time and that they like the music then maybe I walk away with some new fans. That would all that would be pretty great. I've heard great things just about the UK's love for country music and I think that's really sweet.”
Yeah, I guess you know a lot of people that have been over here and played, like the 49 (Winchester) guys who feel like they are heading here all of the time.
“Oh yeah I mean the 49 guys, like can play areas over here which is awesome because they've kind of gained such a following from when they opened for Luke Combs a few years back.”
Welcome to London friend.
“Thank you, it's great to be here.”
How long have you been in town for?
“We got in on, Monday morning.”
Was the jetlag as bad as you expected it to be?
“I’m like a raging insomniac, so I will stay up till 3 AM anywhere regardless of jet lag. I mean, my days are definitely flipped, but it's not a big deal.”
Well, it’s the first time here and I guess the first thing you see when you get to The O2 is that there are a lot of people here.
“Oh, yeah, there's a lot of people here. This isn't my first time in London, though, I came here with family when I was like thirteen and did like touristy things but now I'm here for work.”
Yep, now you’re work and a little partying. What are you expecting from the festival this weekend and what are you hoping people are going to take away from seeing you play for the first time?
“I honestly, like don't have any expectations. I just hope that they enjoy it, that they have a good time and that they like the music then maybe I walk away with some new fans. That would all that would be pretty great. I've heard great things just about the UK's love for country music and I think that's really sweet.”
Yeah, I guess you know a lot of people that have been over here and played, like the 49 (Winchester) guys who feel like they are heading here all of the time.
“Oh yeah I mean the 49 guys, like can play areas over here which is awesome because they've kind of gained such a following from when they opened for Luke Combs a few years back.”
Yeah they really bring it every time and they killed it in Berlin last weekend. They’ve just announced a massive eighteen date run around Europe with Wyatt Flores opening for them in October but you worked with them on the title track of their latest record. I know you’re from the same neck of the woods as you’re all from Virginia but how did you first get to know those boys?
“It’s not necessarily that. Virginia is a big state, but, Virginians, we like to stick together. I met them through their manager Norm. We had connected and had briefly chat here and there but then, I became really good friends with Norm and then he was like, hey, we need a vocal on this song, I think you would be perfect and Isaac loves your voice. So, I was like OK, cool and I was in the studio later that day, cut the vocal, put this song on the record and did a little music video. It was my first music video and it was super fun. I love the 49 guys, they’re like some of the nicest people in all of country music. It's rare to find people that make good music but are also really good people.”
Willow (Avalon) must be someone else that definitely ticks both of those boxes too.
“Willow is one of my best friends in the whole wide world, like genuinely. I love that woman, I I got dinner with her last night, then she texted me today and was like, I miss you. I was like, I saw you less than twelve hours ago but I miss you too. It’s cool to be able to make music with your friends, I played with her on Wednesday at Neon near Piccadilly and she sold that out. It was great show, they were singing along, they loved her so it was it was great to open for her.”
She’s just announced two huge shows here in the summer on those Zach Bryan bills at Hyde Park which are going to be so much fun with Turnpike (Troubadours) on there too.
“Yeah it looks a great lineup.”
Well hopefully it’s not going to be too long before you can come back and play stages like that too.
“That would be so neat, I would so love that.”
Girl it will happen but it was only last year you played the Opry for the first time and that always seems to be a really big one for people when they move to town as something that validates what you’re doing.
“That’s like the peak, not like the peak in your career but that’s your like OK, I’ve made it in country music. It’s also such a legendary room, a legendary like circle and community. I mean, almost every big country musician that you've can think of has played the Opry.”
Was it more nerve wracking than any other show?
“Oh my gosh, yeah, but it was one of the best, I think it was my favourite show that I’ve ever played. I genuinely really enjoyed it.”
“It’s not necessarily that. Virginia is a big state, but, Virginians, we like to stick together. I met them through their manager Norm. We had connected and had briefly chat here and there but then, I became really good friends with Norm and then he was like, hey, we need a vocal on this song, I think you would be perfect and Isaac loves your voice. So, I was like OK, cool and I was in the studio later that day, cut the vocal, put this song on the record and did a little music video. It was my first music video and it was super fun. I love the 49 guys, they’re like some of the nicest people in all of country music. It's rare to find people that make good music but are also really good people.”
Willow (Avalon) must be someone else that definitely ticks both of those boxes too.
“Willow is one of my best friends in the whole wide world, like genuinely. I love that woman, I I got dinner with her last night, then she texted me today and was like, I miss you. I was like, I saw you less than twelve hours ago but I miss you too. It’s cool to be able to make music with your friends, I played with her on Wednesday at Neon near Piccadilly and she sold that out. It was great show, they were singing along, they loved her so it was it was great to open for her.”
She’s just announced two huge shows here in the summer on those Zach Bryan bills at Hyde Park which are going to be so much fun with Turnpike (Troubadours) on there too.
“Yeah it looks a great lineup.”
Well hopefully it’s not going to be too long before you can come back and play stages like that too.
“That would be so neat, I would so love that.”
Girl it will happen but it was only last year you played the Opry for the first time and that always seems to be a really big one for people when they move to town as something that validates what you’re doing.
“That’s like the peak, not like the peak in your career but that’s your like OK, I’ve made it in country music. It’s also such a legendary room, a legendary like circle and community. I mean, almost every big country musician that you've can think of has played the Opry.”
Was it more nerve wracking than any other show?
“Oh my gosh, yeah, but it was one of the best, I think it was my favourite show that I’ve ever played. I genuinely really enjoyed it.”
We had a really cool record that came out last year and I love how good a term “Rhinestoned” is with the double meaning when you break it down.
“It's an album about the devil's lettuce man. I actually said the devil's lettuce on the Opry. I know in the UK, you can't say weed.”
No, we’re good over here.
“Oh, OK well, they said you couldn't say it on the radio, they're maybe weird about that.”
Possibly on the BBC with Bob or on Absolute with Baylen and stuff, they may get some people that don’t like it.
“I wasn't sure if I could say it, then when I was doing the interview after I played, he's like, I don't know what you're gonna say so I was like, can I say the devil lettuce? He was like, yeah, you can say that!”
I love it as a term and I’ve never heard that before so I’m stealing that from you.
“You haven’t heard that one? It’s a good one!”
I love it, The Devil’s Lettuce: The Flower of Amsterdam! That’s a cool place too, the people in Holland or the Netherlands are really nice and country music is getting really big there, the same as in Germany where we were for the other C2C Festival last weekend in Berlin. That’s so different to here as it’s much smaller and more chilled but the weather was a lot better than it is here.
“The weather here is kind of sad and cold.”
It’s living up to the stereotype for you but we’re just so used to the fifty shades of grey being the colour of the sky here rather than the title of an erotic novel. Coming back to playing in mainland Europe, the audiences are even more attentive than they are here but it that thing on this side of the pond that until you actually get to experience it for yourself, it is a strange experience. You may have seen it at the show with Willow the other night where the people are really listening and staring right at you that you think, do they actually hate what I’m doing?
“It’s because they are like locked in and so respectful of art. Not that Americans are not but I feel like people at home when they are going to the concert think they are there to have a good time, have some beers and dance. Y’all are a bit different.”
We get three more legal years that we can drink and there are people that would have been on it since ten this morning at the festival, a friend of mine had a bottle and a half of prossecco this morning before she even left the house.
“Good for her! Haha. That’s what I’ve heard from everybody that has played here in that crowds are just more attentive, they just listen and I feel like they don’t talk over openers, which you get all the time in the US.”
“It's an album about the devil's lettuce man. I actually said the devil's lettuce on the Opry. I know in the UK, you can't say weed.”
No, we’re good over here.
“Oh, OK well, they said you couldn't say it on the radio, they're maybe weird about that.”
Possibly on the BBC with Bob or on Absolute with Baylen and stuff, they may get some people that don’t like it.
“I wasn't sure if I could say it, then when I was doing the interview after I played, he's like, I don't know what you're gonna say so I was like, can I say the devil lettuce? He was like, yeah, you can say that!”
I love it as a term and I’ve never heard that before so I’m stealing that from you.
“You haven’t heard that one? It’s a good one!”
I love it, The Devil’s Lettuce: The Flower of Amsterdam! That’s a cool place too, the people in Holland or the Netherlands are really nice and country music is getting really big there, the same as in Germany where we were for the other C2C Festival last weekend in Berlin. That’s so different to here as it’s much smaller and more chilled but the weather was a lot better than it is here.
“The weather here is kind of sad and cold.”
It’s living up to the stereotype for you but we’re just so used to the fifty shades of grey being the colour of the sky here rather than the title of an erotic novel. Coming back to playing in mainland Europe, the audiences are even more attentive than they are here but it that thing on this side of the pond that until you actually get to experience it for yourself, it is a strange experience. You may have seen it at the show with Willow the other night where the people are really listening and staring right at you that you think, do they actually hate what I’m doing?
“It’s because they are like locked in and so respectful of art. Not that Americans are not but I feel like people at home when they are going to the concert think they are there to have a good time, have some beers and dance. Y’all are a bit different.”
We get three more legal years that we can drink and there are people that would have been on it since ten this morning at the festival, a friend of mine had a bottle and a half of prossecco this morning before she even left the house.
“Good for her! Haha. That’s what I’ve heard from everybody that has played here in that crowds are just more attentive, they just listen and I feel like they don’t talk over openers, which you get all the time in the US.”
The radio thing here helps with that which means people are able to listen to what they choose to listen to rather than what they are forced to listen to meaning a deep cut from someone’s first project that you haven’t even thought about for five years becomes someone’s smash hit in their eyes. From an art standpoint, I think that’s so cool because you work your ass off on twelve, thirteen, fourteen songs on a record and if people are only listening to one or two of them, it doesn’t paint the full picture.
“I agree, and I think albums for a minute were kind of dying, and everyone was like, it's singles, you’ve gotta just pump out the singles and I was like, no, there's so many good records, modern records that are great beginning to end with no skips. There are concept albums that are so great and we cannot lose that because, that's what you build a tour around and that's what you build a brand around. I think that's a true measure of an artist when they can like create an album with a cohesive sound over the course of like an hour long collection of music.”
Amen to that! With the shows here, are you just up there with you and your guitar this time?
“It’s just me for my sets but I am getting up with 49 in the arena tonight. I am actually sound checking with them right after talking to you, I’m excited. I’ve never played an arena, this is the biggest stage I will have ever played, I am terrified! I had a moment last night where I was like shit, I’m playing an arena tomorrow! It’s just one song, although still like, I'm nervous but I'm really excited.”
It be wild in there, I’m so glad you are here and I’m super grateful for you taking time to hang out with me. One of my best friends works at your label and we just obsess about how awesome you are then I was so jealous seeing Evangeline and Jof fangirling you like crazy at Americana last year. I genuinely am so thrilled that you are here, I love what you do, I think everything about you is so cool and we need more people like you that are fun, make good music and are really good people.
“Awh thank you. I agree, more fun people that make good music.”
Have fun, have the best time, everyone is going to love you and you will come back for your own set on that big stage. We’re going to manifest that and it’s going to happen so just slay and kill it all weekend!
“I agree, and I think albums for a minute were kind of dying, and everyone was like, it's singles, you’ve gotta just pump out the singles and I was like, no, there's so many good records, modern records that are great beginning to end with no skips. There are concept albums that are so great and we cannot lose that because, that's what you build a tour around and that's what you build a brand around. I think that's a true measure of an artist when they can like create an album with a cohesive sound over the course of like an hour long collection of music.”
Amen to that! With the shows here, are you just up there with you and your guitar this time?
“It’s just me for my sets but I am getting up with 49 in the arena tonight. I am actually sound checking with them right after talking to you, I’m excited. I’ve never played an arena, this is the biggest stage I will have ever played, I am terrified! I had a moment last night where I was like shit, I’m playing an arena tomorrow! It’s just one song, although still like, I'm nervous but I'm really excited.”
It be wild in there, I’m so glad you are here and I’m super grateful for you taking time to hang out with me. One of my best friends works at your label and we just obsess about how awesome you are then I was so jealous seeing Evangeline and Jof fangirling you like crazy at Americana last year. I genuinely am so thrilled that you are here, I love what you do, I think everything about you is so cool and we need more people like you that are fun, make good music and are really good people.
“Awh thank you. I agree, more fun people that make good music.”
Have fun, have the best time, everyone is going to love you and you will come back for your own set on that big stage. We’re going to manifest that and it’s going to happen so just slay and kill it all weekend!
Credit: London Backline Photography
“Rhinestoned” from Maggie Antone is out now and is available HERE. To keep up to date with all Maggie’s upcoming US plans for the rest of the year you can check out her WEBSITE and you can keep up to date with her socially on INSTAGRAM TIKTOK FACEBOOK & X.
C2C: Country to Country will return to Berlin in 2026 across the weekend of March 6th to 8th where you will be able to find more details on their WEBSITE and keep in the loop regarding lineups and ticket information on INSTAGRAM & FACEBOOK. Then we will see you again in London (or maybe even Belfast/Glasgow) a week later across March 13th to 15th with early bird tickets set to go on sale at 10am on Friday 21st March where you can find more details on the WEBSITE and socials (FACEBOOK X and INSTAGRAM)
C2C: Country to Country will return to Berlin in 2026 across the weekend of March 6th to 8th where you will be able to find more details on their WEBSITE and keep in the loop regarding lineups and ticket information on INSTAGRAM & FACEBOOK. Then we will see you again in London (or maybe even Belfast/Glasgow) a week later across March 13th to 15th with early bird tickets set to go on sale at 10am on Friday 21st March where you can find more details on the WEBSITE and socials (FACEBOOK X and INSTAGRAM)
