The C2C Sit Down with Maya Lane
As this years Country to Country Festival drew closer, London based country singer Maya Lane got a surprise call just 72 hours before the festival was due to start asking her to play the Country Line Stage at 5pm on Friday! Having released her debut EP last year – Diary of an Overthinker – and with a new track – Beyond Alaska – released at the end of January, Maya took the chance to make her festival debut and we caught up with her on Saturday to find out how her set went.
Thanks for taking the time and talking to us.
Of course
We catch you on a rest day today as you played your first ever C2C set yesterday. How was that first experience?
Yeah, it was absolutely incredible. It was just such a huge bucket list moment. It was a pitchy moment, I was standing on stage thinking, oh my gosh, this is real, try and enjoy it, stop freaking out, but it was really good.
You had a set time that would have been as people began to filter through to the main arena, which must have been great to know you could be the last act people saw before taking their seats.
Yeah, to have a big crowd of people looking back at you as you go, it's always like the best thing. You never know with these days, there's so many other amazing artists on at the same time. You don't know how many people are going to turn up. I mean, it was brilliant.
And you were added to the lineup quite late!
Yeah. I found out on Tuesday, so very last minute. I think we pulled it together to play.
Does that almost help you, do you think, to find out so late and then be here and it's all done in the space of a few days without any buildup?
There's definitely less of the anxious build-up, so it felt quite nice and spontaneous. I'm a huge over-thinker, so being able to just do it rather than have months to sit and worry about it was good.
Was there a kind of rush to get a set list together or was it just like, right, I'm just going to go with what I know, what I'm comfortable with?
I always have a rough half an hour set list plan, but this was my first gig ever playing with my band member. We literally met up Friday morning! I set up the set list on Wednesday. We met up Friday morning, rehearsed for two hours and then just did the show. We were like, let's hope for the best. Let's see if we can do it. Definitely a crazy way to have my C2C debut.
At least next time when you get the kind of call slightly earlier, you're like, okay, I can do that.
Yeah, exactly. Maybe it will make me more relaxed going forward, hopefully
Thanks for taking the time and talking to us.
Of course
We catch you on a rest day today as you played your first ever C2C set yesterday. How was that first experience?
Yeah, it was absolutely incredible. It was just such a huge bucket list moment. It was a pitchy moment, I was standing on stage thinking, oh my gosh, this is real, try and enjoy it, stop freaking out, but it was really good.
You had a set time that would have been as people began to filter through to the main arena, which must have been great to know you could be the last act people saw before taking their seats.
Yeah, to have a big crowd of people looking back at you as you go, it's always like the best thing. You never know with these days, there's so many other amazing artists on at the same time. You don't know how many people are going to turn up. I mean, it was brilliant.
And you were added to the lineup quite late!
Yeah. I found out on Tuesday, so very last minute. I think we pulled it together to play.
Does that almost help you, do you think, to find out so late and then be here and it's all done in the space of a few days without any buildup?
There's definitely less of the anxious build-up, so it felt quite nice and spontaneous. I'm a huge over-thinker, so being able to just do it rather than have months to sit and worry about it was good.
Was there a kind of rush to get a set list together or was it just like, right, I'm just going to go with what I know, what I'm comfortable with?
I always have a rough half an hour set list plan, but this was my first gig ever playing with my band member. We literally met up Friday morning! I set up the set list on Wednesday. We met up Friday morning, rehearsed for two hours and then just did the show. We were like, let's hope for the best. Let's see if we can do it. Definitely a crazy way to have my C2C debut.
At least next time when you get the kind of call slightly earlier, you're like, okay, I can do that.
Yeah, exactly. Maybe it will make me more relaxed going forward, hopefully
You released your EP almost a year ago now. Does it feel like it's been a year?
No, definitely not. Actually, it's really strange because obviously some of the songs I wrote quite a while ago, so it feels as though it's been out for ages but then also not at the same time. Even releasing my new music at the moment, I'm like, wow, it's come around so quickly again. You think I'd be like, oh, four months to the next release and four months goes like that, and then all of a sudden you're in the next phase of music.
Talking of your new release, Beyond Alaska came out three weeks ago now. Have you had many chances to play it before yesterday?
This was literally the second time I ever played it! The first time was when I opened for Jack. It's so nice to be able to play this music that I've been sitting on for the last couple of years and now I’m able to share them. Being able to start playing new songs, I teased my next single as well and played that, so it's really good.
When's the next single due?
27th of March.
You seem to be onto a good start then for this cycle of new music. As you trying to get as much music out this year?
Exactly, and I have a project coming in September, so kind of rolling out the singles until then.
No, definitely not. Actually, it's really strange because obviously some of the songs I wrote quite a while ago, so it feels as though it's been out for ages but then also not at the same time. Even releasing my new music at the moment, I'm like, wow, it's come around so quickly again. You think I'd be like, oh, four months to the next release and four months goes like that, and then all of a sudden you're in the next phase of music.
Talking of your new release, Beyond Alaska came out three weeks ago now. Have you had many chances to play it before yesterday?
This was literally the second time I ever played it! The first time was when I opened for Jack. It's so nice to be able to play this music that I've been sitting on for the last couple of years and now I’m able to share them. Being able to start playing new songs, I teased my next single as well and played that, so it's really good.
When's the next single due?
27th of March.
You seem to be onto a good start then for this cycle of new music. As you trying to get as much music out this year?
Exactly, and I have a project coming in September, so kind of rolling out the singles until then.
And then to add to the releases you've got more tour dates coming up with Jack next month?
Yeah, April. I'm doing Manchester, Glasgow, Bristol and London. I think support slots are one of my favourite things to do for that reason. You know, we don't have the pressure on our head of being like, oh my God, I have to put on the best show, but I always think of, you know, so you get nervous and you want to do the best you can, but at the end of the day, you're there to hopefully add something nice to the audience while they wait, so if they end up liking your music, that's amazing.
Looking at your Spotify numbers from last year, it went from 2023 being 99,000 stream, while last year was a million.
Yeah, I'd always had it in my head, I'd love to get to a million one day, and then when my EP hit over a million streams, I was like, well, I guess it's going to be it. You still don't quite believe it until you see it come through, and I kind of didn't even realise the jump until I looked at the year before, which is nice. I'm not like a super number orientated person, but there are moments like that where you kind of get that sort of validation, I guess, from the actual numbers and knowing people are liking it and they're listening to it.
Do you have to look back at that 2023 one to believe how much you've actually grown in that year?
Yeah, I think it's more because it all happens so slowly. It creeps up ever so slightly each release, so you never really see that huge jump, and then when they're side by side comparison, you can really see how much you've grown and how far you've come in the year.
Last year you had the tour with Far From Saints. How was that to go out on the road with Kelly and the others?
That was honestly one of the best experiences of my life. I learned so much on that tour. They were the nicest people ever. The crowd was so lovely. Each night I was stepping out and we were almost full room, with people just silent, listening, and I've never played venues that size before, so it was kind of intimidating, but also so welcoming and lovely. I felt like I grew a lot as a performer, just being around them and getting to watch them every night, with them being such professionals. It's so brilliant at what they do.
You’ve got Kelly doing stadium shows this summer, and their songwriting abilities a incredible as a trio. Did you look to them for advice during the tour?
Yeah, and to get advice from them and talk to them about music and what to do, how to improve, all that stuff. I was super lucky as well. I'm good friends with Dwight as well, so he's always been such a help.
Are you hoping for any more UK festivals this year were people can catch you?
Yes, there's a bunch that are on my list, and my fingers are crossed, so I guess I'll have that last year.
Hope you get more than three days' notice.
Yeah, hopefully. Hopefully I have a little bit more. Maybe a week would be good but if I've done it once, I can do it again.
Thank you very much. It's great to hear you enjoyed that first experience of it.
Thank you. Playing here was really special.
Follow Maya Lane:
Spotify | Instagram | TikTok | YouTube | Twitter | Website
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 on sale now where you can find more details on the WEBSITE and socials (FACEBOOK X and INSTAGRAM)
Yeah, April. I'm doing Manchester, Glasgow, Bristol and London. I think support slots are one of my favourite things to do for that reason. You know, we don't have the pressure on our head of being like, oh my God, I have to put on the best show, but I always think of, you know, so you get nervous and you want to do the best you can, but at the end of the day, you're there to hopefully add something nice to the audience while they wait, so if they end up liking your music, that's amazing.
Looking at your Spotify numbers from last year, it went from 2023 being 99,000 stream, while last year was a million.
Yeah, I'd always had it in my head, I'd love to get to a million one day, and then when my EP hit over a million streams, I was like, well, I guess it's going to be it. You still don't quite believe it until you see it come through, and I kind of didn't even realise the jump until I looked at the year before, which is nice. I'm not like a super number orientated person, but there are moments like that where you kind of get that sort of validation, I guess, from the actual numbers and knowing people are liking it and they're listening to it.
Do you have to look back at that 2023 one to believe how much you've actually grown in that year?
Yeah, I think it's more because it all happens so slowly. It creeps up ever so slightly each release, so you never really see that huge jump, and then when they're side by side comparison, you can really see how much you've grown and how far you've come in the year.
Last year you had the tour with Far From Saints. How was that to go out on the road with Kelly and the others?
That was honestly one of the best experiences of my life. I learned so much on that tour. They were the nicest people ever. The crowd was so lovely. Each night I was stepping out and we were almost full room, with people just silent, listening, and I've never played venues that size before, so it was kind of intimidating, but also so welcoming and lovely. I felt like I grew a lot as a performer, just being around them and getting to watch them every night, with them being such professionals. It's so brilliant at what they do.
You’ve got Kelly doing stadium shows this summer, and their songwriting abilities a incredible as a trio. Did you look to them for advice during the tour?
Yeah, and to get advice from them and talk to them about music and what to do, how to improve, all that stuff. I was super lucky as well. I'm good friends with Dwight as well, so he's always been such a help.
Are you hoping for any more UK festivals this year were people can catch you?
Yes, there's a bunch that are on my list, and my fingers are crossed, so I guess I'll have that last year.
Hope you get more than three days' notice.
Yeah, hopefully. Hopefully I have a little bit more. Maybe a week would be good but if I've done it once, I can do it again.
Thank you very much. It's great to hear you enjoyed that first experience of it.
Thank you. Playing here was really special.
Follow Maya Lane:
Spotify | Instagram | TikTok | YouTube | Twitter | Website
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 on sale now where you can find more details on the WEBSITE and socials (FACEBOOK X and INSTAGRAM)
