Portland is known for its music scene. Well, for all the scenes. Sustainable clothing scene. Pour-over coffee scene. Independent bookstore scene. It’s a city with the charm of your favorite funky uncle. People smile when they pass you on the street. They’re excited to tell you about the strip of gluten-free restaurants in their neighborhood. A passerby will stop to tell you if your backpack is hanging open unzipped at a streetlight.
It’s in a city like this that you can find musicians who are passionate about making music that speaks to an audience on a soul level. Musicians who want to go beyond the number of likes and get to a place where a song leaves a lasting impression. If you want to see a live performance that will resonate and stick with you, don’t book tickets to see a stadium big act. Look up a smaller venue and stop by an intimate performance with local artists who will put their heart out on the stage.
I had the pleasure of meeting a local Pacific Northwest musician who fits exactly that bill during a recent tour. Stephanie Mae is an indie alternative pop artist who delivers authenticity in her music, and if you’re lucky enough to see her perform live, you’ll walk away with the feeling that you’ve just witnessed something inspired. After sitting down with her for drinks at The Hoxton in Portland, she confirmed that she only writes when she’s inspired. “I don’t force myself to sit down and write,” she says. “The emotions and energy that comes through those moments are authentic.” And it really comes through when you listen.
I was initially drawn to Stephanie’s music when I saw her perform at Chop Suey, in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood. While based in Portland currently, Stephanie is a native of Washington, which she considers home. She is a true Pacific Northwest artist with the perfect mix of that West Coast cool and the PNW homage to the 1990’s. When I met her, she was wearing a metallic tinsel style backless dress that looked as though it had walked right out of 1960’s “Old Hollywood”. Over the top was draped a leopard print faux fur coat, which she wore so casually that it had a rocker chic edge. I was mesmerized. Confident in her look, beautiful lyrics in her music; she’s the real deal.
Stephanie has the boldness to be absolutely unafraid of putting her inner self into her music. Her single “Million” has a synth pop edge that makes you want to get up and move, but the lyrics hit you in the gut with lyrics like “I’ve got a million sad songs in my head/You took a million shots/Left me half dead/Should have known when I fell for the devil.” The moment I heard it, there was a resonance with my own experience of encountering a relationship with someone who felt like my own version of falling for “the devil”.
“Writing music is a form of therapy,” she admitted candidly. “I’ve gotten through some tough stuff simply by writing a song about it. I’ll feel so much better afterwards. For that reason, music has been lifesaving. Sometimes my feelings are so heavy that I don’t really have a way to process and deal with them. So, I’ll write a song.” Amen, sister. Music that is raw and real is what true music fans come out for.
Local acts like Stephanie Mae are exactly the types of shows that I encourage anyone traveling to a new city to book tickets to and make time to see. I’m a firm believer that the heartbeat of a city and an era can be captured in music. And what better way to feel that energy than to go see it performed live in an intimate venue? It’s not just music. It’s an experience.
For those of you on the road this summer, Stephanie Mae will be playing a show in Seattle. You can see her perform live at Barboza on August 15th. I promise, this is one gig you won’t want to miss.