Mae Deline doesn't hold back, her new song "Wedding Cake" is deeply personal yet she makes it tongue-in-cheek and playful. That's exactly what we expect from her, A glittery shell hiding a darker subject. We talked to the up-and-coming artist about the story behind the song and the double standard of love affairs in the music world.
Let’s start with “Wedding Cake” what’s the story behind the song?
Mae Deline: Wedding cake was inspired about an affair I was involved in with a married man.
When you write a song so personal, are you ever worried about how people think of you?
Mae Deline: When you’re willing to pose naked for your album cover or dress up like a sexy flamingo and prance around like an idiot in public, you sort of stop caring. With “Wedding Cake” I only care how I feel about myself at the end of the day; will I think differently later and regret the statement? Well, think I’d regret it more if someone else wrote this song and had the courage to put it out themselves. Suffice it to say - people pleasing is what has gotten me into the most trouble.
At the same time, I think being personal is what makes music interesting. How do you decide what to share and what to keep secret?
Mae Deline: If I had my way, I wouldn’t keep any secrets. If there’s anything I’ve learned from my experience it’s that secretes destroy. But I don’t need to tell the whole sordid story in order to receive vindication over what I did. It was through writing this song that I was able to find compassion and forgive myself for what happened. Admitting publicly that I was a part of something so shameful is very personal but I’m giving myself permission to tell my side of it. People can draw their conclusions; they always will. But by declaring that my biggest mistake was trusting someone who didn’t have my best interest, is how I’ve found freedom from the shame.
I feel like it’s kind-of the Taylor Swift effect, people think she writes about boys all the time but male musicians do the same thing. Is there a double standard for women writing about their love life?
Mae Deline: I totally draw from Taylor Swift’s whole “reputation” album. It seems like she was severely underestimated as lovey dovey songstress but hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Before this body of work I was writing ethereal dreamscapes. I have one affair and suddenly I’m ready to burn myself at the stake just like T-swift. So, if there is a double standard it sure creates some “ballsy” shit!
I feel like we all have a lesson we learn from love interests, what did you take away from this?
Mae Deline: I did eat the “wedding cake.” It wasn’t forced on me, it was offered. I thought it would be impolite not to take a bite. It tasted of guilt, shame and fear. In the end, the cake made me very sick.
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