Interview: Maia Hirasawa On Producing Her Debut Album and Her First American Gig. (Which is Tonight!)

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Maia Hirasawa at Maison 140 I Photo by Benjamin Hoste for LAist.

I'm used to conducting interviews at the back of 7-11s or at Target or a local coffee shop. So when I was told to meet Maia Hirasawa at a swanky little hotel in Beverly Hills called Maison 140, which requires that I mention it in the article in order for me to take pictures there (Mentioned!) it felt odd. Not just odd, but so un-rock n' roll. The host had reserved us tables at their bar which was packed with business men.

As I began the interview, there was a rumble of interest when these men in suits realized we were talking about music. Words like "album" and "producing" got them all excited and by the end of the interview the entire room was listening to what we were saying. There were whispers of "Who is that?" and many a glance was snuck at Maia. It was great. Buzz had been created merely buy ordering drinks and shooting the shit. Not bad considering Maia had been on US soil for less than 24 hours.

Maia Hirasawa is a singer/songwriter from Sweden that has had enormous success in her native country with her debut album Though, I'm Just Me which she wrote, produced, and recorded herself. She's looking to conquer abroad with her hit single And I Found This Boy and plays her first US gig ever tonight at the Hotel Cafe at 10pm. Her catchy pop tracks that are peppered with sharp lyrics should win her plenty of fans. Here is some of what was said on Monday at Maison 140.

You flew in today? Holy smokes. Aren't you tired?
Oh I'm fine I'm totally fine. I'm not tired. It's like four in the morning, but I feel OK.

Have you ever been to LA before?
No, this is my first time. They took me to the Thrive records office and Little Toyko and some second hand shopping and then we went up somewhere. West Hollywood Hills...somewhere to see the view. It was great.

I saw that you only have one show in the States and then you're flying back to Norway. Why only one?
Well I'm doing a lot of interviews and playing for different important people. Things like that.

Is that weird?
Well I haven't done it yet, so I don't know.

When did you first start playing music?
I picked up the piano when I was maybe ten years old? I guess, I don't really remember what I was thinking then, but I had a friend who played piano, so I followed her. I didn't have a piano at home so I played on this little Casio set, synthesizer. When I started I realized that it wasn't that hard so I just continued. I didn't sing at all until I was sixteen years and then I ditched the piano. Until I released I wanted to do concerts by myself.

When did you realize that? Was there a specific moment?
I sang in a lot of different jazz bands, but I've always listened to a lot of pop music. I started singing in a pop band and I loved it, but then the band split up. It was bad. We weren't friends afterward. It was very chaotic. So after that I decided I was going to do something on my own and I started playing the guitar.

Was it scary going up on stage by yourself the first time?
Oh yeah, it was scary the first ten times! Especially since I have a jazz education in music, and I am used to all these musicians playing at once. So when I started playing the guitar, I didn't know anything about it. I forced myself to go up there and just play. Like I could just play the bass tones and sing. I think people thought I was a bit charming at the beginning because I couldn't play the guitar, but I practiced a lot.

What is your writing process like?
I'm a very nine to five, working girl. I get up in the morning and go for a long walk and think about what I want to write. Then I come home and pick up the guitar and play something. Oh, and I always record everything. Sometimes I'll have a verse for weeks or days and the rest of the song will come later or occasionally everything comes at once.

Which song on your album came all at once?
I have this song called Say Goodbye on the album that I wrote in an hour.

I read somewhere that you wrote, recorded, and produced the album yourself. Is that true?
Well I didn't play all the instruments, but I recorded the whole album. I did it at my house and my father's house. I just asked some friends if they wanted to come play on it and they did. I was thinking for a long time who I wanted to produce it. But after six months I realized the only one I trusted was myself. So I produced it myself. I'm really like...a control freak.

That's really impressive, that you did it all yourself. Which do you like better playing live or recording?
Oh, I like playing live better. I really don't like recording, but it is something you have to do. I always feel a lot of pressure on me to record. I like the results, but doing it I don't really like it. I love playing live though. The audience...they give me so much.

Why did you decide to record in English rather than Swedish?
To be able to come here! Well, actually that's one reason. I had a plan that I wanted to come abroad, but I've been writing a lot of songs in Swedish as well. When I was in the jazz band, everything I wrote was in Swedish, but now I'm writing pop songs and everything that came out of my mouth was English. I don't know why. It just sounds much better.

Were you inspired by Broadway musicals when you wrote And I Found This Boy? Or is that just for the video?
I had a vision for the video. It had nothing to do with the song. I love musicals and I wanted that song to be big with lots of dancing.

Did you write that song about one person or is it about a bunch of people?
I wrote that song at a time when I was single and very bitter. Everyone who doesn't listen to the lyrics thinks, "Oh that's how you met your boyfriend." And no it's not. You have to listen to the lyrics! It's not about one single experience. It's about a lot of experiences all written into one person.

Is the song My New Friend about an imaginary friend?
Sort of. It's actually about two sides of me. It's about me. I don't want to talk so much about my lyrics because everyone should interpret my music for themselves.

Ok, last question. If you could talk to anyone dead or alive, who would it be?
Oh, I was just thinking about this the other day. Who did I say it was? Oh yes. Jesus! If he ever existed. I have a lot of questions for him.

Be sure to check out Maia Hirasawa's first ever American concert tonight at the Hotel Cafe at 10pm. She's here for one night only.