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maxime.<\/strong> is a genre-defying, self-taught artist who transforms his bedroom into a creative haven with his unique blend of left-of-centre sounds and infectious pop sensibilities. As a self-released, -produced, and -engineered musician, he has independently carved a distinctive path in the music industry with lush instrumentation and colorful polish. His debut album, whatevernowiscalled<\/mark><\/a><\/em><\/strong>, released in 2019, showcased his expansive soundscapes across 18 tracks and has since garnered over 10 million streams globally. In 2020, he followed up with cerulean<\/mark><\/a><\/em><\/strong>, a bold project that saw him taking creative risks and bringing his songwriting to the forefront, stepping away from his electronic roots. In March 2024, he released his third full-length project, \u2018the life and death of a dog\u2019<\/em><\/strong>, further solidifying his place as an innovative force in music. Currently, he\u2019s promoting his latest single, \u2018hotliner\u2019<\/em><\/strong>, which dropped on February 21, 2025.\u00a0<\/p>\n In this exclusive interview, we explore his creative evolution and what the future holds for this rising star.<\/p>\n Can you tell us about your musical journey and how you first got into creating music?<\/strong><\/p>\n I started off making EDM music in the basement of my parents home because my dad showed me deadmau5<\/strong>. I got obsessed with Skrillex<\/strong> and Feed Me<\/strong>, and kept doing that for years. Then I discovered Radiohead<\/strong> and Cage the Elephant<\/strong> and started to learn guitar. When I went to university I got more into indie music and decided to try my hand at the whole singing\/playing guitar thing and voila!<\/p>\n How would you describe your music to someone who hasn\u2019t heard it before?<\/strong><\/p>\n Eclectic? Indie bedroom pop? Inconsistent?<\/p>\n What are some of your earliest musical influences, and how do they still resonate with your music today?<\/strong><\/p>\n Radiohead<\/strong> and Cage the Elephant<\/strong> I would say are my two biggest influences from my childhood. Those are two bands that really changed the way I felt about music. I think both of those bands are pretty eclectic and are always trying out new things, and I think I have definitely taken a page out of their books in that regard. I just like making stuff that sounds cool.<\/p>\n Are there any genres that you haven\u2019t yet explored but would love to incorporate into your future work?<\/strong><\/p>\n I\u2019d love to learn how to play\/make jazz, so maybe that!<\/p>\n Can you walk us through your typical creative process when writing or recording a new track? Where do you usually start?<\/strong><\/p>\n These days I usually start with some guitar chords or a baseline, then I throw some drums on there and spend a few hours \/ days \/ weeks \/ months \/ years singing gibberish over that trying to figure out some sort of melody. Lyrics are usually one of the later parts of my process! I try and match syllables to the gibberish. Somehow they always end up meaning something to me though. When I write it is very iterative. I am always going back to old sections and adding \/ changing stuff.<\/p>\n What has been your most memorable performance so far?<\/strong><\/p>\n Has to be the last show I did in New York. My dad and my grandmother drove up from Montreal to see me perform to an almost (i think?) sold out show. Having my grand ma finally see me perform like that definitely had me tearing up.<\/p>\n How do you approach working with other artists or producers, especially when their style might differ from yours?<\/strong><\/p>\n I haven\u2019t collaborated much in the past, but I guess when I do I like to let them take the lead and try to match their energy. I used to make EDM and dabbled in hip-hop\/rap as well as the indie stuff, so I feel pretty comfortable doing whatever genre. Music is music, no matter how you slice it, I\u2019m just happy to be making something cool and sharing it.<\/p>\n