Behind the Music: Maddie Regent’s New Album and the Journey to Create It

Photo by Anna Koblish

Canadian singer and songwriter Maddie Regent is making her mark in the industry. With her new single "The Other Shoe" released on March 14, 2025, and her highly anticipated album On The Phone with My Mom releasing this May, Maddie’s music offers an intimate glimpse into her creative journey and personal experiences. In this interview, we dive into the stories behind her songs, her inspirations, and what fans can expect from her upcoming releases.

Nik Baez: What inspired the album's title and what are the key themes in the album?

Maddie Regent: On The Phone with My Mom, actually started as a lyric from, I think the second song that I put out from the album called, “You could Break My Heart.” It was kind of a tongue and cheek moment where I'm on the phone with mom for two hours or so because that's how it goes. The album itself is kind of like a transition from girlhood to womanhood and avoiding one and accepting the other. 

NB: While creating the album, are there favorite moments that you have from the process? 

MR: I made this project with my boyfriend, and we moved in together and made a little home studio in our apartment. That’s how this album kind of started. We had more space for gear, and we had been investing more in that. The first song we made was “You Could Break My Heart.” That’s when I was like “Oh we should make songs for an album.” Previously with my EPs, we had played around in a bedroom studio. So, I think there are a lot of  great memories. 

NB:  Were there any challenges that came with producing this project? 

MR: It’s tough to say you're going to start something and then actually finish it, especially as an independent artist. You know, you don't really have anybody necessarily waiting on you. I'm still starting out in my career, so I have been lucky to have a lot of really great supporters. I just want to do it. Everybody has albums. I want to release a body of work so that people can find me and can see who I am. I think the challenge was staying motivated and to really see it through. I have something that's worth saying and I need to push through. I feel like I experienced a lot of growth through that.

NB: Was there ever a moment of having imposter syndrome? 

MR: For sure. I think there are so many amazing artists out there, and I sometimes think “would anybody care what I have to say?” But then I think back to the core of; “What this album is about” and “Who it's for?” I think it's for my 16-year-old self, as cheesy as that sounds, and that's who I kind of made it for. 

NB: Who would you say are some of your biggest musical inspirations? 

MR: I love our female artists. You know, like Lana Del Rey was my songwriting awakening when I was 15 listening to Born to Die and I was like “Wow, this is crazy.” The way that she told the story; it was edgy, and it was cool. I also really love Marina from Marina and the Diamonds. Her first album, Family Jewels, changed my life. I would say those two probably are my biggest inspirations.

NB: “The Other Shoe” is out March 14, 2025. Do you have a favorite line from the song? 

MR: “I can't resist my wanting to love you.“ I think that kind of sums up the song, and the struggle in a song. Which is that you've been betrayed by someone and you're constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop. You’re constantly bracing yourself, but you can't help but love this person. This song lyrically is one of my favorite songs I think I've ever made. It was one that happened fast. This one we kind of wrote it all in a couple hours.

NB: What was the inspiration behind the song? 

MR: It was a real thing that happened. A lot of the songs I wrote on the album are looking back in my past and exploring what I'm dealing with now. This is a moment where someone in my life who I don't speak to just pissed me off and I was like, it's always one thing. 

NB: You talked a little bit about how the album reflects your personal experiences. Did you have moments of hesitation with sharing your experiences with the world? 

MR: I think that's been my biggest struggle with making music and then releasing it. I know people in my life will hear it. I tend to be a little bit vague with my lyrics and my past projects. But this album, I was like; no, I'm leaning into this more storytelling, narrative vibe. And it's still vague, but I think less so than my previous project. There is a specific song about a period of my life and it's not about anybody; it's a part of myself that I haven't put in a song before because I didn't know how to do it. That's the benefit of working with someone that I'm really close with that knows me well because he was able to push me and be like “you should write this.” He really helped me put what I was struggling to process into words and then we were able to get things going. So, it’s a struggle, but I think I've grown so much that I am just kind of happy to share. If it can help somebody then that's the best-case scenario. I go back and forth sometimes, but ultimately, I'm growing from it and being more open and that's all you can do. 

NB: Absolutely. It takes a lot to really put yourself out there for the entire world to judge. 

MR: I always say the song I don't want to write is the one that I need to put out. Or the one that I don't want to put out because it makes me feel something, but those are the songs that people will connect to the most.

Photo by Anna Koblish

NB: What else can fans expect from you going into 2025 aside from the album coming out in May? 

MR: I’m definitely working on cool visuals once the album's out. I think, obviously, as an independent artist, it takes a little longer to get things together. I have a background in film and so I really want to pair a lot of the songs with cool videos and stuff like that. So, that's coming and live performances in the summer is my goal. 

NB: How do you go about doing visuals for your music? 

MR: Sometimes it's very DIY. I like to have fun with it. I think I really do like the more natural, you know, shaky camera vibe. I have a cool little point and shoot that I run around with sometimes. I also live in New York, so it's fun to take it out and get that vibe. I went to film school andI have a lot of friends in film, so working with them on some stuff will be fun too. 

NB: Definitely. There's nothing more rewarding than bringing your own project to life. What do you do if you're writing something and then you start to feel uninspired? How do you reel yourself back in?

MR: I'm a very big supporter of taking a day off. So, if it's not happening, I'm just like, “Okay, I'm gonna take a break.” I'm gonna do something else, go for a walk, read, or do something else. Then come back to it fresh. That's my best thing. I think to be inspired, you gotta live life, you know what I mean? I think reading really inspires me. I love to read, so taking time to do that. Even just writing down little brain dumps can kind of help.. Ultimately, taking a break, I think, is the best. 

NB: As somebody who writes too, taking a step back is essential. 

MR: Exactly, I just need to not be in my head sometimes. I feel like if you're writing about yourself, you're thinking about yourself, and sometimes you just need to take a break from that as well. I think that makes you a better writer too, if you can take a step back and come back fresh. I've gotten better at that. I used to sit there for hours thinking “what is going on? Everything sucks.”

NB: Sky's the limit; are there any artists you would want to collaborate with or are there any festivals that you would love to be a part of? 

MR: Oh my gosh. I mean, as far as a collab, obviously I want to collab with Lana. I would even just want to be in the room while she makes a song. I just want to see that because I feel like she's so effortless and I would like to see that. So, I would have to say her because I have to keep putting that out in the world. As far as festivals go, the first music festival I had ever been to was Governors Ball because I'm in New York, and I went once in 2016. I went again in 2021 or 2022 when things were opening back up. And so that specific festival has a special place in my heart.