Singer Maggie Martin turned her frustration with not performing during the pandemic into a songwriting career, which has had amazing results so far.

Martin first found the local spotlight when she earned the nod as a co-winner competing in WhoB次元官网网址檚 Got Talent in Sooke.

B次元官网网址淚 was very surprised to win,B次元官网网址� recalled Martin, who grew up in East Sooke.

Martin, 18, has been involved in musical theatre since she was seven years old.

B次元官网网址淪ince COVID hit, I was unable to do any singing, dancing, or theatre in Sooke or elsewhere. I was isolated in my house, and the only thing I could do was write songs. I recorded some short clips on my piano with a camera and posted them on TikTok.B次元官网网址�

Before long Martin had close to 170,000 followers, 3.5 million likes and almost seven million views on the social media site, many drawn to the clip for her original composition, Never Blue.

B次元官网网址淭he number of views just exploded,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淟ots of people were asking me B次元官网网址榓re you going to release it.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�

Although she had tried collaborating with a number of producers in the past, Martin said she never really connected with anyone until she worked with David Bashford, a producer based in Los Angeles.

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B次元官网网址淚 couldnB次元官网网址檛 be happier with how Never Blue has gone for a first release,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 surprised and excited by how well itB次元官网网址檚 done.B次元官网网址�

Kathy Russell, MartinB次元官网网址檚 former piano teacher, said the young musician was destined for success.

B次元官网网址淢aggie started studying piano with me at the age of seven,B次元官网网址� Russell said. B次元官网网址淲hile working on the fundamentals, she would often sing or hum along with the songs she played and Maggie just sounded like a singer. She had a light vocal quality and was beautifully in tune.B次元官网网址�

Russell suggested voice lessons with a colleague, Christie Morrison, a music theatre specialist in Victoria.

B次元官网网址淢aggie loves musical theatre and to this day itB次元官网网址檚 an influence that can be heard in her songs,B次元官网网址� Russell said.

Martin worked on covers of great singer/pianists such as Elton John, Billy Joel and Freddie Mercury, and that naturally evolved into writing her own songs, Russell said.

B次元官网网址淚 asked Maggie if I could hear some of her work after she casually mentioned that sheB次元官网网址檇 been composing and over the next few months she shared her songs with me,B次元官网网址� Russell said. B次元官网网址淭hey poured out of her and I was in tears or laughing, or simply reflecting on her words.

B次元官网网址淪he is a gifted storyteller and has the ability to connect with the listener. Along with her tremendous talent, Maggie is driven, ambitious, and a self-admitted perfectionist.B次元官网网址�

Never Blue was released last month and has been picked up by Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music.

Martin, who has lived in Langford for the past two years, is working on writing and releasing more music before a move to Toronto next year.

B次元官网网址淭here are a lot more opportunities for theatre, film and music there, and thatB次元官网网址檚 the umbrella I want to be working under,B次元官网网址� she said.

Check out tiktok@isitmaggie or Maggie Jean Martin @ Spotify.

news@sookenewsmirror.com
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