Mae Stephens’ rise has been led by larger-than-life, big-voiced pop anthems, including her big hit If We Ever Broke Up. She returns now with her new single, Blue, where she introduces a different side to herself, one that swaps the sass for the sultry. It’s a song that melds retro Motown-ish grooves with enough of a contemporary edge to give that traditional sound a dose of unpredictability. As we have come to expect, Mae’s voice is the headline act – one that would have been just as irresistible in 1966 as it is in 2026 – and as the title indicates, she certainly doesn’t shy away from confronting heartbreak.

Success seemed to come quickly for you with If We Ever Broke Up. Were you prepared for it?

Not at all. I don’t think you can prepare yourself for that amount of exposure that quickly! My only source of preparation was grounding myself as a person and making sure I truly knew myself as an artist!

Did you have to quit your day job?

I did! I worked in customer service at my local Asda. Handing in my notice was sad but necessary for me to dive headfirst into my music.

Has it been hard to try and maintain that initial success?

Absolutely! I feel like many artists have time to grow and build before they blow up on social media. For me it was the complete opposite way round. I was playing catch-up with myself constantly to keep momentum going.

You have collaborated with Meghan Trainor and Alok- is there anyone else you would like to record with?

I think I’d die on the spot if I met Billie Eilish, let alone worked with her. But Ashniko is also a favourite artist of mine, and her music style is simply iconic!

Your new single Blue is a change of direction musically – was that intentional?

A little...The time of release was perfect around the Valentine's season, as not everyone is loved up and content. There are people going through heartbreak and having to make very difficult decisions in their relationships around this time of year, so blue is for them!

Your debut tour starts this month; what can we expect?

Expect chaos and an abundance of new music! I have been looking forward to this tour for many reasons. But one is that I will be playing some very important new tracks, and who better to play them for than the fans!

Are you nervous about playing live?

There’s always a tiny voice in the back of my brain that worries. But I know the second I see who I’m singing to, the anxiety will float away.

If your musical career ever came to an end, what do you see yourself doing?

Trying again. Music is coded so deep into my soul that if I failed, I’d only try again and again. This industry is ridiculously hard to navigate, but I will continue to show my face until I’m noticed again!

The tour visits the following cities in the north:

18th March - Sheffield, Sidney and Matilda
22nd March - Newcastle, The Cluny

https://maestephens.com/