We caught up with Portland, OR based singer/songwriter Maiah Wynne to talk about her collaboration album Ukulele Sirens: Songs for the Sea; an album put together with other artists dedicated to conserving the ocean and all of the beautiful wildlife that lies within it. Maiah contributed "A Siren Song" an alarmingly beautiful song that truly showcases Wynne's soul. You can see what Maiah has to say about the album and her song on it below and be sure to purchase the entire album here!
Ukulele Sirens: Songs for the Sea is a collaborative album featuring artists from around the world focused on conserving the ocean and its ecosystems. What initially drew you to this project?
I loved the idea of working on a collaboration album that not only celebrated female musicians, but also supported a worthy cause. I care deeply about the ocean and the environment and I am very excited to be a part of a project that is making a difference.
Do you have any particularly moving memories of being by the ocean?
This question made me laugh as the first thing that came to my mind was a memory of being swept under the ocean by a huge wave when I was 6. Ironically enough, for most of my childhood I was terrified of water. I failed the "guppy" course of my swimming classes twice because I refused to put my head underwater and made the swim instructors catch me every time I jumped in. I always deeply admired the ocean, though I was terrified of it. As I got older though, I began to face those fears more and eventually I loved swimming. I took a trip to Hawaii with my best friend in 7th grade and to this day it is one of the best memories I have. I faced my fears of swimming and the ocean, I even went snorkeling. I remember the fish swimming past my legs as I watched the rainbows of colors. I felt the water and life around me, everything swaying to the massive rhythm of the ocean's waves. It was magical.
"A Siren Song" is the song you’re contributing to the album, and it’s a beautiful ukulele song with tons of soul in it. Where did you draw your inspiration for the song?
I drew my inspiration from my love of nature. The idea behind the song was for it to be a reminder of the beauty, magic, and joy that can be found in nature; and that sometimes, leaving the digital world behind for a while can be really good thing. Not only for your heart, but for the creatures living there too.
What are you most hoping will come from teaming up on the Ukulele Sirens: Songs for the Sea?
I am most hoping that it will bring awareness to the cause and that we will raise enough money to make a positive impact for these organizations and for the world.
If you could team up with any non-profit organization on a similar project, who would you choose?
This is a really tough one. There are so many organizations that I would love to work with in my life. My shortlist would be the Trevor Project, Doctors Without Borders, and Rainn. However, I am also currently working with a local non profit called Uncut. It is an organization starting up in Portland to help give music opportunities to youth through education, connections and engagement. Through them I just performed with the Tualatin High School orchestra, and I had an amazing time working with those students.
What are you most looking forward to accomplishing in the remainder of this year?
I have so many doors opening for me this year. It has been so exciting. I will be going on tour in July through the north west. I will be performing in Oregon, Washington, and mostly Montana - which is where I started my career. I am really looking forward to going and playing at some of my old venues and playing some new exciting ones like Red Ants Pants music festival.
I am also really looking forward to finishing my next “album” this year. I put album in parenthesis because I am planning on releasing the songs as singles. It seems like the way to go in today’s music industry.
Anything else you’d like to add?
Thank you so much for having me on your blog! To learn more about the project or to order the album you can visit the Ukulele Siren’s website here. You can also learn more about me & follow the progression of my career on my website, or on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.