Mae Muller discusses her musical journey, women’s empowerment

Mae Muller is all about empowerment. To celebrate Women’s History Month, Muller hopped on a Zoom with the Women’s Empowerment Project to discuss how she took songwriting from a hobby to a profession, how she removes toxic people from her life and how women can stay empowered.

Muller, a 23-year-old UK-based singer-songwriter whose song “Therapist” spread through Tik Tok like wildfire, uses her soft and soulful vocals to bring a sense of empowerment in her lyrics. She conveyed a similar level of comfortability when she spoke about her personal life, how aspiring songwriters can make it in the industry and how she spends her relaxation time.

Her evolution from a young woman who had difficulty talking about her emotions to a burgeoning pop star was a process of self-realization for Muller.

“When I was younger, I wasn’t that great at speaking about how I feel, but songwriting is different, it feels like a safer outlet for me,” Muller told a group of about 100 students. “I didn’t start with the intention to be an artist, I needed to get these feelings out, and the more I did it, the more it helped me. I was like, ‘ok, this isn’t just a little hobby, this could be a real thing.’”

It is definitely real.

Muller does not fall prey to the stereotypes women are accused of in their forays with men. In her breakout song “Therapist,” Muller is calm and straightforward. She assesses her relationship from an honest perspective and has come to the conclusion that her partner doesn’t need a girlfriend, he needs a therapist to deal with all his issues.

“If I spend all my time and my energy
Taking care of you who’s gonna take care of me
I can’t spend all my time and my energy on you
‘Cause you don’t need a girlfriend
You just need a therapist
You’ve got too much drama
I’m not qualified to fix”

Muller, who is currently crafting her debut album, stressed to the audience that sometimes, being a powerful woman is realizing that it’s okay to be weak.

“Being a strong woman means to me knowing that it’s okay to not be strong all the time and to do what you want to do,” Muller said. “It doesn’t matter what people think, what people say, or what their opinions are. If I listened to other people’s opinions when I was trying to get into the industry, I wouldn’t be here. Just go for it with everything.”

Part of the reason Muller pursued songwriting as a career was the impact it made on other people. When she saw how her art resonated with listeners, she realized her work wasn’t just about her anymore; it was about connecting with other like-minded people who shared the same struggles.

The authenticity that shines through in Muller’s music was apparent during her hour-long Zoom session with students. During the Q & A portion, when one aspiring female artist asked what the best ways were to get her work heard by the right people, Muller didn’t give a vague, easy answer.

She walked the student through the best avenues to reach out, informing the audience that many A&R’s have their contact information in their social media profiles, and that’s the best way to contact people. Muller was realistic though, telling the students that many industry executives will not respond but that it just takes that one person who believes in your work can make all the difference.

One of the key messages behind Muller’s chat was to give yourself “me-time.” While Muller said she enjoys getting cozy and watching her favorite TV shows as well as going on walks for a breath of fresh air, she genuinely wanted her audience to not place too much internal pressure on themselves and to cut out any bad energy in their lives.

“If people are holding you back and making you feel rubbish, get them out because there’s no room for that,” Muller said. “Don’t be afraid to get rid of that toxicity. You don’t always have to be the fix. I deserve love and I deserve to be happy.”