Q&A: Paige

It seems like 23 year old Paige is the star of her very own movie, but in real life. Maybe a Disney movie as she’s unashamedly a huge fan of the channel (like many of us, don’t try to hide it!).  A small town girl from Clark’s Beach who first uploaded her covers to YouTube at age 12, and through the power of social media this has led to international attention from music & entertainment royalty including Billie Eilish, Lizzo and Ruby Rose to name a few.

Now she’s opened for Nina Nesbitt, George Ezra, Ruel, Drax Project as well as SIX60 at Western Springs, has millions of streams on her tracks, is on the upcoming RnV lineup, and is signed to Sony Music while still balancing work life at Krispy Kreme Manukau.

But this kind of success doesn’t just fall into your lap. She’s had to make sacrifices alongside having an incredibly driven work ethic to manifest her dreams. This, combined with her raw talent, bubbly energy and undeniably stunning music, shows there’s no doubt she’s destined for that big-time fame. What makes it even more special is that she’s a mental health advocate, being extremely open and honest about her own personal stories and struggles.

She talks to us about her whirlwind of a career so far, and her stripped back debut EP “Always Growing” which is full of simple messages that all human beings can relate to, exploring the themes of love and romance, sexuality, mental health and self-love.

For Paige, this is just the beginning.

We’d love to know a little bit about how you got into singing and songwriting in the first place!

I’ve always loved music, I don’t remember how tbh. I grew up loving Disney Channel and the fantasies of becoming a popstar so I guess I haven’t moved out of that mindset since I was really young. The first time I really fell in love with writing music was when I was about 12 after learning guitar for a few years.

We think your breakout EP “Always Growing” is such a timeless piece of work . What was the creative process like for this EP and did you have a clear vision of the themes you wanted to write about when you first started working on it?

Thank you! I knew I really wanted to write about my growth, I wanted to write about things I need to take accountability for, I wanted to write about parts of myself that I’m proud of, and hardships I’ve been through to represent the idea that all of the not so nice things in your life are all things that make you better. 

We’d love to break down some of the tracks on the EP! It’s so crazy to hear that you wrote “Waves” in about an hour but it took 3 years to record it. Can you tell us a little bit about the concept of this song?

I wrote the song about my 12 year old self trying to accept my sexuality. I knew I was having an attraction towards females in a hetero-normative environment and it scared me. I also wrote the song reflecting on the fact that it was hard for me and might be hard for other people, and I wanted to be a representation for LGBT+ people living in a hetero-normative society.

Your track “Too Much to H8” is about not changing yourself for someone else, self-acceptance and allowing yourself to grow at your own pace which we think is so important. How have you learnt to cherish yourself, prioritise self-love and stay true to yourself?

Wow good question! I think it’s definitely something I’m still learning how to do. Right now more than anything I think it’s just positive affirmations and reminding myself of my worth and that I’m my own person. Writing “Too Much To H8” was definitely me affirming to myself that I should be proud of who I am so I guess songwriting is how give myself positive affirmations! 

You’ve mentioned that you wrote “Yellow” about your experience with depression and that you would wear yellow to try and radiate warmer, brighter, more positive vibes for yourself. We think you’re amazing to be so open and honest about your mental health struggles, and there’s no doubt this song will have helped so many people find strength to overcome theirs. What do you think are some ways that could help make it easier for people to be more open to express their feelings, in the same way you would talk about a physical injury?

Thank you!! Speaking on mental health is definitely not easy. I think I’ve learnt to be open about it by first of all being open with myself. I speak into my voice memos in my phone on car rides home as a way of expressing and understanding how I’m feeling. Being honest with yourself about your mental health is the first step you have to make I think. 

What were some of your highlights working on this EP?

Working with Josh Fountain was a big highlight for me! I always had problems bringing my songs to life because I didn’t know how to produce (and never had the money to be able to afford a producer) but watching him bring my songs to life has been so exciting.

Who are your biggest inspirations in music?

Quincy Jones is definitely a big one for me, I’m hugely inspired by his production on “Human Nature” & “PYT”. I also LOVE Charlie Puth and his take on bringing 80’s/90s RnB into 2020 Pop Music. 

Which artist would be your dream collab?

This answer always changes! Right now I’d love to write a song with Kehlani. Lyrically and melodically her writing is phenomenal.

What have been the most memorable moments of your career so far?

Probably releasing this EP, because I’ve wanted my music to come together like this for so long and I’m so proud of it. Also going to New York to meet with my record label was something I was pretty proud of because that was a dream I’ve had since I was really young. 

If there’s anything you could change about the current music industry, what would it be and why?

Songs that play on the radio repetitively in the space of an hour. The same songs play every hour on major radio stations and that rotation lasts for months. Lots of artists are around in 2020 and they don’t have to drill the same stuff for months on end. 

We’re absolutely loving your podcast “Paige’s Space”! What was the main reason you were inspired to create the podcast and what’s the experience been like chatting with your special guests and close friends?

Thank you! I love learning through conversation and sometimes I have chats with really cool people and think “if the world could hear this they’d be amazed by this person” so I got inspired. It’s been fun but definitely wanna make better, longer podcasts. 

Who are some of your favourite NZ artists right now and are there any songs in particular that you love or connect with?

“Wishful Thinking” by BENEE is so great! She’s super inspiring. I also really love “You’re Never Coming Back” by Wells*. The production on that song is so unique and so good. 

What do you love most about living in New Zealand? Do you have any favourite places to travel to or local spots to visit?

I love Māori and Pacific Islanders. Whenever I’m away from NZ (which isn’t often) I ALWAYS miss Māori and P.I. peeps. They’re hospitable, nurturing and fun to be around and because I’m Māori and there aren’t many Māori people in the world it’s comfortable to be around. I also love Kariotahi Beach.

What advice do you have for new artists and songwriters out there?

Have fun with it, not everything you do will be perfect. Listen to lots of music and read lots of books/poetry.

Lastly, if you could say one thing to every person in the world, what would it be?

Live your life with compassion, empathy and love for everyone who shares the earth with you. Because if we all did that then the world would be at peace. 

Thank you so much Paige! Make sure to keep up with her on Instagram (@paigesspace), Facebook, Spotify & Apple Music.