Article 327, Originally Published on September 22nd, 2026.

After years of touring, festivals, and starting a band with Rush’s Alex Lifeson and Coney Hatch’s Andy Curran, Maiah Wynne‘s third album is here, and people are already talking about it.

It’s a fair assessment that Oregon-based independent artist, Maiah Wynne, is in the deeper end of the talent pool, when it comes to being considered “independent.” After the successful release of her debut album, Songs from Lucy Gray Baird in 2020, and her follow up, Out of the Dark in 2024, Wynne has billed shows with legendary acts like Brandi Carlile, Tanya Tucker, and Indigo Girls and played major festivals like Timber Music Festival and Red Ants Pants. She has been featured in reputable outlets like NPR Music, Rolling Stone, Billboard, and Guitar World. This year, she signed a record deal with independent label Kscope and started collaborating with Alex Lifeson (Rush) with the formation of their new band, Envy of None.

Suffice it to say, a lot has changed in 6 years. One thing that hasn’t changed is Wynne’s commitment to her authenticity and a legacy of real, organic music she hopes to build on.

Maiah Wynne began playing instruments and writing songs at an early age. Her love of all kinds of music bleeds into the diversity of her sound; a collective energy that makes her feel both familiar and completely unique all at the same time. “When I was a kid, I pursued music out of my own passion because I needed an outlet for my emotions.” (Wynne)

There has been a lot of time since those early days growing up in Montana, where she was just discovering her musical gifts. Time to develop, to grow, and to learn. Now, at 24, and having made the move to Oregon, Wynne is preparing to release an album that she has written, self-produced, and largely recorded on her own. She would turn hotel rooms into make-shift recording studios and would take a minimalist approach, sometimes armed with just a laptop and a microphone. Throughout the entirety of Into the Waves, she plays more than a dozen instruments herself. “On this album, I played guitar, percussion, drums, hammered dulcimer, mandolin, ukulele, piano, synths, guqin, bozouki, bass, cigar box, banjo, and saz, along with vocals.” (Wynne)

Wynne has also collaborated with a number of very talented musicians on Into the Waves: bandmate and legendary guitarist, Lifeson, as well as others contributed on the violin, cello, flugelhorn, drums, and Dan Avidan performed as a guest vocalist.

Into the Waves

Into the Waves will release Friday, September 25th. It is 12 songs and is about 55 minutes in length. It features the previously released singles, False gods, Another Step, See the Water, Breathe, Don’t Wait, and Girl Dinner. It is Wynne’s debut release off of Kscope Records and her third album following 2024’s Out of the Dark.

Digging into this, the first thing I noticed is the diversity of her sound. Wynne is billed as indie/alt folk and pop, but her sound and style go way deeper than that. For instance, the opening track, Nothing Stays the Same is filled with layered guitars playing 7th chords and sustained chords with jazzy passing tones. Her voice is a silky showcase of a diversity of scales and modes that beckon the spirits of old night club jazz performances.

“Each song really had it’s own set of influences… I like to let each song have its own world of influences, flavors, and instrumentation.” ~Wynne on where she finds influence in her writing.

Then, in False gods and See the Water, there is a thick and heavy roots influence that couldn’t sound better than if it had originated straight from the deepest parts of the south. Slide guitars with a little bit of crunch, kick drums that pump life into the sound as if they were beating hearts, and a subtle twang and, dare I say, attitude, exudes from Wynne’s vocals.

The diversity of the music goes further than that. There are instances where there pop is influenced, alternative rock, and of course, the folk and roots. “I think my music ebbs and flows and it makes it quite challenging to decide on a single genre or subcategory,” Wynne said, when asked if she felt there was a specific genre she felt she belonged in or if she thought her music was more diverse. “I understand the benefits and ease of being able to describe an artist in simple terms, but I think so many artists-even in these niche genres- make records and songs that fall outside of that and are influenced by other genres.”

Wynne, a gifted musician, embraces the fact that she is still a student of music as well. Citing references from artists like Norah Jones and Bossa Nova to The Killers, Florence and the Machine, and the Pixies. She also had the chance to collaborate with Alex Lifeson of Rush, who played guitar on some of the tracks for Into the Waves. “I just feel really blessed and lucky to work with him. He has had a big influence on my philosophy on life and the pursuit of music, as well as my approach to recording music.” Lifeson, a mainstream artist who has accomplished just about everything a person can in music, told Rolling Stone Magazine, that while working with Wynne he’s “never had that kind of inspiration working with another musician.”

Into the Waves isn’t just complex compositionally, either. Wynne navigates through each song with cleverness and relates each melody to how she delivers her lyrics. She sometimes writes metaphorically and then, like in the album’s closing track, Girl Dinner, she can take a more deliberate and literal approach. She is also not shy about topical or taboo topics, like politics.

“I believe anyone with a lot of money and influence has a duty to use that for good. We all have this responsibility on a moral level to contribute to our society in the ways that we can, whatever that looks like. I also think we have an ethical responsibility to call out injustice on such a massive scale.” ~ Wynne, on whether or not celebrities have a responsibility to use their platform for politics.

Maiah Wynne’s talent range exceeds the spectrum of Music, and She Hasn’t Lost Sight of the Importance of Maintaining Humanity in Artwork

There are many moving parts, when producing an album. The bigger the production, the more parts there are to market it. I was impressed to learn that, in addition to writing, performing, recording, and producing Into the Waves, Wynne has also played a big part in the visual aspects surrounding the album as well. She has steadily been involved in the photographic promotion of her work and, in addition to starring in music videos for See the Water and Breathe, she is also credited for editing both videos and as the director for See the Water. Her hands on approach further validates her willingness to put time and effort into her work. “The whole point of music and art is to reflect human experience.” Wynne says, when I asked her about her thoughts on using tools like AI as a resource for music production. Her stance against utilizing AI in any creative process is stern and assertive to the point that she believes the artist loses a bit of credibility as having created the work themselves when they lean on AI. So, she takes the time to clarify her vision. When I watched these music videos, I could see how thoughtful they were and the level of appreciation Wynne has for her art is extraordinary.

As Her Career Continues to Grow and Develop, Wynne Proves that No Moment is Too Big for Her

Maiah Wynne may only be in her mid 20’s but she has accomplished so much as an artist already. She has also been put in some pretty extraordinary situations, like opening the Seattle MOPOP Founder’s Awards, where future Hall of Famer, Brandi Carlile was receiving the award. In a night dedicated the the legendary performer, Wynne performed right in front of Carlile along with acts like Dave Matthews, Tanya Tucker, and The Indigo Girls. I asked about the opportunity to share the stage with such legendary talents and Wynne said, “I was terrified to sing a Brandi Carlile song to Brandi but I had an incredible time and it was a truly unforgettable night that I am very grateful to have had.”

Hearing the conviction she had when recounting this moment, along with her passion for creating music and collaborating with others like Lifeson, it leaves a perception that Wynne is unafraid of any moment to perform; that the most important part of all of it is the music. As evidenced by her progress, growth, and accomplishments, that invested work and passion is beginning to reward her with returns. Twenty-Five Thousand monthly streamers, positive reviews on her live performances, newer and bigger opportunities, and a new record deal to name a few. Tomorrow, listeners around the world will be able to hear her newest album. Into the Waves will be available on all streaming platforms everywhere at midnight. There are already 6 songs available to listen now. Additionally, physical copies of Into the Waves can be purchased at the website below.

Click here to view physical purchase options for Into the Waves!

Maiah Wynne has been very impressive to date. After listening to Into the Waves, I think she is capable of greatness. Go press play!