Alternative pop artist Mali Mae continues to build momentum in 2026 with the release of her emotionally charged new single 'Throne', a raw and empowering track born from personal struggle and resilience. Blending pulsing alternative pop production with vulnerable, unfiltered songwriting, the release captures the internal battle between anxiety, self-doubt, and reclaiming control over your own mindset.
Following on from earlier single 'Let Me Down', Mali Mae is quickly carving out a space defined by emotional honesty and fearless self-expression. Inspired by some of her darkest moments, 'Throne' transforms pain into strength, offering listeners an anthem about perseverance, healing, and refusing to let mental health define you.
So with the new single out now, we sat down with her to find out more about her background and what has been inspiring her over the years.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
The Violin. It was the first instrument I ever picked up as a kid and I’ve always just had an attachment to it.
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
I was big into people like Rihanna, Katy Perry, Parmore, The Script, Coldplay. I think looking back now, the story telling of all of those artists was the thing that got me hooked.
What was the first album you remember owning?
I used to get the NOW CD’s growing up and they were probably my first entry into digital music.
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
There are so many songs but the bridge of ‘Vortex’ by Lizzie Mcalpine is the first that comes to mind that I wish I had written myself for sure!
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
I’m a big people watcher, and I like to make sure I’m observant when I go about my daily life to try and find inspiration for a song. So every time I listen to a lyric I like, or overhear a conversation, or have a strong feeling, I make sure to write it all down in my notes app. I also always like to go down a musician rabbit hole of listening to 10-20 songs before I write to just get my head into that creative headspace.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
I’m listening to a lot of Sasha Keable, Lola Young, Florence Road and Yebba.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
I would love to open for someone like Sam Fender or Hayley Williams.
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
Being able to evoke emotions in your audience. I always say that if I can make someone in my audience cry, I’ve done my job. Music is a universal language and everyone feels something and so I love being able to give people a space in which they can feel those feelings without judgement. Sharing feelings is something people don’t do enough of.
And what is the most frustrating part?
The industry is incredibly different to what it used to be now with artists being primarily discovered via social media now, so instead of being able to focus solely on making music, you also have to teach yourself how to create a brand, an aesthetic, a marketing scheme and hope that people buy into it (and that’s just to name a few things…)
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
You are an athlete. Your body and mind needs time to rest and recover and that’s okay. As an independent artist when you don’t have any ‘help’, it’s really hard to stop sometimes because there’s always more that you could be doing but, like any sports athlete, the recovery is just as important as the performance.
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Mali Mae's new single 'Throne' is out now. Check it out in the player below.