Rising UK singer-songwriter May Payne has quickly distinguished herself through a willingness to turn life's most uncomfortable emotions into remarkably candid songwriting. Championing vulnerability rather than disguising it, the Dorset-raised artist has found an increasingly devoted audience among the self-described “heavy feelers”, while earning significant praise from BBC 6 Music, CLASH and DIY.
Her latest single ‘The News’ may be one of her most exposed releases yet. Written immediately after discovering that an ex-partner who had promised to love her forever was already in another relationship, the track captures that peculiar collision between heartbreak, disbelief and the sudden realisation that someone else has moved on without you.
So with the new single out now, we sat down with her to find out more about her origins and what has been inspiring her most over the years.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
The piano! I had an old warm one in my house growing up and would play all my favourite songs on it over and over and over. I now pretty much exclusively play gigs/write songs on guitar, but the piano was definitely my first love! (And trumpet, but that’s a story for another day.)
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
My mum is obsessed with Bob Dylan, and my dad is obsessed with Van Morrison, so growing up I exclusively listened to those two. They’re still definitely up there for me.
When I was 13, I got really into emo music – My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy, Pierce the Veil, all the greats. I had a fan account dedicated to them and would do just about anything to leave school early and go to any gig I could get to. That was pretty much my life for 5 years!
What was the first album you remember owning?
Fall Out Boy’s Folie a Deux! I spent the whole of one summer listening to that record on repeat and playing Red Dead Redemption, which was an absolute ball.
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
Vacation by Florist. It has this beautiful naivety to it, and listening to it gives me such a specific feeling that I can’t really find anywhere else. The lyrics have this very special quality – they use quite simple language & everyday imagery combined in ways that are so emotionally poignant. That song just feels so true.
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
Morning pages! For the uninitiated, morning pages are a technique set out in The Artists Way. Essentially, every morning you free-write 3 full pages of A4 by hand without stopping or filtering yourself. It really helps to soften the barrier between my conscious & subconscious and get in touch with how I’m really feeling, a little closer to the truth.
Not allowing myself to ingest anything external (emails/social media/other scary stuff) before I write really helps too.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
Charlotte Cornfield, Eleni Drake, Sister Ray, Samia.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
Big Thief! Or Phoebe Bridgers, especially if she’s still doing the whole no phones thing. That’d be a blast.
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
The feeling right after finishing a (good) song. It’s the best rush in the whole world.
And what is the most frustrating part?
The darned emails!
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
To learn to enjoy where you are right now, because if you don’t, you’re never going to. Also, set tangible & semi-realistic goals. If your goal is ‘I want to write the best songs ever’ or ‘I want to be really famous’ then the goalpost will always keep moving and you’ll never be satisfied. But if you say ‘I want to write a song I like this week’ or ‘I want to go on tour next year’ then you can do your best to make those things happen & give yourself a pat on the back when they do!
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May Payne's new single 'The News' is out now. Check it out in the player below.