WW: Hey Maria, this is Jimmy Tickey of
WildWritings.com. How are you?
MM: Hello. Good! Relaxed... Not a lot to do right now.
I was just in Los Angeles where I went in the pools with
friends and visited Disney Land. Now I'm working on
interviews and working until Saturday.
WW: Is it true that you grew up in Norway?
MM: Born and raised.
WW: What was your life like before you became
involved with singing professionally?
MM: Well, Norway is very American. So I basically went
to school and hung out with friends. I wanted to do
music so that I could get out of that situation. Didn't
always do my homework, really just wanted to do music.
WW: What kind of student were you? You never did
any homework?
MM: Well, I was the kind of student that teachers respected. I can't remember doing homework, maybe I only did the big assignments.
WW: Growing up, Did music always influence you?
MM: Probably did. I wasn't into the music I'm into now. I was into boy bands, along with all my friends. My dad got frustrated because he's really into music, but not the boyband kind.
I was into Westlife, Nsync, Backstreet Boys until one day I came across my dad's Pink Floyd's CD and I really got into that.
WW: You write your own lyrics, which not many artists do today. At what age did you start to write your music and where do you draw the inspiration from?
MM: I get the inspiration from me. I learned not to analyze people before you know yourself. People tend to lie about ourselves, so I'm always trying to be honest. Even when we write in journals, we write the positive things and not negative. I try not to be like that. I get inspiration from wired things.
WW: At age 11, you wrote your first single, “My Lullaby.” You wrote the song about your parent’s divorce and how it effected you. Why were you so willing to broadcast your feelings and family’s situation to the world?
MM: Yea. Well I wrote the song after school. They got divorced when I was 9. I really started to become the caretaker of the family at that point. The song really explained how I felt about the situation.
WW: So was it easier for you to convey your message through a song then to sit down with your parents?
MM: I never really thought of it that way. I was afraid of telling people how I felt. I disguised things into songs, which is easier for me because then people can't respond. It's like, they don't know if a song is about me or them or someone else.
WW: What was your parents reaction when they heard the song?
MM: Outside of my career, I really don't talk about music. This started personal and I will continue to keep it that way. My parents made no comments, they understood how I write a song and let it speak for itself.
WW: The song, along with your first CD, were a hit in Norway. Was all the attention too much for you at first?
MM: No, that year I did promotion and toured. I enjoyed it.
It was the year after when I went back to a normal life that I had difficulties. People didn't know me anymore or how to talk to me. I had just had all this fun and released a CD, and yet people couldn't connect with me.
I still don't have a big group of friends, just a few close ones.
WW: It’s not everyday that a teen is such a success like yourself. How did you learn to balance a hectic life style and yet still remain young and finish your teen age years as a kid? What did you do to balance your life?
MM: Nothing. I did not want to go back to school. I wanted to get into music to get away from that normal life. I did not miss out on my teen years because I'm grateful for everything that has happened. I needed to leave that situation.
WW: After all your success overseas, were you nervous about coming to the American market?
MM: I did not know what to expect. I still don't. I like it though. It makes for a bigger fanbase. I'm just along for the ride. I do have a large fanbase and I like to see how fans from countries are different and how they are similar.
WW: Could you explain the concept behind the first single off White Turns Blue, "You're the Only One?"
MM: I wrote it in a naive way, when I was 17. It explains friendships and relations. Each verse is about someone different. I don't rap but it was fun to speak fast for the song.
WW: For those that don’t know your music, how would you describe it?
MM: I like to call it educated pop rock. I am always going to have fun with it.
WW: You are on the Teen People Rock N’ Shop Mall Tour? How is that going?
MM: Very, very well! I did not know what to expect because Norway really isn't a mall culture, but a lot of people are coming out to the shows.
WW: Well Maria, good luck to you! WildWritings.com will be supporting you all the way.
MM: Thank you! Have a good day.
