Maple Ward

Many of us often use music as an escape from the stress and expectations of everyday life. But who can we go to to transport us to tranquillity? It's time to turn to Maple Ward, a singer and songwriter from Norwich, who uses music as a form of connection and a way of understanding our most challenging thoughts.

Even though she may have gained the pet name of an ‘egg’ from her boyfriend (as her head can become scrambled!), Maple is the form of empowerment and optimism we all need in our lives.

After moving from Southampton in 2021, Maple has involved herself in the supportive community the world of music offers in Norwich. Through word of mouth, open mic events and experience, she has been able to land herself more gigs by the day, such as the First Light festival, as well as opening for BreakingSoundUK (and you’ll understand why when you listen to her incredible music!). Performing live has allowed her to fully immerse herself in her songs, engage with her fans and discover her authentic self, whilst providing the connectivity we need through her powerful lyrics.

Life today seems to come with a multitude of pressures, which can cause many of us to doubt and compare ourselves, a reality Maple has not been immune to. However, she transformed this doubt into her strength and realised to never rush life- our goals take time and we need to focus on our own journeys. We can all see that we need to press pause on the reel of social media and take a chord out of the inspirational music and knowledge from Maple, as music is magical!

As a young female musician, Maple sometimes feels as if the male dominated industry of music can be consistently against her. To make the future brighter for all women and create the female autonomy she strives for, Maple involves herself in female run online communities, such as ‘Girls Twiddling Knobs’. It's time to continue to improve the awareness of the power women hold in the music industry (and we can start to do this by listening to the moving music of Maple Ward!).

Music allows us to connect, celebrate, protest, love, grieve and pray- its power is infinite. Have you ever listened to a song and thought ‘that’s how I feel’, or ‘I’ve been through that’? Well for Maple, that’s all she wants to do- create songs which resonate with someone in the world and provide the empowerment we need. Maple’s music is a form of escapism to make the difficult times more manageable, as well as to find meaning, expression and hope in a world which seems to grow louder by the day. Too many of us shy away from opening up about our mental health and can become too scared to ask for help. However, Maple’s music makes us realise that opening up is courageous and should be celebrated.

Do you ever feel that some days your own head can become too loud and its becomes impossible to comprehend reality? For Maple, she proves the importance and power of our mental health, as songwriting has become the ultimate cathartic release to make her brain make sense! Producing music allows Maple to find her own sound and connect with life through poetically crafting beautiful lyrics, which transform us to a vulnerable place to make us realise the strength in asking for help.

So, what tips can an amazing artist like Maple give to those who want to enter the industry? For her, passion and enjoyment is key- you must love what you are doing. As well as this, it is key to realise that it will take time to hone and craft your artistic voice, but, once you find it, you will love it for life!

It’s key that we need to keep our eyes peeled for more inspirational new music over the summer from Maple. Make sure to follow her on all her social media (@maplewardmusic), so you can stay updated on all her incredible work, empowerment and optimism (and check out her new single, ‘Overgrown’)! It’s time to realise the strength we all possess, the power the vulnerability holds and the importance of speaking out for our mental health and what we believe in!