We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Mabilene a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Mabilene thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

This interview finds me in the final mixing phase of my latest musical project – both an acoustic EP and full length LP follow-up to my 2021 album The Other Side. In the past, I’ve had a more traditional studio experience where albums are made pretty quickly. I’ve hired studio musicians and marveled at the magic in the room. This time it’s been completely different. For the first time, I’ve had the luxury of time and space to flesh these new songs out. My producer (Johnny Hansen) and I have worked song by song, part by part, bringing in outside musicians sparingly. A recording process that in the past has been crammed into two weeks been given two years.

Why is this so meaningful to me? I believe it’s because the music I write requires time and attention. We’ve become so incredibly fast paced, and a ton of the music we consume keeps us there – activated and amped up. I’ve often been told that my songs offer people an opportunity to slow down, breathe and deeply listen. So it’s been a real triumph for me to be allowed that same experience throughout its creation.

I want to talk about the forces and habits keeping us isolated and divided. I want to sink into the mystery that holds us all together and marvel at the beauty that surrounds us. I want to focus on building bridges and fostering connections which can sometimes feel daunting as we are constantly fed distractions. But I believe that what feeds your soul can feed the world, so I have faith in the power of this new music and am excited for its release.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I grew up in Texas with parents who loved and invested in music. Many of my earliest memories involve their record collection – Linda Ronstadt, Huey Lewis, Emmylou Harris… I insisted we go see Barry Manilow in concert when I was three and was beyond jealous when my babysitter got to see the Wham America tour (she did bring me a t-shirt). Basically, I’ve been hooked since birth. For years I sang in bands on the side – always other people’s songs, but I shared my own writing for the first time in 2012. Since then, I’ve been making records. I co-founded Americana band The Battlefield in Los Angeles and we toured for about 5 years until I was called to move to Nashville.

I recently played The Bluebird for the first time, and I’m pretty proud of that honor.

I’m inspired by unique voices – artists who respect their roots while moving beyond the derivative into their authentic sound.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

As a creative, you’re often wearing many hats. In 2022 I played the Golden Sky Festival in Sacramento. As I advanced the show, it got really stressful and I remember thinking I was doing the work of an entire team. When I got to the list of contacts I needed to provide and filled my name in on every line, I realized that I was, indeed shouldering the workload of an entire team.

When you invest that much on a regular basis, it can be hard to let go when something just isn’t working. That’s what happened with my former band. We stopped being on the same page, but I didn’t stop giving 100%. We kept getting opportunities, but because some of us weren’t all in, it became a struggle. The sabotage was intense and unrecognized.

A huge gift we received was support from MusiCares. They gave us a grant for group therapy, and while it didn’t save the project, it showed me beyond the shadow of a doubt that if what I was seeking was a healthy creative path, I needed to move on. It was hard because I had invested so much of myself and built a touring network that I was proud of and deeply attached to. But in pivoting to my new project in my new home, I’ve begun to build again. I love my community. I’m a believer and I know that at some point, I’ll have my road family back as well.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

We can value music. If you hear that a music platform is consistently devaluing and finding new ways to get away from paying artists, switch to a different platform. If you hear a song you love on a playlist, seek out that artist and buy their merch. Buy their vinyl. Share smaller artists with friends. See as many shows as you can in smaller venues.

On a larger scale, I would love our government to make a meaningful investment in the arts. In other countries, there are often grants that artists depend on to create their deepest work untethered from the demands of the marketplace. Allison Russell, for example, has experienced a giant creative & professional elevation since the release of her debut solo album “Outside Child” in 2021. Funding for that album was granted by the Canada Council of the Arts. What a gift to her and to all of us.

We can do better in finding ways to make music sustainable for more of our community instead of just a few at the very top..

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mabilenemusic.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ms.mabilene/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mabilene
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjA4rsGAau7wVhlaFfYaoFQ
• Other: Listen to “The Other Side” – https://album.link/i/1588583210

Image Credits
All photos (except pink dress w/ guitar) – Wilde Company Album Cover Art Design – Jen Fountain Album Cover Layout Design – Karla Rose Baker