Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Steve Maggiora. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Steve, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?
Right now, my most meaningful project is the release of my new album, Unburdened, dropping April 15th on all streaming platforms—and also available as a physical CD on my website. This record is deeply personal and has been a long time coming. After years of releasing singles while juggling life on the road, it feels incredibly satisfying to finally put out a cohesive body of work—one that tells a complete story.
Unburdened is exactly what the title suggests: a release, a letting go, a reflection on what we carry and how we move through it. The album explores themes of surrender, resilience, and learning to move forward even when life throws curveballs you never asked for. Sonically, it fuses soul, blues, rock, and funk into a sound that’s uniquely mine—groove-heavy, emotionally rich, and packed with raw honesty.
I’m beyond proud of this project—not just for the songs themselves, but for the incredible team of musicians who helped bring them to life. I produced and mixed it myself, The record features some world-class performances from some world-class people including Grammy-winning drummer Robert “Sput” Searight (Snarky Puppy, Snoop Dogg), Grammy-winning guitarist Mark Lettieri (Snarky Puppy), Jon Button (The Who) on bass, saxophonist Paulie Cerra (Joe Bonamassa), and producer/multi-instrumentalist Warren Huart (The Fray, Aerosmith), drummer Jake Hayden (Dorothy, Nick Carter), Blair Sinta (Alanis Morissette), Bob Fridzema (Glen Hughes), and the legendary Jason Parfait and the 504 Horns (Mark Broussard, Chris Stapleton), among many other talented friends and collaborators.
This album was mainly created in-between tours as well as in hotel rooms while touring internationally, in late-night sessions between soundchecks, and through remote files passed across continents. It blends the grit and energy of live performance with the detail and intimacy of studio work. At its core, Unburdened is a celebration of perseverance, connection, and creative freedom.
It’s the most honest I’ve ever been in my music, and is my best work to date—and I can’t wait for people to hear it.
Steve, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
Music has been in my blood for as long as I can remember. I played my first paid gig at 14, and from that point on, I was hooked—not just on performing, but on the entire process of creating something from nothing and connecting with people through sound. That love for music took me from my hometown to Southern California, where I enrolled at Chapman University… and dropped out after three semesters to chase the real thing.
I was offered a full-time role producing music for an internationally touring performing arts company—so I packed up, dove in, and never looked back. From there, I found myself thrown into the deep end of the L.A. music scene. I got into the session world, started producing bands, formed a few of my own, and hit the road hard. It’s been a wild ride that’s led to unforgettable moments—sharing the stage with legends like Toto, Ringo Starr, Joe Bonamassa, Hoobastank, and GoldFord, just to name a few.
But no matter where the road took me, one thing always pulled me back in: songwriting. Telling stories through music has always been my North Star. And when the world shut down during the pandemic, I finally had the space to pour everything into it. Through remote collaborations, I wrote and produced songs with friends and artists across the globe—jumping between time zones, trading files, and building tracks from my bedroom studio. That creative spark turned into something much bigger.
That “something” became Unburdened, my latest album—a deeply personal, fully collaborative project brought to life with incredible musicians from around the world. I actually produced most of the record remotely from hotel rooms while touring with Toto across the U.S., Canada, Japan, and Europe. In between soundchecks and flights, I was plugging in my laptop, making edits, and sending mixes—living two creative lives at once.
Throughout all of this, I’ve also been releasing original music every single Friday on Patreon since 2020—an ongoing series I started to stay connected and inspired during lockdown–which you can sign up for right now for free at patreon.com/stevemaggioraofficial. That community has been the heartbeat behind my creative process, and they’ve heard the early versions of nearly every song on this record.
So, what do I actually do? I write songs, produce music, sing, perform, and help others bring their creative vision to life. Whether it’s working with an artist on their debut EP, collaborating on a track for a film, or jumping on tour as a keyboardist or vocalist, I bring versatility, honesty, and a deep respect for the craft. I don’t believe in copy-paste creativity—every project is its own living, breathing thing.
What sets me apart is my ability to wear multiple hats without losing sight of the emotional core. I know how to shape a sound, build a story, and get into the trenches with other artists to make something that feels like truth. I’ve built my career on adaptability, collaboration, and showing up—fully, consistently, and with intention.
At the end of the day, I’m most proud of the fact that I’ve stayed true to the work. Through all the ups and downs, I keep showing up—for the music, for the people I work with, and for the audience that continues to listen. If you’re looking for someone to help you tell your story through sound, I’m all in. Let’s make something real.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
Pivoting has unfortunately become an essential skill in today’s world, especially for creatives. Things can change at the drop of a hat—projects fall through, clients disappear, shows get canceled, invoices go unpaid for months or even years. And most of the time, there’s no safety net. No HR department. No built-in legal team. Just you, your word, and your hustle.
One of the toughest pivots I ever had to make was in my early 20s. I was attending a trade school for audio engineering—putting everything I had into both my education and my career. Around that time, I landed a major touring project that I thought was going to carry me for a while. I worked on it for months—nonstop—and when it came time to get paid, the client just flat-out refused. No explanation, no negotiation. Just… nothing.
At that point, I didn’t have the resources or knowledge to fight back. I was already stretched thin trying to juggle rent, tuition, and basic survival. With no backup plan, I had to make the heartbreaking decision to forfeit my apartment. I ended up living in my car for the next few months—working around the clock, taking on any gig I could, all while still trying to finish school and not lose the investment I had already made in myself.
That moment could have broken me. And honestly, it came close. But what I learned is that life doesn’t always give you a choice in whether or not you pivot—it just hands you a situation and waits to see what you’ll do with it. You can let it crush you, or you can double down and figure it out. I chose the latter.
It’s exhausting. And when those moments pile up, it can feel like you’re stuck on a loop of setbacks. But for me, the reward has never been just financial. The real win is being able to look myself in the mirror every night and know I gave the day everything I had. That I didn’t run from the chaos—I leaned into it, and tried to make something meaningful from it.
Because that’s what artists do. We take pain and turn it into connection. We take darkness and carve out light. The pendulum swings wildly, and it doesn’t ask permission—but when it swings back in your favor, those moments of survival turn into stories of strength. And if you’re lucky, they become someone else’s inspiration, too.
In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?
In my opinion, the world would be a much less colorful, soulful, and vibrant place without artists. Art is more than just entertainment—it’s how we process the world, how we connect, how we heal, and how we dream forward. Supporting artists isn’t just about applauding finished work—it’s about recognizing the journey, the struggle, and the intention behind every note, brushstroke, word, or performance.
These days, one of the most powerful ways to support artists is to simply be present. Don’t take art—or the people who make it—for granted. Every performer needs someone to perform to. Every poet needs someone to read their words. Every songwriter needs ears that are truly listening. The audience isn’t just a passive part of the equation; they’re the lifeblood of creative work.
And let’s be real—independent artists are often shouting into the digital void, hoping the algorithm shows their post to someone. Most of us can’t afford to boost our content or game the system. So yes, that single “like” on a post, that quick comment, that repost—it matters. It tells the algorithm we exist. It tells us you see us. That tiny bit of validation can be the encouragement we need to keep going.
Beyond that, support doesn’t always have to be grand. Sometimes, a small tip at a gig or on Venmo can mean the difference between making rent or replacing a mic cable for the next show. If your friends have a Patreon, consider giving—even a dollar a month. Most of us charge less for an entire month’s worth of creative energy than what you’d pay for a single drink at Starbucks (and let’s be honest, that cup’s half ice anyway).
There are opportunities to support artists everywhere—open mics, pop-ups, Bandcamp Fridays, livestreams, handmade merch drops. All it takes is the willingness to look, to listen, and to care just a little more. And who knows? You might end up discovering a piece of art that stays with you forever… or get to say, “I supported them before they blew up.”
At the end of the day, it’s about recognizing that artists pour pieces of themselves into their work—and it’s a beautiful, vulnerable, brave thing. The more we can honor that, the richer the world becomes for all of us.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://stevemaggiora.com
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/stevemaggioraofficial
- Facebook: http://facebook.com/stevemaggioraofficial
- Youtube: http://youtube.com/@stevemaggioraofficial
- Other: http://patreon.com/stevemaggioraofficial
http://stevemaggiora.bandcamp.comMy “This Is” playlist on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6xqbjBA3Hwegj9fObrizrM?si=bba73099b2154ac9
Image Credits
photos by Sam Westre, Alison Morgan, Bob Dinsmore, Steve Maggiora, Justin Ray