Mae Muller – Sorry I’m Late | 365 Days Of Inspiring Media

Capitol Records

Release Date: September 29th 2023

Reviewed by: Joshua Andre

Mae Muller– Sorry I’m Late (Amazon mp3/iTunes)

Track Listing:

I Just Came To Dance
Sorry Daniel
B**** With A Broken Heart
I Wrote A Song
Me, Myself And I
Tatiana (feat. Dylan)
Somebody New
I Wish I Could Hate You
Little Bit Sad
Maybe That’s Just Life
Breathe
Something Real
Nervous (In A Good Way)
Better Days (feat. NEIKED & Polo G)
Porn Lied To Us
Miss America
Written By A Woman

Over the past few years (essentially when my brother and I undertook our on-hiatus-but-still-important-and-inspiring blog series about influential artists of all time, and then more actively from 2021 onwards); I have been expanding my musical horizons and been listening to many different types of music outside of Christian music. I know it could sound like a broken record, with me making a big deal about this fact every so often in maybe every second post. But the reality is that to me, listening to and being impacted by something other than Christian music- is a big deal. Especially since I myself have been told virtually all my life that Christian music is good and everything else is bad. Since 2018 I’ve discovered that I can be blessed, encouraged, and inspired by music that isn’t intentionally used to glorify God- and while that can sound dichotomous and heretical and blasphemous to some; I tend to believe otherwise. That even what is intended to be bad can end up serving a greater purpose, and can end up having its place in society. Over the past few weeks and months, I’ve been reviewing a number of albums from mainstream artists that I would’ve never previously thought that I would listen to nor even review. Artists like FLETCHER, Lucy Thomas, Hannah Ellis, Kenny G, Cliff Richard, Chapel Hart, Old Dominion, Darius Rucker, Breland, Niall Horan, Gretta Ray, even Kate Hudson have all released moving and thought-provoking albums (and songs)- and I have dived in and written about every single one of these releases. I didn’t expect to be positively impacted by these releases. But I was.

Enter in British pop singer Mae Muller. The singer who made waves and buzz from her hit single “I Wrote A Song” and her inclusion in Eurovision 2023 (which was a hot mess literally, but the song did gain exposure, and she did become much more well-known because of the song and the performance!); recently released her debut full length album Sorry I’m Late in September 2023. I know, I know, it’s probably not worth reviewing as the album is around about 6 months old or maybe longer. But as I’ve listened quite a number of times to Mae’s debut offering, I’ve concluded that Mae’s brand of positive pop mixed with ‘revenge-breakup style-relationship pop and a touch of angst’ speaks to this entire generation. I’ve previously spoken about Madison Beer’s surprisingly refreshing chill and laid-back album; and Mae’s collection of 17 songs is the same also- solid and enjoyable, albeit a tad less hard-hitting due to the subject matter being slightly more directed to women and people younger than myself. Thankfully, there are still heartfelt and hopeful ballads here, and inspiring pop tunes as well; so let me dive deep into Sorry I’m Late, and divulge whether this album is one of the more inspirational pop albums of the year of 2023 or not.

I like the idea of having a tongue-in-cheek album title because that’s kind of a lot of my lyrics that have gotten me to where I am. I thought it would be nice to keep it in the world. it’s like I’m sorry I’m late, It’s taken a hot minute for us to get here. A Lot of ups and downs and we’ve been through a lot but we’re here now so sorry I’m late but we’ve arrived. I think on this album you can really hear the growth and journey. I was a baby when I first started so I think from then till now I sound sure of myself. Even though I’m being really vulnerable and open about my insecurities and what I would change about myself. In doing that I actually sound a lot more sure of myself and that I actually really know who I am and I’m not afraid of that. It’s nice for me to listen back and be like okay she’s figuring it out.

I get so much from Pop music and listening to the other pop girls who are smashing at the moment, Olivia Rodrigo, Billie, Madison Beer. I love feeling like I’m getting honesty and authenticity and I’m believing them. That’s all I could ever ask for anyone listening to my music is that they feel it and that it’s authentic and they go maybe I’m not alone in that Mae is singing about that. I’d love for it to be visual and listen to it and see that story and situation and that’s all I’ve wanted to achieve in my songwriting. It’s the time for Pop girlies.

I think a lot of artists, some of my artist friends have 30 versions of their songs. I’m not like that, I get excited about things really quickly and after the first day, I’m like it’s done, let’s get it out. I have to sit with myself and say girl relax there needs to be a few nips and tucks. I feel like sometimes when you can sit with it, listen back to it and I am genuinely like you know what I tried to change something and it’s not quite getting there it’s like I love the song so much that I’ll release it with that one small thing I’m not quite happy with. Even with the minuscule thing that I can’t get, I want it out because of the message and what it represents when you get to that point you kind of know. It’s different for everyone, it’s not very verbal to me. I’m not like we need a million versions till it’s perfect. I’m not a producer or play an instrument, I’m not technical, I’m more lyrics. I’m like the lyrics are good. It’s a bop let’s get it out.

If I could describe Mae Muller as being similar to an artist, I’d have to say Little Mix meets Ava Max meets Dua Lipa. Strong lyrics, infectious musical beats, and each melody being an earworm you can’t get out of your head. “I Just Came To Dance” is a fun, summery, pop anthem about dancing alone in the club and then finding a guy (or a girl) to have a ‘one-night stand’ with. And although the subject matter here isn’t safe for children, nor something society would on the whole agree with; Mae’s song promotes discussion about what you personally value as we all dive deep into our personal ethics and morals, and for that, the song doesn’t promote something that should be discussed and talked about. “Sorry Daniel” speaks about a girl who is ghosting a guy for reasons in the lyrics that seem a bit weak and superficial, as Mae subtly encourages us all to focus our attention and energy into friendships and relationships with people who will value us and who will stick around; while the brutal savage takedown “B**** With A Broken Heart” speaks about the lengths one woman will go through to humiliate her ex who humiliated her first by breaking her heart.

The aforementioned “I Wrote A Song”, made famous by Eurovision, is “…a pithy, sarcastic track about taking revenge on an ex-boyfriend – not by trashing their car or burning their house down, but by writing an excoriating song about how rubbish they are…”; while the somewhat tongue-in-cheek “Me, Myself & I” speaks about finding contentment and satisfaction in your own skin and by yourself: I had become quite reliant on male validation and who I was talking to. I felt like I always needed to have somebody there. For the first time I didn’t have that and I thought I would be a bit lost or bored or down but I felt so great. Sometimes when you’re on your own, you really get to know yourself—it sounds like a cliché. The day we wrote this, I was just really feeling myself. I wanted to write that self-worth, girl-power empowerment stuff because that’s genuinely how I was feeling, and I was really proud of myself for getting to that point. It was like, ‘You don’t need a man—and you actually mean it this time!’ “Tatiana”, with fellow British pop singer Dylan, speaks about confronting your ex’s new partner to has out issues- and dialoguing it through like two sensible people with minimal jealousy whatsoever; while the powerful piano-pop ballad “Somebody New” has Mae lamenting her previous relationships, and concluding that she still isn’t over a pervious ex, and is envious every time she pictures somebody new with him. “I Wish I Could Hate You”, a heartbreaking and emotional melody, is where the persona and her ex agree to part ways just because he doesn’t love her anymore (and through they’re broken up, she cannot hate him at all!); while “Little Bit Sad” carries on from the previous track thematically, as Mae recounts that she’s still friends with one of her exes, but still hopes that he will be a little bit sad that they’re broken up and don’t share the same history with each other anymore.

“Maybe That’s Just Life”, a mini-interlude and a piano led introspective track, speaks about feeling down and heavy and sad and anxious about your life and the way it’s going; and then concluding that sometimes that’s how life goes and in time those negative feelings will dissipate- as Mae outlines that going through life is hard, and you can only survive and thrive if you have friends and family by your side and in your corner. It really is the cornerstone of the entire album in my opinion, as it “Breathe”, a pop song where Mae outlines that she’s divorcing herself from her low mental state and her anxiety, and instead is breathing and focusing on the good things in her life: I’d been feeling very anxious at that time in my life and I knew I wanted to write a song about it. But I just didn’t think that’s who I was as an artist. I kind of wrote it in a way that it could be from the perspective of anything, it could be about a relationship, but for me it was just about dealing with my own anxieties and how it was really affecting my life. It was about personifying the anxiety: There’s one line where I’m like, ‘You don’t deserve me, you don’t deserve to make me feel this way.’ It’s funny because that works with relationships or a friendship—if they’ve done you wrong, it’s like, ‘You don’t deserve me and you never did’, and I feel like it’s the same when you’re dealing with something mentally. I’m like, ‘I’m actually really great and you’re ruining it right now.’ I really believed in this song. “Something Real”, a vicious attack on social media and all of its issues, speaks about the addiction we as humans face to our phones and to our social media platforms- wanting an instant virtual life at the expense of something you can see and hold and feel (a 3D actual person as a friend or maybe something more), with Mae concluding that she wants to detach from the screens and instead live in real life; while the bubbly, positive and optimistic “Nervous (I A Good Way)” has Mae in the beginnings of a new relationship, and being all focused and dedicated to something that’s pure and true.

“Better Days”, with producer NEIKED and rapper Polo G, concludes that you can’t sit on your backside and wish for better days to come along- you have to instead stand up and do something about what you want to see in your life, whether that is more friends or a job or a romantic partner; while the hard-hitting and no-holds-barred “Porn Lied To Us” delves into the ever-true notion that viewing porn is extremely harmful for your soul and for the sex life between you and your partner. “Miss America”, the penultimate song on this already-bloated-but-somewhat-necessary-tracklist, highlights the notion in society that girls need to strive to be like the models you see on the stage and on TV (when in reality, you don’t need to be, and that society tells you things that sometimes you don’t need to agree with!); while “Written By A Woman” rounds out the project, where Mae compliments her current partner in all of his physical, intellectual and emotional characteristics, concluding that he must have been ‘written by a woman’.

Mae Muller’s debut project Sorry I’m Late, comprises of songs full of life, emotion, and inspiring messages. It’s divided in half, with the relationship songs near the beginning and the gut wrenching and emotional songs nearer to the end; and there’s something for everyone here, and no doubt you’ll be quietly (or loudly!) singing Mae’s praises in the coming weeks and months and years. Am I a fan of Mae? Perhaps… what matters more is that this album hits you at all the right emotions and feelings. No doubt about it! Listen yourself, find out, and be inspired! Well done Mae, I can’t wait to hear what is in store for you next! Christmas album or covers album?

I’d love to work with Dolly Parton. I think country music, especially women, are the best songwriters, like Kasey Musgraves. I just love the way they tell stories. In every song there is a wow moment where it’s how did you think of that, you said it in the simplest way. I’m always taken by that. Dolly would be a dream, I don’t care what I have to do I’ll play the triangle, whatever she wants. I’d also love to write with Julia Michaels, she’s one of the best pop writers. She’s so smart and has such an interesting way of saying things. I love a song with a punch line and she’s so good at that.

I think sonically I’ve evolved a lot and I sound surer of myself. When I first started writing music, it was more of I take no s***, you can’t break my heart, I’m a strong ass woman and look what I’ve done for myself. That was a side to me I enjoy expressing but I feel like a lot of that wasn’t a person all the time. It was my armor at the time. That’s what I felt like I had to do, it was my version of a strong woman. I think in this album I’m not just doing that, I’m showing my vulnerability and writing things that are exposing and scary. It doesn’t just show that one version of me, it’s all the in-between and sometimes it’s not so pretty. If I want to be an authentic artist I have to show that side. I think that’s the main difference, me being more vulnerable and finding the power in that.