To Maisie Peters, music is magic; her art keeps her sane through the insanity of breakups, touring, and other chaos in life.
Album Title: The Good Witch Artist: Maisie Peters
Record label: Gingerbread Man
Release date: 2023
Genre(s): Pop, folk-pop, pop-rock
Available format(s): Streaming, vinyl, CD, cassette tape
Interest level: I would personally recommend this album to listeners age 15 and up.
Summary: According to Teen Vogue, if Peters’ debut was “directed at you, the listener, then The Good Witch gazes inward” (Bell, 2023). All of the songs on The Good Witch reference the end of a relationship, but some are vulnerably mournful (e.g., “Wendy,” and “Two Weeks Ago”) while others seem to take a gentle pride in the singer’s own healing powers, and her ability to self-soothe (e.g., “Coming of Age,” and “Lost the Breakup”).
Still others regard an unnamed ex’s new relationship with envy (“Body Better” and “Watch”), while others lean towards swearing off relationships entirely (“You’re Just a Boy (And I’m Kinda The Man)” and “Run”). Collectively, all the tracks on the record create a dynamic breakup album that embraces the volatility of our emotions.
The tracklist:
The Good Witch
Coming of Age
Watch
Body Better
Want You Back
The Band and I
You’re Just a Boy (And I’m Kinda The Man)
Lost the Breakup
Wendy
Run
Two Weeks Ago
BSC
Therapy
There It Goes
History of Man
About the artist: Born in 2000, Maisie Peters (she/her) has written music since she was a child and began to take her passion more seriously as a teen, busking and uploading her songs to YouTube at the young age of 15. Her ethereal voice and folk-pop music began to attract a decent following online, and she released two EPs in 2017 and 2018, respectively: Dressed Too Nice for a Jacket and It’s Your Bed Babe, It’s Your Funeral. In June 2021, she signed onto Ed Sheeran’s record label, Gingerbread Man Records, and released her debut full-length album, You Signed Up for This, later that year (Kaufman, 2021). This was followed by her sophomore album, The Good Witch, in summer of 2023.
Critical review: Peters is a self-proclaimed fan of Taylor Swift, and the mega pop-star’s influence on Peters’ work is evident in her similarly confessional, diaristic lyrics, which I think many teens will find incredibly relatable.
However, Peters’ breathy, angelic vocal style is notably different from Swift’s deeper register, which sets them apart and makes Peters’ voice a memorable one in its own right. I love that the album has such a range in sound and tempo and that Peters isn’t afraid to mix in elements from different musical genres with her pop sound. It’s been on repeat in my car, and after several weeks of listening I’ve determined that my favorite songs on the record are "The Band and I," which is an emotional, nostalgic ode to found family, and "You're Just A Boy (And I'm Kinda the Man)" which is every bit as smug as it sounds.
Related programming ideas: Prior to the album’s release, Peters teased each of her new songs with images of tarot cards containing a snippet of the lyrics and representative symbols. The library could host an “intro to tarot” program for interested teens, with Peters’ new album serving as the soundtrack for the evening, of course.
Brief pitch: To Maisie Peters, music is magic; her art keeps her sane through the insanity of breakups, touring, and other chaos in life. Listen to The Good Witch, and you’ll fall under the spell of Peters’ unique voice and find a friend who is willing to be vulnerable with you. Yes, she really is that witch!
Potential challenges: Peters occasionally swears on the album. I don’t often listen to pop music on the radio (preferring to use a streaming service instead), but it’s possible that some words could be censored if/when it is played on the radio. In addition, the track “Body Better,” makes references to jealousy over another girl’s physical appearance that could be triggering for some listeners, but I don’t know if this would constitute a challenge to its inclusion in my collection so long as it came with a trigger warning.
Reason for inclusion: Like Peters, I also adore Taylor Swift, but I really think Peters herself will be a similar figure for Gen Z and Gen Alpha fans. At only 23, Peters is not that far removed from her own adolescence and I think teens will find a lot to appreciate in her honest portrayal of heartbreak and hopeless romanticism in her music.
Check this out: Start listening to the album now!
References:
Bell, C. (2023, June 21). Maisie Peters on new album ‘The Good Witch’ and making songwriting magic. Teen Vogue. https://www.teenvogue.com/story/maisie-peters-new-album-the-good-witch-and-making-songwriting-magic-interview
Kaufman, G. (2021, June 15). Maisie Peters signs to Ed Sheeran’s Gingerbread Man Records, preps “Psycho” single. Billboard. https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/maisie-peters-signs-ed-sheeran-label-debut-album-9587301/
Monger, P. (2023). Maisie Peters biography by Timothy Monger. AllMusic. https://www.allmusic.com/artist/maisie-peters-mn0003741917/biography
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