WATCH: Maiah Wynne Shares ‘Out of the Dark’

Solo debut of the same name from multi-talented Alex Lifeson associate out now

November 22, 2024 Ron Hart 1 Comment 2024, Alex Lifeson, Cat Power, Envy of None, Maiah Wynne, Out of the Dark, Rush

Rush fans itching for new music from the band’s surviving two members were pleasantly surprised by guitarist Alex Lifeson’s involvement in the North American supergroup Envy of None.

The group’s lead singer, multi-instrumentalist Maiah Wynne, now steps out on her own with her debut solo album Out of the Dark, which she self-produced and played a ton of instruments on. Lifeson himself plays guitar on several tracks as well.

“It’s an eclectic mix of heartfelt singer-songwriter ballads, alternative rock and uplifting cinematic folk-pop,” the Oregon-born Wynne explains. “There are a lot of unique instruments on this record and a lot of talented musicians that have lent their skills.”

For the artist, the album serves as a journey through the singer’s past in a cathartic and therapeutic manner.

“This record is the story of my journey over the last 10 years,” she explains. “After I left home at 16, I suffered from abuse that left me with CPTSD, emotional scars, and suicidal ideation. Some of these songs I wrote at 16 and others very recently. I’ve been through so much for so long, and this album represents my path to finding my way out of the dark. Through this record, I have found my voice and the strength to tell my story, song by song, and take control of the narrative. This process has been an integral part of my growth and healing, and I hope that this music can help someone else who may be going through something similar. It has been important for me to tell this story with my own voice, and through this process I have learned new skills and confidence that have empowered me along the way. In addition to writing, performing, recording and producing the music, I have edited and directed videos, filmed and learned color, graphic design and photography in order to bring this album to fruition. Each step of this process has been a step toward independence and healing, and it has given me the strength to be the person my 16 year old self always wanted to be. I am doing this all for her.”

Maiah Wynne Out of the Dark, self-released 2024

The album’s Cat Power-esque title track is the first single to be released from Out of the Dark, and considered by Wynne to be “the emotional heart of the record.”

“I wrote it at a time where I was feeling particularly low and hopeless and was contemplating ending my life,” she reveals. “It wasn’t the first time I had felt that way, but for the first time, I was starting to process the trauma that I had been through as a kid and where all of the pain was coming from. I wanted to find a way through that dark place, so I decided to write a song to my younger self. The lyrics and message of this song is what I wish I could tell my 16-year-old self, who was going through so much on her own with no one to turn to. I hope that this song will help someone else feel less alone.”

For the song’s music video, meanwhile, Wynne utilized all that she learned from her education in moving images to craft a true visual representation of the impetus of the tune.

“As an indie artist, I try my best to make videos that authentically represent the vision I have within a small budget,” she reflects. “I was very lucky to be able to film an underwater music video for this song, and it turned out very close to how I envisioned it. The music video is a metaphor intended to represent my struggles with depression and the battle to keep fighting when the darkness starts to pull me under. We filmed the ‘rain’ shots in the backyard with a hose (what you don’t see is my dog running around in the background), and we used a friend’s pool for the underwater shots, and I filmed myself in my bathtub for the transition shots. A friend helped me to get the last shots of me coming out of the water at a local beach. It was all very DIY, and I am so happy with how it turned out and thankful for the friends who helped make it possible. I am proud of the new skills I learned to complete the video and all of the challenges I overcame to create my vision. The water was very cold and filming was grueling, and I had to push past my fear of being under water to get the shots I needed. It feels like a triumph and a perfect tie-in to the message of the song having successfully created this video and come out on the other side.”

Like Aimee Mann in the mid-80s, Maiah Wynne is an intriguing and necessary female voice in the Rush multiverse whose artistry reveals vast horizons for fans seeking out new music.

Order your copy of Out of the Dark here.