Maggie Rose has announced the release of her new album, Have A Seat will drop on August 20, 2021 via Starstruck Records. The LP was produced by Ben Tanner of Alabama Shakes at FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, AL. In a series of pre-pandemic sessions, Rose recorded live with a lineup of heavy-hitters that includes bassist David Hood of the Swampers (the group of session musicians who played on records from legends like Aretha Franklin and Etta James) and guitarist Will McFarlane (Bonnie Raitt, Levon Helm), along with her longtime bandmates/collaborators Larry Florman (background vocals/percussion), Alex Haddad (guitars), and Sarah Tomek (drums) of Them Vibes, as well as guests such as Marcus King, among others. To herald the announcement, Rose has released the fiery-horn-groove stomp of first song “Do It,” which is available today on all streaming platforms.

“The lyrics began pouring out as we were fueled by our convictions,” says Rose. “I remember jotting down lyrics as fast as I could and singing loudly and confidently before having really settled on a structure because where it was going simply felt right. When we brought it into the studio a few months later and Sarah Tomek’s drums locked in with David Hood’s driving bass, Karita Law and Shanay Johnson echoed the chorus lyrics back in harmony—the whole band Ben Tanner helped me assemble was kicking—it felt like a celebration.”

These songs were written during a contentious time, and there are undertones to the lyrics that are influenced by the state of our world politics and the politics of the music industry,” she says. “The title Have a Seat is responsorial, placing an emphasis on inclusivity — like, ‘Here, sit down. Let’s try talking to each other.’ One of the most loving things we can do is listen and make others feel heard — give people the space to speak their mind and be themselves. However, there’s also an intended meaning to the title that points to the power in occupying the seat that’s designated to you: I am claiming a seat I believe is rightfully mine, and I want others to do the same.”

After years of honing her chops and making her name as a force-of-nature vocalist, the Nashville-based singer/songwriter has dreamed up her own unbridled collision of rock-and-roll, soul, folk, funk, and R&B: a fittingly eclectic sound for a musician whose live experience includes opening for Heart and Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, touring as direct support for Kelly Clarkson, and sharing the Cayamo Cruise bill with Emmylou Harris and Jason Isbell.

For Rose, the charmed experience of recording in Muscle Shoals has catalyzed the start of a thrilling new era in her musical evolution. “Working with musicians of that caliber and knowing they were giving my music so much attention definitely made me thrive,” she says. “I felt so safe going deep into the emotional places within the songs, and I think you can feel that love and camaraderie when you listen to the record.” At the same time, Have a Seat is undeniably the sound of an artist fully coming into her own, without concession or compromise. “I’ve worked in this industry for over a decade, and I feel like I’ve finally carved out a lane that’s genre-bending and all my own,” she says. “I had to really fight to find that space for myself, and this record is my way of staking my claim.”

MAGGIE ROSE
HAVE A SEAT
Starstruck Records
Track List:

1. What Are We Fighting For
2. Do It
3. For Your Consideration
4. Saint
5. Are We There Yet
6. The Best In Me
7. What Makes You Tick (feat. Marcus King)
8. Help Myself
9. Now And Then
10. Telephone
11. You Got Today