CREATIVE CONVERSATIONS 160: MAPLE'S PET DINOSAUR ON GROOVIN THE MOO
Interview by Brooke Gibbs
Emerging from the viral waves of social media success, this young artist is taking the festival scene by storm. With just two songs under her belt, their music has already struck a chord with audiences, blending raw emotion, high-energy performances, and messages that resonate. Ahead of Maple’s Pet Dinosaur’s upcoming festival appearances, we caught up to talk about her journey from viral sensation to live performer, her creative process, and what fans can expect from her electrifying stage show.
FUTUREMAG MUSIC: You’re getting ready to perform at Groovin the Moo, how are you feeling?
MAPLE’S PET DINOSAUR: It’s probably one of the biggest audiences that we've played, and it's just going to be a lot of fun. And I'm super excited to also see the rest of the lineup.
FUTUREMAG MUSIC: Is there anyone in the lineup that you're most excited to see or meet?
MAPLE’S PET DINOSAUR: I'm super excited to see Denzel Curry. I've been listening to him a lot recently. Hopefully I can get a photo here and there. But he's also playing BASSINTHEGRASS with me, so yeah, hopefully I'll get to at some point.
FUTUREMAG MUSIC: Yeah, he'll be really cool. So hopefully there are moments where you can just meet him backstage, grab a photo, have a chat. Your music has gone viral a lot lately. How does it feel transitioning from that online success to performing at a festival?
MAPLE’S PET DINOSAUR: It's very different. Yeah, it's very crazy. When we filmed the ring camera video, it was not expected to get 55 million views. Like, it was really insane. And playing live has always been like my dream. So, you know, being able to perform live and have people hear my music is like so exciting. And I'm always just looking for different opportunities to play shows because that's genuinely my favourite thing to do.
FUTUREMAG MUSIC: What do you think it is about your songs that people are connecting with so strongly?
MAPLE’S PET DINOSAUR: Well, I think that with Lego especially, both my songs are kind of about a different perspective on the way that you would usually see a negative thing. Like with Lego, it's about bullying and it's not like a song about how upset I am and how hurt I am. It's about like, you don't need to listen to them and that you can stand up for yourself. And I think that a lot of people have connected with that and it's inspired them, hopefully, to stand up to people that aren't treating them well.
FUTUREMAG MUSIC: How do you prepare for a festival performance like this?
MAPLE’S PET DINOSAUR: With the live band, we rehearse like three times a week, so we're making sure that we're super tight. I do a lot of cardio so that I can jump around stage and have as much energy as possible. Honestly, just bringing a very big loud performance is something that I always wanted to do.
FUTUREMAG MUSIC: Do you approach seated or slower performances differently?
MAPLE’S PET DINOSAUR: It kind of depends. Obviously, I always want to bring a performance where I provide the message I want to give and have high energy, but when I'm doing more slow songs or sitting down, I really like to make sure there's more emotion in those sorts of songs.
FUTUREMAG MUSIC: You're very young but doing incredible work. What advice do you have for others wanting to follow a similar path?
MAPLE’S PET DINOSAUR: Honestly, my biggest advice is to go for it. When I released Lego, I knew there were going to be people who weren't going to like it, or who would know the song was about them. I hesitated because I thought, what if I get more bullied? But now that I've done it, it's so good to know that other people relate to it and are listening to it. Just go for what you want and write music about how you feel. Don’t try to write a song based on what you think people will like; write about what you really relate to.
FUTUREMAG MUSIC: How can fans support you moving forward?
MAPLE’S PET DINOSAUR: We do have an EP coming out very soon, which I'm very excited for. This year, we're hoping to maybe play some international shows. I just really want to release more music into the world. I feel like I've come so far, and even with only two songs out. My music has changed a bit, and I'm very excited to show everyone what I’ve been working on.
FUTUREMAG MUSIC: I’m curious – How did you come up with your stage name?
MAPLE’S PET DINOSAUR: It's a funny story. I have a two-year-old brother who loves dinosaurs and is genuinely smarter than me at this point. I was thinking of band names, and he was playing with toys and said, 'Maple, this is Maples my dinosaur.' And I was like, 'Oh my God, Bandit, that’s our solid.'"
FUTUREMAG MUSIC: With viral success, is there pressure for future releases to also go viral?
MAPLE’S PET DINOSAUR: The social media aspect is a big part of reaching audiences, but my main focus is making sure I can play live well. There is pressure, of course, since the two songs I've put out got a good reaction. But if I keep writing authentically about what I believe in, people will resonate with that. I don’t feel the need to make Instagram videos just to go viral. It's about keeping the music true to what I believe in.
Q: Can fans expect new material at your Groovin The Moo set?
MAPLE’S PET DINOSAUR: Yes! Our set will include unreleased songs, songs from the upcoming EP. Expect a high-energy performance, some heavy riffs, and just a good time. We’re all friends, we love what we do, and festivals are about everyone enjoying it together.
Buy tickets to Groovin The Moo here.
