Draft:Mae Deline (musician)

Mae Deline (born March 6, 1990 as Madeline Mae Spooner) is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist from Mequon, Wisconsin. Deline has been performing her songs as a solo artist since 2014. Since that time, she has released 17 singles and 2 EP's: Nautilus and Heartshapes that have spanned the genres of alternative pop, rock, electronic, and country.

Overview
Growing up in the midwest, Deline attended Homestead High School and later studied music at Columbia College Chicago, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and the California Institute of the Arts in Santa Clarita, California. She currently resides in Los Angeles, California.

At age 13, Deline began taking voice lessons at the Milwaukee Conservatory of Music, where she worked to perfect her vocals, music and stage presence. Deline taught herself to play guitar, wrote her first song at age 15, as well, she recorded and self-sold her first EP later that year, "River Suite", produced by Jonathon Leubner former owner of Surround in Sound, Wauwautosa, WI.

At 16, Deline played for "Chick Singers Night" at Caroline's Jazz Club, Milwaukee in November, 2006. She was performing frequently at over seventeen venues across the Milwaukee metropolitan area, including locations such as the Milwaukee Ale House, Caroline's Jazz Club, and the city's renowned Piano Blu. Deline soon became closely associated with the Milwaukee music scene, performing at venues ranging from crowded county fairs to downtown institutions.

Deline has twice won the American Songwriting Award—named 2014 Grand Prize Winner for “You Already Know”, and in 2015, she won First Place in Pop genre for “Had To Let It Go,” presented by Sony Creative Software.

Regarding Deline's success at the American Songwriting Awards, the executive director Joseph Paulos stated: "Madeline’s vibrant pop sound with psychedelic twists and turns keep listeners wanting more. We believe she is going to redefine the independent music scene.”

In 2014, Deline released her EP "Heartshapes" and promoted it through performances at various venues in Los Angeles. This was followed by the release of her "Nautilus" EP in 2016, which she also performed and promoted throughout LA.

Between 2018 and 2019, Deline released four singles: "Animal," "Multiply," "Wedding Cake," and "Graffiti." During this period, she continued to perform at notable Los Angeles venues, including The Satellite, the House of Blues on Sunset Strip , the 212 Pier in Santa Monica , the Dragonfly Nightclub , NoHo2 Studio , and the Bootleg Theater.

The COVID-19 pandemic period (2020-2022) saw Deline return to a more acoustic sound, focusing on guitar-based songwriting. This work resulted in a series of singles produced and released in 2023-2024. These recent releases have been promoted through various press outlets and performances.

In December 2023, Deline performed as a featured artist at Sync Con 2023, a music licensing conference for film and television.

Musical Style
Deline's musical style has evolved throughout her career. In her early work, she was described as having "shining, Madonna reminiscent choruses and haunting, hypnotic verses". Her initial approach leaned "toward an avant-pop, trip-hop-inspired aesthetic".

Critics have noted Deline's "brilliant, sinuous melodies" and "soul-penetrating lyrics". Her songwriting has been compared to that of established artists, with one reviewer describing her work as combining melodic elements reminiscent of The Beatles with lyrical depth comparable to other contemporary songwriters.

During her "Nautilus" period, Deline's music shifted towards an avant-pop, electronic genre. More recently, she has returned to a more acoustic sound, blending elements of folk, pop, soul, and rock. Her recent work has been characterized as featuring a "soothing voice...mixed with steady guitar riffs" that critics have found "entrancing", "ethereal" and "elegant" and another says her vocals are "hauntingly beautiful."

She has released several singles over the years across genres like alternative pop, rock, electronic, country, and cinematic styles, including "Black Hole" (2023), "Whole Again" (2023) "What I Don't Need" (2023), "Future You Future Me" (2023), "Multiply" (2019), "Graffiti" (2019), "Had To Let It Go" (2016), and others.