She wouldn’t get dolled up for the recordings, and this is what allowed the music to truly shine. She recalls the starting point of her musical career-recorded videos of her singing covers on Instagram. It is this confidence she wants to model, and one thing she attributes to her success thus far. She is at ease with herself as she is, which comes across in her effortless stage presence and smooth melodic voice, and is easily noticed simply sitting across from her. Her message isn’t one of blind rebellion, but instead an easy comfort in your own skin. Mai’s responsibility, as she sees it, is not to be a Lady (whatever that means or has ever meant), but to remain true to herself, despite her place in an industry with numerous channels pushing her in different directions. This is the kind of role model that young people, young women, and all of us need: a person steadfast in their convictions, passionate, and grounded amongst a sea of unsolicited commentary. She is a new kind of role model, fit for an age when feminism and accountability is the standard, in Hollywood and beyond. She is, in her own words, “not girly, a bit of a tomboy.” She’s a “passionate, competitive person,” and she confesses that she has “always wanted to be on the winning team.” Mai, signed to DJ Mustard’s 10 Summers and Interscope Records, has found herself on such a team. I was surprised at her love for soccer, but the more I talked to her, the more it made sense. She is quick to note this double standard as well. The wage gap between male and female soccer players is astounding, and worth a quick Google.
Not too long ago (Mai is only 23), she was determined to be a professional soccer player. Mai not only rejects this double standard, but shatters it, reconstructing the pieces into her own voice, to the benefit of herself and her fans. There are things to say, ways to look, and omnipresent but nebulous pressures to be a ”Lady.” In contemporary culture, this feels like an especially off-base and antiquated expectation.Īnd yet, the general public still expects this from woman musicians, and women in the public eye as a whole. As a woman, she feels that she is judged more harshly and pressured to be a role model, not only as a successful artist, but also as a person. When I asked her what that meant to her, she responded simply, “the role that men and women play in the industry.” The industry is, of course, music-specifically R&B and hip-hop, where she has quickly skyrocketed to notoriety and is well on the way to global fame. We quickly got to talking about double standards. The vibe was more sleepover than after party, more self-care than show off. The coffee table, and most of the other surfaces in the room, was covered in snacks, candy, teas and soft drinks. Mai, however, sat curled on the sofa beside a blanket and pillows. Her manager and hair and make-up team sat in the bedroom, preparing for a photo-shoot that same afternoon. The significance of this isn’t lost on me whatsoever, and I couldn’t seem to shake the comparison as I stepped into the cramped suite. She is the first woman to top three R&B/Hip-Hop radio charts since Beyoncé did in 2012. Also, if her past couple of years are at all indicative of what’s to come, this is the kind of experience I will want to remember for sheer bragging rights.
I find there is often more truth in what surrounds a person-be it material things, people, or (if you’ll indulge me) an aura-than anything a person could offer as far as self explanation. Walking into Ella Mai’s Santa Monica hotel room to interview her, I couldn’t help but mentally note each thing in her temporary abode.