Maggie Rogers facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Maggie Rogers
Rogers in 2019
Born	Margaret Debay Rogers (1994-04-25) April 25, 1994 (age 31) Easton, Maryland, U.S.
Education	New York University (BFA) Harvard University (MRPL)
Occupation	Singer-songwriter record producer
Years active	2012–present
Musical career
Genres	Pop folk art pop indie pop folk-pop
Instruments	Vocals guitar piano banjo harp
Labels	Debay Sounds Capitol

Margaret Debay Rogers (born April 25, 1994), known as Maggie Rogers, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer from Easton, Maryland. She first became famous in 2016 when a video of her playing her song "Alaska" for the musician Pharrell Williams went viral. At the time, she was a student at New York University.

Rogers has released several albums, including Heard It in a Past Life (2019), Surrender (2022), and Don't Forget Me (2024). In 2020, she was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best New Artist.

A Musical Childhood

Maggie Rogers grew up in a small town in Maryland near the Miles River. Her dad used to own a Ford Motor Company car dealership, and her mom was a nurse. Even though her parents weren't musicians, Maggie loved music from a young age.

She started playing the harp when she was seven. In middle school, she learned to play piano and guitar and began writing her own songs. At her high school, St. Andrew's School, she played harp in the orchestra, sang in the choir, and learned to play the banjo. She became very interested in folk music.

During the summer after her junior year, she attended a music program at Berklee College of Music. She won the songwriting contest, which encouraged her to focus on writing songs. In her senior year, she recorded her first album, The Echo (2012), and used it to apply to the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at New York University.

College and a Viral Moment

While at NYU, Rogers thought about becoming a music journalist. She even interned for the writer Lizzy Goodman and helped with her book Meet Me in the Bathroom. During her second year, she released another folk album called Blood Ballet (2014).

A trip to Berlin, Germany, changed her musical style. She discovered she loved dance music and started mixing it with her folk sound. This new style led to a big moment in her life.

In 2016, she wrote the song "Alaska" in just 15 minutes. She played it in a class for a special guest artist, Pharrell Williams. A video of Williams listening to the song, looking very impressed, went viral online. Millions of people watched it, and suddenly, everyone wanted to hear her music. Rogers graduated from NYU in May 2016 with a degree in music engineering and production.

Music Career

Rogers performing at First Avenue in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in October 2018.

Rogers performing at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, California, in September 2019.

After the video with Pharrell Williams became famous, many record labels wanted to work with Rogers. She signed a deal with Capitol Records but did it in a special way. She releases her music through her own company, Debay Sounds, which gives her more control over her art.

Her first major EP, Now That the Light Is Fading, came out in 2017. Her first full studio album, Heard It in a Past Life, was released in 2019 and was a huge success. It reached number 2 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart. That same year, she was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best New Artist.

In 2020, Rogers released Notes from the Archive: Recordings 2011–2016, a collection of her older songs. Her second studio album, Surrender, came out in 2022. For this album, she worked with other famous artists like Florence Welch from Florence and the Machine and Clairo. Her third album, Don't Forget Me, was released in 2024.

Rogers has also worked with other musicians. She recorded a popular cover of the song "Iris" with Phoebe Bridgers and was featured on the song "Dawns" with country star Zach Bryan.

Higher Education

In 2021, Rogers decided to go back to school. She enrolled at Harvard Divinity School to study how music and big events bring people together. She graduated in 2022 with a master's degree. Her album Surrender was part of her final project for her degree.

Personal Life and Activism

Rogers has a condition called synesthesia, which means her senses are linked in a unique way. For her, hearing music makes her see colors.

She is also known for her activism. She supports causes like gun safety and women's rights. She has used her music to raise money for charities like the American Civil Liberties Union and Fair Fight Action. Her song "Give a Little" was inspired by student protests for safer schools.

In 2024, the governor of her home state of Maryland named June 16 "Maggie Rogers Day" to honor her work. She has also encouraged her fans to vote and has performed at political events, including the 2020 Democratic National Convention.

Discography

Studio Albums

• Heard It in a Past Life (2019)
• Surrender (2022)
• Don't Forget Me (2024)

Independent Albums

• The Echo (2012)
• Blood Ballet (2014)

Famous Songs

• "Alaska" (2016)
• "Light On" (2018)
• "Love You for a Long Time" (2019)
• "That's Where I Am" (2022)
• "Dawns" (with Zach Bryan, 2023)
• "Don't Forget Me" (2024)

Tours and Festivals

Rogers has toured all over the world. She has been the main performer on her own tours, like the Heard It in a Past Life World Tour and the Don't Forget Me Tour. She has also opened for famous bands like Haim, Mumford & Sons, and Coldplay.

She is a popular performer at music festivals, including:

• Coachella, Lollapalooza, and Newport Folk Festival in the United States.
• Glastonbury Festival in the United Kingdom.
• Osheaga Festival in Canada.
• Splendour in the Grass Festival in Australia.