Today we’d like to introduce you to Maggie Schneider.
Hi Maggie, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve been singing for as long as I can remember. I remember singing “Jessie’s Girl” by Rick Springfield in my parents’ living room with my Barbie karaoke machine. I think that I began to believe I could do music more seriously when I opened for Allison Weiss at The Masquerade in 2014. I was 15 years old at the time and just submitted my name for consideration to open. I had no social media presence, no recordings, nothing. The Masquerade gave me a chance, and that one show made me realize that if I worked hard enough, I could make my dream a reality.
After performing as a solo artist in and around Atlanta for 5-6 years, I felt lonely. I always wanted to be a part of a band, but it was hard to find musicians that I could meld with both creatively and personally. After receiving a show opportunity in New Orleans, I needed musicians to play with me. I created a supergroup with 4 of my best friends, and it turned out to be our first show together. We had such a great time that we continued to play together and become even closer friends. In March 2020, when the pandemic hit, that is when we decided to rebrand and change our artist name from Maggie Schneider to glimmers. The rest is history!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I don’t think any musician living and working during the pandemic can say that it has been a smooth road. There are always struggles, but the amount of love we have for one another helps us get through them. We were not able to play shows until July 2021. Instead of wallowing, we took initiative and decided to do everything we could to build the band from the ground up without playing gigs. We hustled on social media, I made a TikTok presence, and we even filmed a livestream concert from The Masquerade. We like to find the “glimmers” of hope with every situation. Even if we can’t, we make the best of it, realizing that the most important thing is doing what we love together.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m the lead singer and keyboardist of glimmers. I am also the main songwriter, focusing on lyrics and the beginning melody ideas and whatnot. The band also jokes that I’m the “mom” of the group. Every band has one person that oversees most every aspect of their project. I run our social media profiles (which I LOVE doing), communicate with our wonderful team, bring opportunities to the table, and come up with the creative concepts of our cover art and music videos. It’s a lot of work, but when we finish a project, it is all worth it.
I think my determination sets me apart from others. I’ve always wanted to be in a successful touring band. However, I do not measure “success” by how many streams we have or how many people come out to our shows. I measure it by having our listeners let me know that our music has inspired them in some way. Every day, I commit to doing at least one thing that I think can help glimmers move to the next level. There is no backup plan for me – This is what I love, and I’m going to fight for it.
How do you think about happiness?
Playing music with my best friends makes me happy. Traveling and having the opportunity to see new cities and make new friends is unreal. I truly feel privileged to be able to hop on our bus and take on this crazy adventure that my 12 years old self had always dreamed of.
In my personal life, spending time with my mom, dogs, and friends makes me happy. Giving gifts and letting them know I love them makes me happy. I just want to spread kindness and love with everything I do.
Contact Info:
- Email: glimmersband@gmail.com
- Website: www.glimmersband.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/glimmersband
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/glimmersband
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/glimmersband
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMQfykvin82eqdX6_tXR4-A
Image Credits
All photos minus the one featuring the crowd are taken by Sophie Harris Crowd shot by Deanna Elise
