2X GRAMMY-nominated singer-songwriter and rising star Becca Stevens unveiled a new single, “I’m Not Her,” along with an accompanying video on July 12th—listen/watch here. The track is the second single from her highly anticipated forthcoming album, Maple to Paper, set for release on August 30 via GroundUP—preorder/presave here.
On “I’m Not Her,” Stevens grapples with the ego struggles triggered by the murky world of social media. She reflects on the contrast between her self-identity and the curated personas of popular influencers, while capturing the fascinated and sometimes envy-laden “hate scrolling” reaction they evoke. The video features a performer channeling the internal journey of the song’s lyrics through interpretive dance while scrolling on their phone.
The lead single, “Now Feels Bigger Than The Past,” was released on June 14 to critical acclaim. Imperfect Fifth praised the track as “an entirely haunting yet emotionally gripping lead single from Becca Stevens’ upcoming Maple to Paper. It’s a heartbreaking song, yet also a masterful and poetic work by a great artist.”
In addition to her solo work, Stevens has joined the cast of Broadway’s Illinoise, which won Best Choreography at the 2024 Tony Awards and was nominated for three other awards, including Best Musical. Illinoise features music and lyrics from Sufjan Stevens’ 2005 concept album Illinois. The Washington Post describes the show as a beloved cult classic that “springs to epic life on stage” with live music, vocals, choreography, and narratives centered on self-exploration and community. The production is directed and choreographed by Tony Award-winner Justin Peck (West Side Story, Carousel) and co-written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Jackie Sibblies Drury (Fairview, Marys Seacole). Stevens plays Barsine, a role initially held by Shara Nova, who performed on Sufjan’s original album. Stevens’ run began on June 17 and continues through the limited engagement’s final performance on August 10—tickets are available for purchase now, linked here. The New York Times selected Illinoise as a critic’s pick, calling it “PRETTY MUCH PERFECT.” Variety raves that “[Illinoise is] one of the most singular productions in recent Broadway history.”
At the beginning of 2023, Stevens felt an overwhelming need to process two monumental changes in her life: the death of her mother and the beginning of her own journey into motherhood. Seeking catharsis through self-expression, she retreated to her home studio. After this creative period, Stevens emerged with Maple to Paper, a glimpse into her most private moments of grief and transcendence, rendered with devotion to music’s alchemical power.
Maple to Paper is Stevens’ first entirely solo acoustic record. Recorded live with no overdubs and mixed by frequent collaborator Nic Hard (Snarky Puppy, Huntertones), the album features a stripped-down sound, centered on her spellbinding guitar work and raw yet luminous vocal performance. This album marks a profound shift from her previous highly collaborative projects—her 2020 GRAMMY-nominated album Wonderbloom featured over 40 guest musicians, and her work as a member of David Crosby’s Lighthouse Band earned widespread acclaim.
Comprised of 12 original songs and one heartrending cover of “Rainbow Connection,” Maple to Paper embraces the unhurried simplicity of folk. “This album brought me back to my roots as a guitarist, especially the Appalachian folk music my dad raised us on,” says Stevens, a classically trained guitarist. “Instead of bringing in other instruments and adding complicated rhythms and harmonies, I challenged myself to make the songs believable with only guitar and vocals.”
Reflecting on the album’s creation, Stevens describes the experience as “at its best, deeply cathartic, and on the hard days, a means of survival.” Balancing recording with caring for her daughter, each track provides a different insight into her psyche. Stevens also found unexpected sustenance in her memories of David Crosby, who passed away soon after she began recording Maple to Paper. “After losing my mom, it was difficult to lose David too, but on the good days, I could feel his music in me,” she says. “I’d look down at my hands and see his hands, and I could hear him encouraging me—almost like he was a songwriting partner.”
As she prepares to share Maple to Paper with the world, Stevens admits to feeling some unease about releasing such a personal body of work. “Honestly, I didn’t realize I was making an album at first—I just needed to process what was happening in my life, and the simplest way was to turn it into music,” she says. “There have been times when I’ve asked myself, ‘Is this too much?’, but I always come back to the hope that it might help someone. If even one person listens and comes away with a new understanding of their own experience, that would mean so much to me. As an artist, that’s always the dream.”
ON BECCA STEVENS
2X GRAMMY-nominated, North Carolina-raised singer-songwriter Becca Stevens has toured internationally as the bandleader of the Becca Stevens Band since its inception in 2006. Alongside her solo work, Stevens is a highly respected collaborator, having written and toured extensively with artists such as David Crosby, Jacob Collier, Michael League of Snarky Puppy, and Taylor Eigsti.
Stevens has released collaborative records with The Secret Trio and the Attacca Quartet, with whom she was co-nominated for a 2023 GRAMMY Award for Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals with violist Nathan Schram. Her most recent album, Wonderbloom, received widespread critical acclaim, with Jazz Magazine describing it as “sophisticated and sensual pop,” and The Mail on Sunday calling it “glamorous…semi-electric pop Prince might approve of.” The track “Slow Burn” from Wonderbloom was nominated for a 2020 GRAMMY for Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals.
TRACKLIST FOR MAPLE TO PAPER
- Now Feels Bigger Than The Past
- Shoulda Been There for Me
- I’m Not Her
- Hey, Bear
- How to Listen
- So Many Angels
- Wild Eyes Open
- Maple to Paper
- If I Die Before You
- Someone Else Again
- Beast of a Song
- Payin’ to be Apart
- Rainbow Connection
