The girl that brought Pharrell to tears: Maggie Roger's story

June 1st, 2016 was a life changing day for Maggie Rogers, as the NYU music student sat bobbing away to her track 'Alaska', Pharrell was in awe.

Pharrell had been going through each student's songs, listening to them and giving both positive and constructive feedback for each tune, that was until Maggie's song started.

As soon as the unique, folk inspired beat started, you could see the look on Pharrell's face change as he realised that he was listening to something completely new.

"I have zero, zero, zero notes for that" Pharrell stated while still awestruck. He then compared what Rogers was doing to the Wu-tang Clan, saying that it was new, you either like it, or you don't.

As Pharrell continues to dish out praise, Rogers sits there looking just as awestruck, like she can't fathom the fact that he likes her song so much.

Maggie had written that song in only 15 minutes, and was rushed to get it mixed in time for Pharrell's listening session. 

This video had only been uploaded for a day or so before her new-found fans clambered over themselves to get more music.

Both of her traditional folk albums, 'Blood Ballet' and 'The Echo', which were both written and recorded in high school, rocketed well past 300,000 streams on her Bandcamp.com account.

Within a couple of weeks Rogers had accumulated a huge internet following, including getting over 1.2 million streams per week on Spotify.

The hit single, 'Alaska' was without a doubt, something we hadn't heard before, bringing her folk roots out through the energetic sounds of electronic instruments.

The meaning rings out through the lyrics, a story of feeling optimistic in the midst of life's transitional burdens. It really stands out in a world where the mainstream is dominated by four chord formulaic pop hits. 

She realised that she wanted to write this song after taking a hike through the beautiful state. It's easy to understand how we as people can feel at home in the most desolate areas, even if we can't physically survive there.

It was a trip to France that adjusted her musical goals, she fell in love with how the lyrics and the rhythm of EDM work together. She "broke out of folk mode" and wanting to make EDM.

When she started at NYU she was labeled the 'banjo girl' due to her applying for the folk part of the course, she didn't like it, but went with it.

Now that her music has blown up off the back of her video with Pharrell, the fear is that she'll be labeled as the 'the Pharrell girl'. This does bother her, but her focus now lies in "connecting with people one pair of ears at a time."

Right now she only has two singles our on Spotify, 'Dog Years', and her hit 'Alaska', but is apparently working on her debut album, which should be releasing sometime in the near future. 

You listen to Rogers yourself on Bandcamp, or alternatively on Spotify.

Check out the video for her hit single here: