It all started with “Alaska” back in 2016. It's the name of a pop-folk tune brought to life by 24-year-old Maggie Rogers’s effortless and airy voice, complemented nicely with soothing synths. Both Rogers and the track went viral after a video showed Pharrell Williams being brought to tears while teaching a Masterclass at NYU. The cause of emotion? Maggie Rogers, of course.
In that very moment, a superstar was born. Music listeners who’ve been yearning to stray from artificial, overly-produced radio tunes have found a worthy champion in Rogers. Her newfound fans have been patiently waiting on the edge of their seats, with only an EP and the release of a few singles to tide them over while waiting for a proper album. Today that changes. Rogers has finally released her debut album Heard It In A Past Life, and long story short, it was worth the wait.
What Queen Rogers has gifted us with this album is a carefully crafted work of art that poses as a reflection of her experiences with fame and love in the years since she gained recognition. It features beloved tracks like, like “Light On,” and “Fallingwater." Familiar instrumentals come through in tracks like “The Knife” and “Retrograde,” where you’ll find yourself grooving along to lyrics that’ll make you feel carefree in a climate of worry. But songs like “Past Life” gives us an au naturel Rogers—just her rich, emotional vocals and piano accompaniment - and is a mood for those nights when you’re reminiscing about the past and meditating on how far life has taken you. Follow it up with “Say It” if that mood takes your mind to thoughts of a past love that felt wrong but was just oh so right.
Consider this debut album as a complete collection of Rogers’s work as a musician since the spotlight first illuminated her in 2016. Each track is a delightful surprise that stands strong on its own but blends perfectly when it comes together with the others. The album is about Rogers’ journey in staying ground in this crazy, ever-changing life, and bleeds with lessons of love and self-ownership that everyone can relate to.