Growing up between Seoul, South Korea and Minneapolis, Minnesota, Maddie Thies has never quite had the answer of where home is. In her opening track of her upcoming release, “Will This Ever Be The Place,” out June 19th, 2026, Thies continues to ask the question.
Featuring bowed vibraphone, piano, wind chimes, and actual house keys by Duluth based artist Zack Baltich and Sufjan Stevens styling vocals with gently expressive guitar playing from Thies, this shimmering track is a vignette to deeper yearning.
Long time supportive player in the scene, bassist and backing vocalist for many, Maddie Thies, is stepping center stage. Thies’ award winning unique art-alternative and genre bending style tackles the many aches of the heart.
Pulling from her life experiences as a Third Culture Kid growing up between South Korea and Minnesota, chronic pain, grief, yearning, and sometimes her little black dog, Thies’ music is wandering, lush, and real.
Maddie Thies was named 2025’s Upcoming Artist of The Year by The Loring Collective, with Album of The Year and Artist of The Year all going to projects Thies cultivates for both 2025 and 2026. Thies was a 2021-22 Cedar Cultural Commissions Winner, and was a participant of First Avenues Rock Lottery in the summer of ‘24.
Her single “Postcard Collection” gained her international recognition and locally was named one of 89.3 The Current’s January 2023 “Music You Should Know”.
Maddie Thies is a prominent bassist and backing vocalist for several groups in the Twin Cities scene, such as anni xo, Sister Species, Willow Waters & The Earth Tones, Joe Bartel, and First Avenues 2024 Best New Band, Kiernan. She has also accompanied many award winning groups and has been recognized globally tangentially across all her projects.
Check out our interview with Maddie below.
MIM: For readers discovering you for the first time, how would you describe your sound or artistic identity?
Maddie: Because I have played so many different genres and have a classical upbringing, my music falls into the realm of art rock, indie art alternative, cinematic, and even some really lush singer-songwriter influences. There is always an unexpected element in my song writing.
MIM: What inspired “Will This Ever Be The Place”
Maddie: I have spent so many years supporting other folks music and have always quietly been writing my own with really no where for it to go. I’m at this stage that I am trusting more in what I have written and that it is worth something.
I think the main motivator is just getting these songs out of my head and into my hands so they are no longer rattling around in my mind as a “someday project.” The missing piece in all of this for so many years was collaborating with the right people.
Lucas, Riley, and Aurelio not only help make sense of the puzzle I bring into the practice space, but contribute their own creative genius to each track.
MIM: Can you walk us through the creation process of this project?
Maddie: The “Will This Ever Be The Place” guitar melody first came to me in a dream pretty soon after I moved back to the Twin Cities. I knew what it was saying before I even had the words.
I had been sitting with this deep longing of when, and even if, Minnesota would ever feel like home. The song is just two lines, “Will this ever be the place / But for now, but for now I’ll wait.” There’s sadness and longing and some patient hope all wrapped in it.
It was already quite lush just with the guitar and vocals, but I sent the track to Duluth based musician Zack Baltich and let him work his textual magic on it. He sent the track back with stunning bowed vibraphone, wind chimes, piano and literal house keys.
After that, it a quick mix by Jason McGlone and mastered by Rob Schlette at Anthem Mastering and we had the sweetest opening track.
MIM: Every artist has influences. Who helped shape your sound, and in what ways?
Maddie: I think being a career bassist, I’ve always been a chameleon (Herbie Hancock pun intended). It makes sense that my music is incredibly genre fluid as I’ve wandered into so many projects of all flavors.
The belief that my music had to have a set sound right out the gate and across every song was only a limitation I created for myself. Once I put that rule down, and again, found the right people to play with, I have been able to write to my weird hearts content.
There are moments that are so Black Belt Eagle Scout, so Emma Ruth Rundle, so Florence + the Machine, so Wye Oak, and then there are moments that are Boards of Canada meets Ratatat meets Hiatus Kaiyote. I’ve really treated this project as a playground.
MIM: How old were you when you began creating music?
Maddie: My music lore goes all the way back to my preschool self begging my parents to let me learn to play the violin. I have no idea where I saw a violin or even came to know what one was, but they nourished that ask. I went to what was formerly known as Ramsey International Fine Arts Center (now known as Justice Page Middle School).
Ramsey was a K-8 at the time and started every 1st grader out on the violin. Unfortunately, the violin is not a forgiving instrument and is incredibly squeaky if you’re no good at it, haha. One of the conductors, Pat Kelly, for literally my whole 1st and 2nd grade years, kept telling me that she saw me as a bass player.
First day of 3rd grade, I finally caved and it was love at first pluck. Thanks to her, I have been playing ever since. From there, I have Stacy Aldrich to thank for my foundational years of private lessons, and Marion Statton for every opportunity under the sun during my time abroad.
I started playing guitar casually in high school, entirely self-taught from what skills transferred from playing electric bass, which I had picked up in the 5th grade. This project is the first one I am fronting as a guitarist.
MIM: If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self starting out in music, what would it be?
Maddie: Invest in people that invest in you. Play music with people you love. Trust your creative vision. Do a little bit everyday.
MIM: Do you have any tours or concerts planned in the Minnesota area?
Maddie: I will be debuting my project at Green Room on June 23rd performing at their New Band Night. I will also be playing at the Minnesota State Fair on September 6th at the KARE 11’s KARE Barn.
MIM: If someone is hearing your music for the first time, what song should they start with? And why that one?
Maddie: “Will This Ever Be The Place” is a great place to start, it’s soft and lush, and gives a little glimmer at some super arty choices. And then from there, I would suggest checking out my NPR Tiny Desk Contest Entry.
Its a great live performance of one of my song “Let Me In,” film by Hotdish Creative at The Cedar Cultural Center, a venue that feels like my second home after being a Cedar Commission winner in 2021.
It wanders heavily into that art alternative style with a nontraditional form and features an incredible projected visual collage Joe Marxen.
MIM: What can listeners look forward to from you?
Maddie: This single is only the beginning of a promise I have made to myself to actually make the little weird things that dance around in my heart. So much more in the works. Can’t wait for you to hear what I hear!
MIM: Anything else you’d like to add?
Feel free to create a new question and answer here if we didn’t cover enough.
MIM: Who is an unsung hero in your process?
Maddie: Overman Guitars has been a huge part of my process. You can’t gig at such a high frequency without having someone to maintain your gear. Jonny and Wyatt have been huge supports as friends, luthiers, and I’m blessed to say, as coworkers. I would not be able to do what I do without them.
Don’t forget to listen to Maddie’s latest release and keep an eye out for more to come.
