New York-based artist Blonde Maze is known for wearing her heart on her sleeve. The self-taught producer, vocalist and songwriter crafts electronic music that’s driven by vulnerability, authenticity and intimacy. Born Amanda Steckler Levesque, Blonde Maze describes her music as “fragments of emotion wrapped in melody, waiting to be rediscovered”, while her lyrics often feel like journal entries, and her warm, evocative productions glow with shimmering synths, atmospheric textures and intention.
With a slew of releases on labels like Armada, Enhanced Music and Monstercat, support from global tastemakers DJ Mag and Billboard, along with tour support for Above & Beyond and Elderbrook, Blonde Maze continues to forge a steadfast path. Her musical expertise doesn’t stop there, as she also worked on the score for Demi Lovato’s 2024 documentary Child Star, and her music has been featured in the Netflix hit series Never Have I Ever.
Her latest offering, Second Sight, is a beaming 10-track album which gently immerses the listener into themes of rediscovery, personal growth and the aftermath of heartbreak. In our interview with Blonde Maze, we chat to the extraordinary multi-talented creative about living in the moment, the inspiration behind Second Sight, what success looks like to her and she shares an exclusive mix below. 
Congratulations on the release of your sophomore album Second Sight! The album dives into themes of growth, rediscovery and celebrating a love that’s grounded. Can you tell us about the personal experiences which shaped the emotional core of the album?
Thank you! I started writing the album days before proposing to my now wife. Leading up to the proposal, I realized that the way I loved her felt different to the way I’ve loved previously. My first album Something Familiar touched upon what it was like to yearn for the familiarity an old relationship brought, and this album explores the years after that where I learned to love again in a wholly new way. I think in that timeframe I learned to embrace improbability and live in the moment, and came to understand that love is a moving, growing thing. No matter what we went through, somehow I always felt more loved than I’d ever been before. And at the same time, I realized how permanent my love was for her, even at our most imperfect moments. As someone who gets in my head a lot and too often feels a tremendous amount of unnecessary guilt, she was always drawing me back to the present. So, long story short, all of the experiences I had feeling lost and then rediscovering the truest kind of love, is what shaped this album.
Stream Second Sight below:
Was there a specific track on the album that challenged you the most, on a technical or emotional level?
If I had to choose one, probably ‘Favorite Story’. This started as a house track, at a much faster tempo. But there was something that felt so sweet about the lyrics (co-written with ALLKNIGHT) and I wanted to give them room to breathe. So there was this challenge to make the verses feel really soft and intimate, and then have the drops feel impactful and huge. So ultimately, I changed the entire vibe of the track, starting with slowing the tempo down and setting a completely different vibe with the beat.
You’re known for your love of collaboration, and the album features collaborations with Lizzy Land and Channy Leaneagh. How do you approach working with other artists while still maintaining your artistic voice?
I really loved working with so many different artists on this album. Eight out of the ten tracks had at least one collaborator on them. All of the collaborators on this album were so great to work with, in that we all respected each others’ artistic integrity. There was always room for each others’ ideas, and one idea would never take away from another – in fact they would strengthen each other. I found that working with people like that could only enhance my sound.
Aside from being an artist, you also have a background in software engineering. Do you think your software engineering experience made it easier when it came to learning music production?
Funnily enough I started producing music before I did any software engineering! I have always found them to go hand in hand when it comes to exercising the same part of my brain. You’ve got an input and an output, and all of the processes that occur in between. I’ve always been a bit of a tech nerd.
Let’s break down how you begin a track. Do you start with lyrics, a mood or a beat? Or does it differ with each track?
I usually start with a mood. I typically lay down a chord progression first, which captures the general essence of that mood. I then put that on a loop, and build all sorts of atmospheric layers and melodies on top of it. This will kind of determine the direction of the track. Eventually I’ll lay some sort of very bare drums down to capture the movement I’m looking for, and then build out the track arrangement itself. Vocals, if any, always come last for me.
You’ve described your music as “postcards from the soul”. How do you navigate authentic vulnerability in your songwriting? Do you ever have moments where you second guess if you’re being too vulnerable or not vulnerable enough?
I don’t think I worry too much about the vulnerability aspect, because I usually write whatever I am feeling in my heart. So whatever comes out, is what is meant to be. That’s really the whole purpose of this project for me – making music has always been my version of a diary. There is nothing more cathartic for me than conveying emotion via sound and lyrics. That said, it’s not always easy to let my guard down and get to the stage where I can pour my heart out. It can be difficult to access those emotions if I haven’t fully processed them yet (which is where the music helps a lot). But once I reach that vulnerability, I can only really write things that feel authentic to me.
How do you measure or interpret success for yourself? Is it fan engagement, critical reception or something a lot more personal?
It’s hard, because sometimes it’s all of that. It’s hard not to jump to basing success on streaming numbers and social media engagement. But I ultimately try to remind myself why I do this / why I make music, and it’s because of two things – 1) to give myself an outlet to process and feel emotions, and 2) to share it with the world in hopes it might reach others who are also looking to interpret their own emotions. As cheesy as that sounds. And so when people reach out to me whether via instagram, email, etc., and let me know the ways in which my music has touched their lives, that is truly when I feel the most successful.
With the growing influence of AI and algorithm-driven music tools, how do you maintain your authenticity in an increasingly tech-saturated creative landscape?
I’m not sure what the future holds in this lane, but I don’t find myself feeling challenged by it quite yet. Something I can’t imagine AI will ever be able to replicate is human connection and individual personality, no matter how much data is out there. While AI might be good at connecting listeners with new music, I’m not sure AI will ever be able to provide the connection that listeners have with artists themselves. There is something invaluable about knowing that the music they’re consuming comes from someone with lived experiences. So the best I can do, at least for now, is to make sure I continue sharing my honest emotions via my music.
Looking back at your debut EP Oceans until now, what’s one key lesson you’ve learnt that has changed the way you create?
I think one of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned was that if it sounds good, it doesn’t matter how it got there. I used to try and focus on following every ‘rule’ I’d learnt about music production. But ultimately I figured out that experimentation led to consistently unique implementation and I built my sound around it. So while there are definitely technicalities I like to follow, I try and challenge them where I can in order to create my own sound and make something that feels authentic.
What’s next for Blonde Maze? Where can your fans catch you next, and do you have anything exciting in the pipeline?
Always working on more music but also have something else I’ve been spending a lotttt of time on recently… And that’s all I can say for now 🙂
Stream Blonde Maze’s exclusive YourEDM Mix below:
Tracklist:
Blonde Maze – Favorite Story [Enhanced Chill]
Riley Pearce – Keep Moving (ATTLAS Remix)[Nettwerk Music Group)
Melosense – Explore [Armada Music]
Blonde Maze & Polar Inc. feat. Channy Leneagh (POLIÇA) – Asleep In My Head[Enhanced Chill]
Blonde Maze & imallryt – The Thought of You [Enhanced Chill]
Blonde Maze & Modera – If I Stayed [Enhanced Chill]
Blonde Maze – When You Move (VIPMix) [Enhanced Chill]
Modera & Blonde Maze – Back Into Your Arms [Colorize]
Le Youth & LeyeT – Feel Around You [This Never Happened]
Blonde Maze & Hessian – How Far Can We Go [Enhanced Chill]
Banyan & LeyeT- More To Say [Lilly Era]
Lonely in the Rain feat. Saavan – All the Stars [Inside Records]
Blonde Maze & Attom – Never Dream [Enhanced Chill]
Blonde Maze & LeyeT- Closer to You [Enhanced Chill]
Blonde Maze – Leaving Home [Enhanced Chill]
Blonde Maze & Lizzy Land – To Love Again [Enhanced Chill]
Follow Blonde Maze:
Spotify – Instagram – Facebook – X – SoundCloud
