Maya De Vitry builds worlds from the ground up. In this episode of Curious Goldfish, Jason English sits down with the Nashville-based singer-songwriter who first gained international acclaim as a founding member of the high-energy folk trio The Stray Birds. Since embarking on a solo career in 2019, De Vitry has released a string of critically lauded albums, including Adaptations and Violet Light, establishing herself as one of Americana’s most thoughtful and versatile voices.

De Vitry arrives at the conversation not with the rehearsed air of a touring professional, but with the grounded perspective of a realist. She opens the session describing her week spent installing a new water heater—a task she tackled herself. It is a perfect introduction to an artist whose work is defined by a fierce, self-reliant curiosity. “It was kind of fun because we had to figure out how to get it... off the ground,” she notes, mirroring the way she has navigated the "fucking chaos" of the music industry.

Throughout the episode, De Vitry explores the intersection of physical labor and poetic intent. She offers a poignant reflection on the economic weight carried by the working class, performing a song that strikes at the heart of the American dream. Her lyrics serve as a sobering reminder of the human cost behind the scenery: “The riches of the world are carried on the back of every man who works to the bone.”

Three Key Takeaways: