Heather Mae is on a mission to inspire her fans and listeners to live longer. Her music reminds us that you’re not alone if you are in the darkness right now. She’s no stranger to the darkness herself, and it takes incredible courage and resilience to endure it, but she believes the light always comes back. In today’s challenging times for so many communities, her authentic music offers comfort and hope, guiding us toward that light. I recently had the chance to catch up with her to talk about music, life, and food. I was inspired to create a rich and comforting Black Truffle Pasta dish, a creamy indulgence that radiates good vibes. Check out the recipe below! 

Mae grew up obsessed with The Little Mermaid, especially because Ariel had red hair like hers. But her true musical beginnings started in the church choir. Although her parents weren’t deeply involved in church at the time, they brought her along—something Mae jokes felt more like free daycare for her parents. From there, she joined school choirs throughout middle and high school, eventually leading her to study musical theater in New York City. Growing up, Heather Mae was surrounded by a mix of music. Her dad was into ’60s and ’70s rock like Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix, so she was raised on gritty electric guitar riffs and drums. Sure, the recordings weren’t polished, but the artistry was undeniable. That sound stuck with her, especially once she got into high school. At the same time, she was deep into theater and absorbing those big, emotional musical moments, which you can hear in her music now. But what hit home during those years was her love for emo music. Her favorites were all heavy-hitters of the emo era like Dashboard Confessional, All-American Rejects, Taking Back Sunday, Flyleaf, and Evanescence. That music spoke to her. The raw guitars, the pounding drums, the intensity—it made her feel seen. High school was also when she was dealing with an undiagnosed bipolar disorder. Her depression was intense, and emo music became a lifeline. The lyrics felt like they were written for kids like her, misfits trying to find their place, and it helped her feel less alone. Those songs weren’t just good, they were survival tools. She found comfort in the music and the community around it. The concerts were a refuge for Mae as she credits emo music and the scene around it with literally helping her stay alive.

 At 18, eager to leave her small town in northern Virginia just outside of D.C., Mae moved to New York, thinking she’d never look back. But life had other plans. Though she initially pursued a career in musical theater, the grind of constant auditions took a toll on her mental health. During that time, she began writing music and bringing her back to her roots. In middle and high school, Mae had written poetry and borrowed guitars from friends and cousins to teach herself chords, since affording an instrument of her own or lessons wasn’t financially feasible for her family. Within just a week or two, she’d learn a few covers or write an original song. Entirely self-taught, she began creating music again in New York—this time on her own terms.

 

 

One of the most striking things about Mae is her bold confidence. In her music videos and performances, she radiates self-assurance and positivity, unapologetically embracing her voice, body, sexuality, and opinions. But she wasn’t always that way. Mae admits that growing up, she struggled deeply with body image and internalized harsh, unrealistic societal standards for women. As a teen in musical theater, she battled an eating disorder for 12 years. Over time, she came to a powerful realization: her body was never the problem; society’s unrealistic expectations were. She’s outspoken about how harmful beauty standards, especially for women, are rooted in capitalist agendas designed to sell products by making people feel inadequate. As a proud anti-capitalist, she rejects those norms and embraces radical self-love.

 

 

Mae takes her role as a songwriter seriously. While she’s known for her joyful spirit, that joy is hard-earned and genuine. Integrity matters to her, and she strives to ensure her music reflects the values she lives by. She believes it’s essential for people, especially women, to see themselves represented as confident, sexy, and worthy of love. With most American women being curvy or plus-size, it’s past time that role models reflect that reality, and Heather Mae is leading that charge. Her songs like “Good Woman” convey the message that your size or conforming to society’s expectations doesn’t define your worth because, in the end, those things truly don’t matter. 

On March 7th earlier this year, Mae dropped two albums on the same day: What They Hid From Me with more of an alternative vibe and kiss & tell with a pop vibe. The albums were born out of songs Mae wrote during the pandemic, where she dived deep into her songwriting. The result was a collection of songs with some pop vibes and some of her guitar playing’s alternative vibe. She took the music to two different producers in Nashville to gauge the potential for an album, and both producers said, “Not only that, but we’re gonna actually take some of the same songs and create our own versions!” Brandy Zadan produced What They Hid for Me, and kiss & tell was co-produced with Clare Reynolds, aka LOLLIES and Mae. Created with an all-women and nonbinary team in Nashville, these records mark a major comeback after years of personal growth for Mae. What They Hid for Me is raw and unfiltered, tackling religious trauma, depression, and resilience, with help from artists like Allison Russell and SistaStrings. It’s full of emotional gut-punches like “What I Know Now” and urgent calls for justice like “Black Lives Do.” kiss & tell, on the other hand, is a pure celebration of queer joy, sexy confidence, and unapologetic love. Two of my favorites, “Kissing Girls” is an upbeat love note to anyone who had to hide who they were growing up, while “Ash & Smoke” is giving Mae’s sultry, pop side. There are so many good songs on both albums, I had them on repeat for days. An amazing showcase of Heather Mae’s versatility and talent, there’s something for everyone in her music. 

 

 

So what’s next for Heather Mae? She is currently focused on touring with her partner and formerly featured Lhyme artist, Crys Matthews, with more joint tour dates planned for September. Check out Heather Mae’s tour dates here! Mae’s also set to perform at several Pride events in June, promoting her two deeply personal albums that represent a labor of love spanning several years.

My amazing humans, just know that you are not alone.

Looking ahead, Mae’s goal is simple yet profound: to make a positive impact on the world. While she’s unsure what the future holds, she’s committed to creating music that helps others, especially those in the LGBTQ community, feel seen, supported, and able to keep going, even when life is hard. Her mission is to help people live more authentically or, at the very least, to survive long enough to find light in the darkness. Heather Mae’s music reminds her fans that they are not alone. Everyone has endured pain, but they’ve also made it through hard times before. She encourages listeners to recognize their own resilience and to draw strength from their journeys. She lovingly calls her fans “amazing humans” and wants them to know they are never alone in what they’re facing. 

Check Out All Things Heather Mae Below: 

 

 

When it comes to food, Heather Mae is a self-proclaimed food lover. The only thing she’s really not into is eggplant. As a touring musician, one of her favorite parts of the job is getting to try amazing food from all over. People often feed her their favorite dishes, and she feels really lucky to experience so many new flavors on the road. Growing up, her family didn’t have a lot, with her family living paycheck to paycheck, and meals were usually store-bought. One of her all-time favorite food memories is from a trip to Paris in 2023, a surprise gift from her partner, Crys. As someone who never thought she’d see the world, the Paris trip was a dream realized. She had always imagined enjoying croissants and cappuccinos in Paris, and after working so hard as an independent queer artist in the South, she could fully savor it. At Pink Mamma in Paris, Mae tried the creamy truffle pasta dish that was so good, she and Crys ordered it twice in one meal. The experience meant so much to her that she framed a picture of the dish and hung it up in her home as the first new picture following a painful divorce. For Mae, that black truffle pasta dish isn’t just pasta—it symbolizes indulgence, self-worth, and not settling for less.

Daily, Mae has a few food routines she sticks to when she can, like her morning coffee and croissant, which she always dips in her coffee. Breakfast is her favorite meal, especially breakfast sandwiches. And while life on tour means her meals change day to day, she gets to enjoy food experiences that most people never do by trying different hosts’ favorite meals from all over the U.S. As for sweets, she’s not super into dessert, but she loves box brownies, specifically the crispy edges of freshly baked brownies. Her partner, Crys, calls her the “Brownie Monster” because she’ll bake a pan just for herself and eat all the edges. Funfetti cake is also one of Mae’s favorites for its classic, buttery, rainbow-speckled joy in cake form. She also makes a tempting pumpkin chocolate chip bread from scratch. That pumpkin bread is one close to her heart and her way of saying she won’t settle for anything less than what she truly deserves. Her ex used to make a boxed version, but now Mae makes it her way, with real ingredients, because she’s worth the real thing. 

For Heather Mae, food isn’t just about eating, it’s about honoring who she is, where she’s been, and how far she’s come. I decided to celebrate Mae’s journey and music by making a Black Truffle Pasta inspired by Pink Mamma in Paris. This dish was a hit with my husband, who, just like Mae, helped himself to two servings of this luxurious pasta. I used Ricciarella pasta for fun and tossed it in a rich, velvety sauce made from cream, butter, and a touch of Parmigiano Reggiano. Grated black truffle stirred into the sauce and sprinkled on top of the pasta along with black truffle slices, creates a beautifully balanced pasta that feels elegant and comforting. Recreating the black truffle pasta while listening to Heather Mae’s music is a perfect way to honor her message: we deserve to live fully, love deeply, and indulge boldly in the lives we’ve worked so hard to build. Check out the recipe below! 

 

 

Black Truffle Ricciarella Pasta

*Serves: 4

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ricciarella pasta (or your preferred pasta)
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 shallots, minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
  • 4 tablespoons Parmigiano Reggiano
  • 1 medium black truffle (about 1 1/2 ounces) cleaned and dried
  • salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
  • black truffle shavings or slices for garnish

Directions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the ricciarella until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then drain and set aside.
  2. While the pasta cooks, use a fine grater to grate about half of the black truffle. Set the other half aside for finishing.
  3. Melt the butter and olive oil over medium-low heat in a large skillet. Add the shallots and sauté for 3–4 minutes until translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
  4. Add the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in the grated Parmigiano Reggiano and whisk until smooth.
  5. Now stir in the grated truffle, reduce heat to low, and let the sauce gently infuse for 2–3 more minutes. Season with salt and fresh black pepper to taste.
  6. Add the drained pasta to the skillet. Toss to evenly coat, adding a splash of reserved pasta water if the sauce needs loosening.
  7. Divide pasta among plates and use a truffle shaver or microplane to shave the remaining fresh truffle over each serving. (I served the pasta as Pink Mamma in Paris would do with a serving pan, as shown in the photos)
  8. Serve immediately and enjoy!