Your latest EP is called Fashion Is Freedom, which is such a strong statement. What does that title mean to you, and how does the idea of freedom run through the music?

‘Fashion Is Freedom’ feels like that breakthrough of caring less about what people think. When it came to even creating the EP, being able to have that freedom to create whatever I want. While also being able to push the boundaries more than I had in any of my previous songs, which was all such an emotional experience!

You started out as a saxophonist and now bring a really wide instrumental palette into your music. How has that musical background shaped the way you create the world of Maybe Hugo?

I feel like starting out with saxophone gave me a pretty different perspective on how I write music. It’s an instrument that brought my focus onto melody, rather than the production itself. Funnily enough, I still feel like I’m learning to find the middle ground between them all. But the whole journey is a puzzle - the pieces will get to where they need to go eventually … one way or another!

Your sound moves between alternative soul, funk and disco, while still feeling really contemporary. When you’re creating, how do you balance those vintage influences with finding something that feels uniquely your own?

Honestly, I feel like there isn’t just one method to the madness. I think the aspect that really shapes everything is the vocals. From there, everything seems to find its place.

Your music explores possibility and navigating young adulthood, which feels especially relevant to where you’re at right now. What were some of the experiences or feelings that found their way into Fashion Is Freedom?

For me, it all ties back into the great journey of life and growing older. It’s hitting that pinnacle of understanding that not everyone will be your best friend, not everyone is going to like how you dress, and not everyone is going to like your music. But that’s totally cool – That’s life!!

You’re bringing Maybe Hugo to BIGSOUND this year. What are you hoping people discover about you and your music when they step into one of your shows?

Maybe the idea that Australian music can be so diverse in what people are making. I want people to hopefully walk away after one of my showcases and see the idea that there is room for soul & funk driven sounds in this scene — and that it doesn't have to come out of Melbourne or Sydney. Being from Adelaide, it’s a city that gets skipped over a lot… so this feels like an amazing opportunity to showcase the idea that I don’t have to move overseas or to another city to ‘make it’.

With Fashion Is Freedom now out in the world and BIGSOUND on the horizon, does this feel like a defining moment for the Maybe Hugo projecth and what do you hope this next chapter opens up for you?

I feel like I’ve already hit my coming of age moment — where ‘Fashion Is Freedom’ was a part of that. Now it’s time to put what I know, and how I’ve learned it, into practice. BIGSOUND feels the start of that next chapter, might that be more collaborations, more shows, and a ton more music.

A Quick Chat with Maybe Hugo