February 14, 2025: Niamh releases “Placeholder” and “Lazarus”
A note from Maddi Mae:
Niamh and I worked on this song together last summer. Our goal was to make sure that she could be a part of the entire production process, top to bottom. Her previous recordings experiences involved songwriting, tracking vocals and guitar, and then sending the work off to another producer for completion, but for this song, she directed the entire production process.
When she came back to the studio after a couple of semesters at school, Niamh stunned me with how much her voice had developed through choir work at UVA. I’m so glad we captured a bit of that fresh vocal spark. From a climax of rich harmonies in the bridge to acrobatic ad lib in the outro, Niamh’s voice shines throughout.
Niamh suggested bringing in multi-instrumentalist Deuce Stith to play drums. While Deuce previously taught drums here at Sound House once a week and was the original drummer for The Sunstones, the two knew each other from a musical theater performance back in middle school. Deuce’s complicated rhythms paired with my simple recording methods to send the song in a new direction – lending a raw, passionate, live feel to the record.
To me, “Placeholder” emodies growth: from the personal growth Niamh expresses in her lyrics, to the musical growth catalyzed by our collaboration. I’m proud of what we crafted as a team, and I’m looking forward to seeing how this projects serves as a stepping stone for what’s next.
SOUND HOUSE 