Maggie MacKenzie Captures Fleeting Moments on Debut EP 'another time'

If you’ve ever found yourself longing for a version of the past that no longer exists, or wondering if you even appreciated it enough when it was happening, Maggie MacKenzie’s debut EP, another time, is for you.

The pop-folk singer-songwriter, fresh off her graduation from Berklee College of Music, wastes no time establishing herself as an emotionally attuned storyteller. With poetic lyricism, warm vocals, and minimalistic production that lets the emotion breathe, Maggie turns introspection into connection. Every track on another time feels like flipping through a diary you didn’t realize you were writing until the moment was already gone.

The three-song project floats between memories and missed moments, with themes of homesickness, burnout, and heartbreak weaving a quiet but powerful thread. “Seven Again” taps into childhood nostalgia and the ache of growing up. The title track, “Another Time,” sits in the space between what was and what could’ve been. And “Black and White” unpacks heartbreak in grayscale, capturing the emotional fog of something ending before you’re ready to accept it.

“This EP tells different stories, all with a common theme of being nostalgic for another point in time,” Maggie shares. “I hope people can see themselves in these songs and process emotions they maybe weren’t actively registering on their own.”

Produced by fellow Berklee grad Jake Arnowitz, another time is as much a personal milestone as it is a shared experience. The EP reflects the intimacy of collaboration, pulling from honest conversations, late-night writing sessions, and a mutual love for storytelling through sound.

There’s no overproduction here, no filters over the feeling. It's simply honest songwriting that makes space for listeners to remember their own “another time.” And in that space, Maggie MacKenzie finds her voice, one that resonates not just because it’s beautiful but because it’s real.

Each song on this EP feels deeply specific. Was there a particular memory that sparked the idea for the overarching theme of “another time”?

I believe the memory that gave rise to this overarching theme emerged while writing “Seven Again.” That was the first song on this EP that I wrote, and it set the tone of nostalgia and this longing to transport back to a previous moment in time. The memory that initially came to mind when writing “seven again” was getting picked up from school and driving around in my mom’s Toyota Sienna, running errands together, and singing along to the radio. This moment stood out as an example of how simple and carefree life can feel while still being joyful. Upon fully developing and realizing the other songs for this EP, it became clear to me that all of these songs shared the same sentiment of wanting to be back in another moment in time. I love how all these songs can feel different and distinct from one another, yet still share this sentiment.

How did your time at Berklee influence the emotional and sonic choices you made on this project?

My time at Berklee had a very strong influence on my songwriting style, not only from the classes I was in but from being inspired by so many incredible people around me. This time definitely influenced me to make bolder melodic and harmonic choices and to not hold back when fleshing out the lyrical content of my songs. I realized that if you lead with your own honest experience when songwriting, people will be able to find themselves in that music because of your openness. Berklee taught me and allowed me to evolve so much, and I’m so grateful to continue growing as a songwriter.

“Seven Again” stands out as a reflection on childhood. What does that age symbolize for you in the context of the EP?

Seven sticks out in my head as this perfect age - you’re old enough to have fully vivid memories of what day-to-day life was like, and you’re starting to develop your sense of self and identity, but you’re still spared from a lot of the external stressors. Things still felt light and a bit carefree, and that ease means more in hindsight because that age is such a turning point in our personal development. I think it symbolizes this idealized moment in time that people overlook, missing and having that sentimental attachment to.

You’ve said you hope people process emotions they hadn’t registered yet; what emotion surprised you the most while writing this EP?

I think the relief is what surprised me most while writing this EP! I knew that diving into these emotions would bring up some heavier emotions that I hadn’t fully processed. Upon getting to write about these feelings, though, I felt a sense of relief that I could find a way to verbalize and express these pent-up feelings. It was a very therapeutic experience, which I really didn’t expect to find during this writing process! 

If you could go back to “another time” yourself, what moment would you choose, and what would you do differently, if anything?

I love this question; choosing just one is tricky! I have some family in Wisconsin who have a lake house, and one summer, when I was 8, almost all of my extended family went to that lake to be together and share in that experience.  I would love to get to relive that time, to get to be back in such a special place with my family there! My mom is one of 10 kids, so we have a huge extended family. I’d love the chance to have that experience together again!