A Chat with Mary Milton (22.04.26)
Mary Milton is a French singer and songwriter who is best known for being a semi-finalist on Season 11 of The Voice – la plus belle voix (2022). She just put out her newest single, ‘On My Shoulder’, and now she is in charge of her own artistic direction. We chat with Mary Milton below.
OSR: ‘On My Shoulder’ is such a personal release. What was the first moment you realised you needed to write this song?
Milton: I knew almost immediately. I felt a real sense of urgency, a deep need to put into words what I was going through. It was essential for me to express my emotions, but also to begin a healing process.
OSR: How did your experience of grief shape the way you approached the songwriting process?
Milton: I would say that songwriting helped me move forward in my grief more than the other way around. It became a real tool to navigate that experience, to understand and channel what I was feeling.
OSR: What do you hope listeners take away from this track emotionally?
Milton: I truly hope this song can bring comfort. Beyond the sadness, my intention was to convey hope and to support those who might be going through something similar.
OSR: Can you walk us through the moment in the studio when the song started to come together?
Milton: This song was created alongside my friends Allister Thepault, Maxime Aigon, and the talented producer songwriter Will Wells, whom I love dearly. From the very beginning, there was something incredibly powerful in the room. We wrote it in half a day. It was overwhelming; there were a lot of emotions, a lot of tears, but it was also incredibly liberating.
OSR: How did working with a full orchestra influence your performance and arrangement choices?
Milton: The orchestra came in quite late in the process, almost like a gift. The vocals had already been recorded, but now, performing it live with that orchestration brings everything to life. Having around thirty musicians, each bringing a piece of their soul into this song, was an extraordinary experience, a real blessing.
OSR: Was it difficult to balance vulnerability with vocal control on such an emotional song?
Milton: Yes, it was definitely a challenge in the studio. I struggled to find that balance, but I was incredibly well supported and directed. The goal was to channel my emotions while staying as close as possible to their truth, to extract something raw and honest without ever betraying what I was truly feeling.
OSR: How does this single differ from your earlier work, including your debut EP, What About Love?
Milton: This is probably my rawest and most honest song. Not that my previous work lacked authenticity, but it was more universal in its approach. Here, I’m touching on something deeply personal, the loss of a parent. It was a real turning point for me, realising that the more specific and personal you are, the more it resonates with others.
OSR: You’ve been compared to artists like Adele and Emeli Sandé. Do those comparisons resonate with you at all?
Milton: Of course, they’re artists I deeply admire. Their sensitivity, their songwriting, and their way of delivering emotion are huge sources of inspiration for me.
OSR: What did this song teach you about yourself as an artist and as a person?
Milton: It helped me heal. It allowed me to transform absence into a form of presence. Today, I’m no longer afraid to reveal my deepest emotions, and that’s been a real evolution for me, both personally and artistically.
OSR: What comes next for you after releasing something so emotionally significant?
Milton: I want to continue in this direction, to go even deeper into intimacy and honesty. That’s where I feel most authentic, and where music truly makes sense for me.
Many thanks to Mary Milton for speaking with us. Find out more about Mary Milton on her Instagram, TikTok, and Spotify.
