A Woman Out On Her Own

Maggie Koerner craves authentic connection

BY KIMBERLY KAYE

Maggie Koerner came screaming into the world louder than any baby her mother had ever heard. This will surprise no one who’s seen the Shreveport native perform live, especially during her stint fronting the wall of sound produced by local funk-jam stars Galactic. Part soul chanteuse, part banshee, Koerner sings story-driven lyrics bleeding with the emotional vulnerability of a wronged shieldmaiden—an exhilarating combination Jazz Fest is smartly featuring on its biggest stage this year.

And after the stagnation of pandemic shutdown, followed by the coitus interruptus of an abbreviated set due to bad weather on the Gentilly Stage in 2022, the Americana rocker is fired up for this latest feature slot under her own name.

“I’m giving up all the fuck this year,” she announces calmly at a coffeeshop table blocks away from the Fairgrounds. “I’m getting out of my head, shedding vanity, and throwing myself into the moment with all these people who pay so much, who come from so far away, to be here for the music. And I’m doing it with TWO drummers, because it just boom, hits so much harder.”

She’s not wrong. A staple of her bigger live shows, Koerner’s use of double drummers—this year it’ll be David Shirley and Dillon Frazier manning the kits—lands like a prize fighter’s one-two punch, giving the singer-songwriter’s bluesy original compositions a witchy, almost ceremonial feel. Her Jazz Fest 2023 band is rounded out by guitarists George Wilde and Joshua Starkman, pianist Rob Kellner, bassist Eric Vogel, and cellist Rachel Hsieh.

All this talk of banshee energy and doubled percussion shouldn’t suggest Koerner and her big voice aren’t capable of much quieter, gentler moments. Her original ballads, some of which the vocalist brings as low as a tearful whisper, showcase a younger artist transitioning into confident, full-grown adult mastery of her voice. They also make space for Maggie’s remarkable ability to connect with audiences, something she invests in as a healing modality more than a simple performance choice.

“I was playing out with George Porter Jr. recently, and he reminded me how important it is to let things go onstage, to bring fun back to people after this stretch when we were so isolated,” she reflects. “But for me, making sure people feel heard, helping people know that other people are going through hard things too, that’s the purpose of my music.”

She cites personal heroes like Sheryl Crow, Nick Drake, and The Revivalists as particular inspirations in this arena, noting their rare ability to generate “real, authentic energy exchange” with big audiences of real, authentic humans.

Her heartfelt focus on authentic connection instead of TikTok-friendly gimmicks has, with the cavernous unfairness of the commercial music business, been one of the primary reasons Koerner isn’t a nationally famous act yet. “I’ve been told by labels that industry people not being able to pigeonhole me is a problem,” she sighs. It’s never been an issue for live music fans, but as far as selling radio singles, c’est la vie. “But I’ll always pick connecting with a person in the front row genuinely over doing ‘an act,’ because when I’m the one in the audience, that’s what I’m craving,” she resolves.

Fest attendees will get an amuse bouche of Koerner’s rawer, connectivity-centered approach at the Fair Grounds—she says she’s carefully assembled a set of mostly up-tempo bangers for the Festival Stage—followed by the opportunity to see the artist in a more strippeddown setting during two separate fest-adjacent shows at Marigny Opera house. The April 28 installment will feature Koerner alongside rising queer frontwoman AJ Haynes of the dynamic Seratones. On the evening of May 5, she pairs up with jazz diva Gabrielle Cavassa. Both performances, with a smaller band and more acoustic sound, promise to be a boon for music devotees who share Maggie’s desire to build bridges between audience and artist.

Hopefully, some patrons with deep pockets will be in attendance and love Koerner’s work as much as New Orleans already does. “I’m the singer, the songwriter, the bandleader, the booker—I’m still setting up my own merch! I’m a woman out on her own, and I’m so proud of that,” she says confidently. “But if I had an old-school Renaissance patron to cover that stuff, I could give even more to my audiences. And that’s the reason I’m on this earth.” O

Thursday May 4 at 4:20 p.m. Lagniappe Stage