Rhythm, flow and lyrics: meet MAJE

Colourful pictures of emojis hang from the wall.

A bunch of notes are piled in the corner.

Empty Red Bull cans — meticulously organized — fill the room.

This is the space where Michael Earle, known professionally as MAJE, transforms his inner words into lyrics.

MAJE was raised in East Preston, a predominantly black Nova Scotian community. He moved out to Halifax a few years ago, motivated by his desire to get ahead in his music career. “I can’t see me loving anything else as much as I love music,” says the 25-year-old artist.

He now lives in the heart of the North End, on Gottingen Street.

Inspired by life, situations and sounds, MAJE started writing since he was 11 years old.

“I’ve written poems, short stories, rap songs,” he says. “I can see myself writing a book before my life is over.”

MAJE’s main occupation is music, but he also works as a cashier at Pete’s Frootique and with kids at an after-school program.

Over the last three years he’s been slowly cooking up a project that will come out next month. It’s a 13-song mixtape that, according to him, will include “13 singles.”

For MAJE, the process of writing can’t be rushed. That’s why his mixtape project has taken so long.

“I just like to spend a lot of time with myself; I know that’s how the songs will come out,” he says. “Every song has its own time.”

DJ Uncle Fester is a local producer who has been working with MAJE since late October, recording and mixing the songs of his mixtape project.

“Mike is a true artist, is one of these people who I believe is going to be doing music forever,” says Uncle Fester over the phone.

MAJE considers himself an ambitious man, but he’s also a brother and a son. When he talks about his family a shy smile shows up on his face.

“My mom is my leader, my role model. I have this theory that my mom was so hard on me that I don’t like to talk her unless I have something exciting to tell her,” he says. “I cannot just text her and tell her ‘Hey’ — no. I want to tell her that I changed the world.”

The first time that Jean Earle, MAJE’s mom, saw her son performing on a stage was about two years ago.

“I was very proud of him because it was something that he looked forward in doing. Seeing him there, it really brought tears to my eyes. I was so overjoyed that he stuck with it to reach a level,” she said in a phone interview. “He’s still trying to get to that level and nothing will determining him to stop.”

MAJE believes his moment has come.

“I won’t leave Nova Scotia until I feel that I have the keys,” he says. “If I can’t grab Nova Scotia people’s attention how can I go to a bigger city and grab their attention?”

MAJE is determined to connect and resonate with people through his music.

“I don’t want to make the flavour of the week,” he says. “I want to make the song that last, that sticks with you.”