The Maine is currently immersed in the creative process of a new album, all while delighting fans with unexpected appearances alongside the Jonas Brothers.
âThereâs still a lot of exciting material left to unveil,â John OâCallaghan, the groupâs lead vocalist, shared exclusively with Us Weekly during the âLadyGangâ podcastâs LadyWorld Festival in sunny Florida on September 26. âWe are currently deep in the studio, well into the album-making phase.â
OâCallaghan, 37, alongside guitarist Jared Monaco, hinted at their eagerness to discuss the upcoming music, though they chose to maintain an air of mystery for the time being. This forthcoming record marks the band’s significant 10th album.
âTaking this little break has been refreshing, allowing us to create some emotional distance from our intense work. Iâm looking forward to returning home to refine our creativity further,â OâCallaghan added. âRest assured, this new music will definitely be out next year.â
Catherine Powell
Monaco, also 37, cheekily stated that they were attempting to stay âvagueâ while still wanting to share juicy details.
Meanwhile, what remained unspoken was their thrilling plan to join Nick, Joe, and Kevin Jonas on the stage at the Greetings From Your Hometown tour stop in Phoenixâthe band’s origin cityâscheduled for September 29 at the PHX Arena.
OâCallaghan, Monaco, and the rest of the band membersâguitarist Kennedy Brock, bassist Garrett Nickelsen, and drummer Pat Kirchâwarmed up for their surprise duet of âBlack Butterflies and DĂ©jĂ Vuâ from their 2017 album, Lovely Little Lonely.
This sudden collaboration occurred just days after The Maine performed at the LadyWorld Festival, where they supported Jac Vanek, Monaco’s wife.
Catherine Powell
âGiven that Iâve known Jac since 2007, itâs quite special to participate as a fan this time,â OâCallaghan reflected. âIt truly helps me appreciate our community more deeply. It’s been a unique experience that I couldnât be happier to be part of.â
Vanek is a key member of the âLadyGangâ podcast, co-hosted by the spirited Keltie Knight and former E! News star Becca Tobin. The trio hosted the inaugural LadyWorld Festival this year, celebrating a decade of their podcast launched in 2015.
âTheyâve poured their hearts into organizing this event for two years,â Monaco stated. âWitnessing it all come to life is genuinely exciting, and we’re thrilled to contribute in some small capacity. The energy is just right.â
The Maine is well-acquainted with the festival circuit, having graced stages at various notable eventsâthink Warped Tour and Sad Summer Festival. They approached their performance at LadyWorld with the same dynamism and excitement as any other show.
OâCallaghan emphasized the importance of assuming that festival audiences might not be familiar with their music. âThat perspective helps us engage in a way that resonates, knowing full well we might either wow them or leave them indifferent,â he explained. âWe strive to create a playlist that caters to a diverse audience.â
Catherine Powell
Monaco added that performing at LadyWorld gave them an advantage since âmost attendees were likely already familiar with our work.â
âApproaching this performance just like any other is crucial because, ultimately, itâs about staying true to ourselves,â Monaco said. âOur setlist is akin to what we’ve been doing at recent festivals, and I perceive that as a positive.â