History of Maggie Rogers in Timeline

Margaret Debay Rogers is an American singer-songwriter known for her unique blend of folk, pop, and electronic music. She rose to prominence in 2016 when her song "Alaska" caught the attention of Pharrell Williams. Since then, she has released five albums, including two independent projects and three studio albums: "Heard It in a Past Life" (2019), "Surrender" (2022), and "Don't Forget Me" (2024). Her music has earned critical acclaim, including a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist in 2020.

April 25, 1994: Birth of Maggie Rogers

Margaret Debay Rogers was born on April 25, 1994 in Easton, Maryland.

1998: Original Release of "Iris"

The Goo Goo Dolls originally released "Iris" in 1998.

2011: Early Recordings

Maggie Rogers began making the recordings that would later be included on Notes from the Archive in 2011.

2011: Formation of Del Water Gap

Maggie Rogers formed the band Del Water Gap with S. Holden Jaffe in 2011.

2012: Attends Clive Davis Institute

Maggie Rogers began attending the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at the New York University Tisch School of the Arts in 2012.

2012: Release of The Echo

Maggie Rogers released her first independent album, The Echo, in 2012.

2014: Release of Blood Ballet

Maggie Rogers released her second independent album, Blood Ballet, in 2014.

2014: Critical Reception of Blood Ballet

Maggie Rogers' album Blood Ballet, released in 2014, was praised by music blogs for its folk sound and emotional depth.

May 2016: Graduation from NYU

Maggie Rogers graduated from New York University's Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music with a degree in music engineering and production and English in May 2016.

2016: Signing with Capitol Records

Following her viral success, Maggie Rogers signed a recording contract with Capitol Records in 2016, maintaining creative control through her own imprint, Debay Sounds.

2016: Split of Del Water Gap

Maggie Rogers and S. Holden Jaffe decided to split Del Water Gap in 2016 to pursue solo work.

2016: Unreleased Rock EP

Maggie Rogers completed an unreleased rock EP in 2016, some songs from which were included on Notes from the Archive.

2016: Maggie Rogers Gains Recognition

Maggie Rogers gained widespread recognition after her song "Alaska" was played for Pharrell Williams during a master class at the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music.

2016: "Alaska" and Viral Success

Maggie Rogers wrote "Alaska" in 2016 and played it for Pharrell Williams during a master class. A video of Williams' reaction to the song went viral, bringing Rogers significant attention.

February 15, 2017: The Tonight Show Debut

Maggie Rogers made her debut performance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on February 15, 2017.

February 17, 2017: Release of Now That the Light Is Fading

Maggie Rogers released her EP, Now That the Light Is Fading, on February 17, 2017.

2017: Music Journalism Internship

Maggie Rogers interned for music journalist Lizzy Goodman, transcribing and editing interviews for Goodman's book, Meet Me in the Bathroom.

November 3, 2018: Saturday Night Live Debut

Maggie Rogers made her debut performance on Saturday Night Live on November 3, 2018.

January 18, 2019: Release and Success of Heard It in a Past Life

Maggie Rogers' major-label debut album, Heard It in a Past Life, was released on January 18, 2019, and debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 chart.

April 2019: Release of "Tim McGraw" Cover

Maggie Rogers released a cover of Taylor Swift's song "Tim McGraw" as a Spotify Single in April 2019.

July 12, 2019: Today Show Debut

Maggie Rogers made her debut performance on the Today Show on July 12, 2019.

October 2019: Los Angeles Home Purchase

In October 2019, Rogers purchased a home in Los Angeles for $1.29 million.

November 1, 2019: Performance with Dead & Company

Maggie Rogers performed with Dead & Company at Madison Square Garden in New York City, singing covers of "Friend of the Devil" and "The Weight".

November 2019: Grammy Award Nomination

Maggie Rogers received a nomination for Best New Artist at the 62nd Grammy Awards in November 2019.

2019: Release of Heard It in a Past Life

Maggie Rogers released her major-label debut studio album, Heard It in a Past Life, on January 18, 2019.

November 13, 2020: Release of "Iris" Cover with Phoebe Bridgers

Maggie Rogers and Phoebe Bridgers released a cover of the Goo Goo Dolls' song "Iris" on Bandcamp, with proceeds donated to Fair Fight Action. The song was a one-day exclusive release tied to the outcome of the 2020 US presidential election.

December 18, 2020: Release of Notes from the Archive: Recordings 2011–2016

Maggie Rogers released the compilation album Notes from the Archive: Recordings 2011–2016, featuring songs from her early career, on December 18, 2020.

2020: Release of "New Song"

Del Water Gap's song "New Song" was released on Notes from the Archive: Recordings 2011–2016.

2020: Democratic National Convention Performance

In 2020, Maggie Rogers performed at the Democratic National Convention.

2020: Performance at Democratic National Convention

Maggie Rogers performed remotely from Scarborough, Maine, during the 2020 Democratic National Convention.

2020: Grammy Nomination

Maggie Rogers was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 2020.

September 2021: Begins Master's Program at Harvard

Maggie Rogers began a master's program in religion and public life at Harvard Divinity School, focusing on the intersection of spirituality, pop culture, and ethics, in September 2021.

May 2022: Graduation from Harvard

Maggie Rogers graduated from Harvard Divinity School with a master's degree in religion and public life in May 2022, having written a thesis on cultural consciousness, spirituality in public gatherings, and the ethics of influence in pop music.