Meet Preston Maheu | Singer & Songwriter

We had the good fortune of connecting with Preston Maheu and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Preston, any advice for those thinking about whether to keep going or to give up?
Having a support system around you is crucial for anything in life, and music is no different. This question really hits home as I recently suffered a big crisis of faith with my album “Life Imitates Art”. I’m getting married this year, and with more expenses piling up, the idea of hiring musicians for gigs, or paying for more studio time seemed daunting, especially for what is currently a side project. My fiancé immediately set me straight – this is more than just a hobby. It’s a passion that is a part of who I am and right now I am so lucky to be working with some of the best in the industry to make my music. I may never get this chance again in life so we have to push through the fear, and the logistics to make it happen. No sooner did we have this chat that we visited a favorite bar here in ATL, and walking through the door the bartenders played my single “Heat” and asked when my new tracks were coming out. It’s that spirit that carries me forward – it’s friends counting down to the next single, my Mom tearing up listening to the final mixes – it’s bringing joy to those around me that keeps me going. As long as my music brings joy to others in my life, I will always carry on.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I have been so lucky to have music as a part of my whole life. My mom has her Master’s in vocal education, and my dad has his Bachelor’s in French horn performance, so I was instructed in piano, vocals, and trumpet from a very young age. They had a diverse love of music, and I was raised listening to pop, rock, R&B, classical, jazz, and Broadway. Throughout high school and college I took the opportunity to perform in every ensemble, playing in band, marching band, jazz band, orchestra, chamber ensembles and singing a cappella and musical theatre.

Following college, I briefly moved away from Atlanta and after returning home, I needed a creative outlet to balance the grind of a nine to five job. No adult ensemble jumped out at me to join, so I went to Craigslist and bought a small upright piano for $90, hauled it into my North Ave apartment, and started composing.

After releasing four singles, one album, performing a live show with a fifteen piece ensemble, and entering NPR’s Tiny Desk contest, I am excited to finally have found my voice as a songwriter. My music blends pop, rock, jazz and orchestral elements to tell stories of love, joy and loss.

Because I didn’t go to music school, I pushed myself to learn the basics of mixing, mastering, and recording to produce demos, as well as spent countless hours score reviewing film and classical works to prepare for writing orchestral charts. There were certainly bumps along the way – formatting, transposing, editing, and critiques from musicians all took hours of study online to accomplish the next step for my tracks. Finding great collaborators was also challenging – to get to where I am today I reached out to countless performance venues, musicians, engineers, studio spaces, videographers, photographers, graphic designers and more to execute my vision.

The perseverance has been worth it though – I will have 3 new singles coming in 2026, and am so privileged to feature performances by members of the Rochester Symphony Orchestra. With 15 tracks on the full album, it has been daunting to take on a project of this scope, but I am so excited and proud to complete this orchestral rock concept. The album is told chronologically over the last few years of my life, with symphonic harmony trying each track together as a “soundtrack” behind rotating rock and pop ensembles. It has been an incredible experience to create, and I can’t wait to share the entire completed vision.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
East Side Beltline Trail
ATLs flagship walking trail has to be the first stop for any trip to the city. Start your day with a coffee from Brash or Harbor Coffee and a bagel from Emerald City, crawl the beltline up to explore Ponce City Market, grab a glass of wine from 3 Parks on their huge patio neighboring Old 4th Ward park, explore Piedmont Park and the botanical gardens, and enjoy an incredible Persian feast from Del Bar in Inman Park. Finish your night with cocktails from Burle’s Bar or Ticonderoga Club in Krog Street Market.

East Atlanta Neighborhoods
I’m a proud Grant Park resident – grab a perfect croissant and a cup of coffee at Little Tart, enjoy pizza, salad, and sandwiches at Staplehouse, peruse Criminal Records and the vintage shops of Little 5 points, get a beer and some smoked pastrami at Wrecking Bar Brewpub, walk the historic grounds of Oakland Cemetery, see a concert at The Eastern’s state of the art facility, and head to Summerhill for happy hour at Talat Market, and dinner at my favorite restaurant in Atlanta – Little Bear for Jewish\Szechuan fusion. Finish your night with a European beer from Halfway Crooks Brewing, and a cocktail at Redacted Basement Drink Parlor.

Westside:
A trip to Atlanta without soul food is not complete – grab lunch at Busy Bee Cafe for fried chicken and amazing sides, explore West Side park (now the largest park in Atlanta), enjoy classic Tex-Mex at Nuevo Laredo, and hopefully see a movie star at Antico’s Pizza. Enjoy amazing cocktails at Lucky Star to finish the night.

Decatur:
Just a short trip outside downtown, visit Sun in My Belly for a classic breakfast. Walk the Decatur square, sip cocktails with a dozen oysters at Kimball house, enjoy an all you can eat Indian lunch buffet at Chai Pani, see a local artist perform at Eddie’s Attic, and check out the staggering beer collection and cozy vibes at Brick Store Pub. Finish with tiki drinks at S.O.S. tiki bar right off the main square.

Buford Highway
Atlanta’s true culinary capital, this long stretch of road leading north out of the city has every ethnic cuisine you could ask for. Grab coffee and brunch from Korean distiller Minwha spirits, grab tacos from El Rey Del Taco, order dumplings and Chinese classics at Northern China Eatery, and explore the exotic produce and international goods at the Buford Highway Farmer’s Market. Finish the day with truly authentic Filipino food at Kamayan.

Add in a trip to the historic Fox Theatre and a Falcons game in Mercedes Benz and you’ll have soaked up some of what makes Atlanta great!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Music is a wonderful collaboration of artists on either side of the microphone working together to create something beautiful. I have had the privilege of working with so many amazing people who brought me to where I am today.

First and foremost I want to recognize my production team Sam and Johnny – they took a chance on an unknown artist looking to bring a unique and massive vision to life and have been so supportive of both my personal and musical career. I would not be where I am today without their belief in me, and the music we are making together.

I’m so thankful for my 9 year collaboration with Atlanta based Terminus Horns – an amazing set of musicians who have helped me stay plugged into Atlanta’s working musician scene, and brought amazing artistry to my recordings over the years.

So much of my confidence in the studio is thanks to Ian and K, my team that helped create my first independent album, and took the time to teach me the process of recording, and find confidence as an arranger and recording artist.

And of course a big shout out to all of my friends and family who never miss a gig, a demo, a video shoot, or a release date. Your unwavering support through every step of my career is the reason i’m still making music today!

Website: https://www.prestonmusic.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realprestonmusic/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theprestonmusic

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RealPrestonMusic

Other: Apple Music:
https://music.apple.com/us/artist/preston-maheu/1854345821

Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/4x62CmNMy90TBZ4mLtrLq8