Gregg Maliff Gives Us Great Reasons to Jam This Summer – Socialite Life

You may remember Gregg Maliff as the co-creator of Séance with the Queens, but he’s also an extremely talented singer/songwriter, and now it’s his turn to own the spotlight with the release of his album Reasons.

Gregg is known for his unique fusion of pop and EDM as well as his works with local media group, Aquetra Media (who have produced shows including #THEDISH, Tan to 10, and Séance with the Queens). With a passion for storytelling through music, Gregg continues to inspire audiences worldwide.

Reasons is Gregg’s debut album and serves as a follow-up to Gregg’s earlier singles “Hidden in the Shadows”, “Breathe Me Out and “Greatest Love (Never Dies).” The album is a journey through Gregg’s personal and artistic evolution, offering listeners a rich tapestry of sound and emotion, and dives deep into themes of resilience, hope, and self-discovery with a dynamic blend of pop and EDM.

We had the chance to chat with Gregg about the new album and the stories behind some of the songs. We also put him in the hot seat for the Socialite Seven. We’ve got lots of reasons why Gregg’s new album is a must-have for your summer music playlist.  

What got you interested in music?

My mom. Since I was a child, she had always wanted me to be a recording artist – and my dad too. He made me audition for American Idol way back when, and, I was writing a book. It was my autobiography about a lot of the trials and tribulations that I’ve been through and how it’s helped me and possibly others around me and I got to a point where my dad was really sick and I wasn’t able to finish the book in time before I got notified that he passed away.

I wanted to celebrate his life with song and celebrate everyone’s trials and tribulations and what they go through on a daily basis. I think that there’s something for everybody.  It’s all different moments in my life that I really hope music can express a little bit more than a book that most people wouldn’t have read. You know, I think music touches the soul and that’s what I wanted to do.

Who are your musical influences?

From back in the day, I’d have to say Nine Inch Nails. I love Lady Gaga. I love Sam Smith. I love Duran Duran and Michael Jackson. And, surprisingly enough, Jessica Simpson is like a huge influence on me because she’s so powerful with what she does.

What was the inspiration behind the Reasons album?

The inspiration behind it was putting together stories from a book that would kind of highlight different moments in my life. It could be a moment of where I was coming out or how that made me feel. Describing what it was like being in my first gay bar and being told that this is the comfortable place to be, even though it’s kind of where we’re all filtered because no one wants to see us is sometimes. How I think the LGBT community feels. I wanted to definitely put that in there and put some tributes to my family and my husband who have been so instrumental in keeping me alive over the last couple years. It’s given me hope and that’s one of the reasons that I made the album.

I always ask musicians this, and I know it’s like picking your favorite child, but do you have a favorite track on the album?

I do, I do. It’s actually “Dank”. It’s a song about marijuana – and I know it’s a hot topic and in everyone’s conversations in their houses lately and what’s considered medicinal and what’s considered over usage. I’ve been using medical marijuana for medicinal reasons for about five or six years now, and it’s drastically improved my life.

I’m not on half of the medicines that they try and put me on so it’s something that I really like to be able to share with other people and let them know it’s okay to try it. You know, definitely check with your doctor first, but it’s okay to try it. It’s not really a drug, in my personal opinion, it’s a healer, so I think “Dank” is my favorite because it makes me smile. It makes me realize why I wrote the album to begin with.

If a genie came and said you can collaborate musically with anybody you want, who would you want to work with?

Sam Smith – right off the bat, and of course, the legend herself, Madonna. To be able to cover one of her tracks would be an absolute dream of mine.

Do you have a favorite song of hers?

Something to Remember is my favorite album. I think “Secret” is a great song and I love “Human Nature”. It kind of relates to the song “Fvck It” on my album. It’s one of those, you know, you can put me in a box, you can label me whatever you want, but at the end of the day, fuck it. You know? I mean, we’re all just living our lives the best we can and we’re doing the best we can.

Do you plan on making any videos to accompany any of the tracks?

I do, I’m working on a video right now. It’s difficult to make the video because it is for “Stronger Than Time”. It’s the first single that I released and that’s the song that I released for my dad and it’s still a little bit of a touchy subject for me because I just lost him about five months ago, and every time I get into the groove of putting the video together, it just gets a little emotional for me. So I’ve given myself a timeline now and I’m hoping to put out three videos by my birthday this year, which will be October 18th.

What are you hoping that people will take away from your music?

A sense that they’re not alone. A sense that there is community everywhere around you. A sense that anything that comes your way stand tall and know that you can get through it. I think finding people and family around you that can really make a difference in your life can create an album like this, and I think anybody can create an album if they want to put your stuff to music, put your stuff to something special that your whole family can enjoy long after you’re gone. That’s what I like.

Now you are what I consider a Renaissance man. You produce television shows, you make music but what is your favorite thing to do?

My favorite thing to do is actually play video games with my husband. It’s kind of a de-stressor. It kind of takes your mind out of everything. So, we’ll put on our PlayStation and play some games all afternoon and listen to music. And music is a big part of our lives as well. So. I sit back and play video games.  And we love horror movies too. Horror movies are just. I love the adrenaline rush.

In addition to the music and the videos, what else are you doing?  

For right now, we’re focusing more on my, my drag family which is kind of where we got the idea for Seance with the Queens. I think these times are really tough for them so I put in a lot of stuff on the back burner to make sure that I’m available for them. A lot of deep conversations, a lot of mentoring and it helps me deal with the loss of my dad by being able to help others. Our LGBT families is quite large and just teaching them to care for each other and how to promote themselves properly and setting them up for when I’m not around, so that way they can excel at life.

Gregg Answers the Socialite Seven

What is your biggest pet peeve?

My biggest pet peeve is lazy people. People that make excuses for not being able to do the simplest things.

If you wrote your autobiography, what would the title be?

It would probably be Reasons. That’s something that I was toying with. Stronger Than Time was the original, of course, with the book being completely dedicated to my dad. But I would say now it would probably be Reasons because I think a lot of people look at me and they wonder why I am who I am and how I’ve gotten where I am, and these are the reasons why.

What is your most prized possession?

My most prized possession…it’s my husband, it’s the truth. It’s my husband because if he were not in my life, I would not be here at all. I just wouldn’t. Family is everything to me and will continue to be until I’m done.

What superpower or talent would you like to wake up with tomorrow?

I would say a superpower I’d like to have would be telekinesis. Oddly enough, I just watched a movie on that the other day. I think being able to move objects around, it would be fun. I’m also somebody who likes to play jokes on people, so that would be great. Make people laugh 24/7. I think that would be a lot of fun. I think it would be useful.

What are three things you can’t live without?

I can’t live without my husband, of course. I cannot live without my dog. My dog, Rocco, is my little chihuahua. He is my little baby. And I would say I can’t live without listening to music because music I think, really helps you remember things.It’s helped with cognitive things. Music is definitely up there.

What are you most grateful for?

I am most grateful to be able to wake up. When I was told that I had a terminal diagnosis six years ago, it was hard to deal with and put me into a major state of depression and made me disabled, unfortunately. But I think being able to realize the people and the help that are around you make me get up every day. It gives me a reason to get up every day because I want to be able to enhance other people’s lives while I’m still around because I think that’s the biggest compliment you can pay someone.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve been given?

The best piece of advice is from my dad which is If anything confronts you – whether it be a problem, an issue, a person, a job, whatever it is – take a breath, stand tall, assess everything around you and make the right decisions and just follow your heart because if you follow your heart, generally speaking, you’re not going to make the wrong decision.

Reasons is now available wherever you stream your music.  Keep up with Gregg on Spotify and Instagram.

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