Meet Madison Garrey of Maddie the Madz in Hollywood

Today we’d like to introduce you to Madison Garrey.

Madison, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Since I was a child, I’ve always loved to write. I consider myself a natural storyteller and have always had a passion for words. In elementary school, I would even spend recess reviewing vocabulary flashcards in the library for fun. I remember in third grade, our class would have to create book jackets as book reports for stories we had read, and I enjoyed storytelling so much that I made dozens of book jackets for imaginary books with stories I had made up. After losing my mother at a young age, I began to use writing, specifically poetry, as a form of therapy. By high school, I had won a couple of poetry contests and had some works featured in local publications. Although I loved music, I didn’t start diving into song writing until I was in college. My interest in rapping started as a fun challenge to myself. I am a huge fan of rap because of the wordplay and technical skill involved, and I wanted to see if I could put my poetry to music. I have always been told I talk extremely fast, so I figured rapping wouldn’t be a challenge for me. I also have always possessed the hidden talent of knowing all the lyrics to every song imaginable by heart, which I never knew would be a useful skill that could benefit me in any way until I started having to memorize my raps. As soon as I wrote my first full length rap song, I was hooked. I loved rapping and writing music.

For several years, I worked on improving my skills, writing songs as often as I could between finishing my Bachelor’s and working full time. I eventually found a wonderful music producer named Devon Hancock at the start of 2018. Devon allowed me to take my music to the next level with his exceptional recording and mastering abilities. Since meeting him, I have since written and recorded a ten song rap/hip-hop album that will be released in full spring of 2020. I have already released several singles from the album on all major platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, and iTunes, I recently have moved to Hollywood to continue to pursue my songwriting passion, and have already written several songs for my next album.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The most challenging part of writing an album that I have faced is the confidence in my voice as a rapper. As a white woman, there is not necessarily a huge space for me in the rap world, and I haven’t always been received with open arms. There have been many trolls and internet haters, as they say, who have tried to put down my work. But I remind myself that even the greatest of the greats in any artistic endeavor receive criticism and negative feedback. It’s an unavoidable part of expressing ourselves. Overall, though, people have had a very positive response to my music, and I have had people as far as the Netherlands reach out to my artist page to tell me they love my songs, and they’re on their workout playlist. It’s a wonderful feeling!

Please tell us about your work.
As a songwriter, I consider my style to be a complex melodic rap. I have been told I have a unique sound that doesn’t quite sound like anyone else on the market. I like to blend intricate wordplay and layers of rhymes with haunting melodies and catchy hooks. I always write songs that tell a story, start to finish, and that draw from real experiences in my life.

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
The most important quality that I possess is my authenticity. I do not try to brag about money or designer clothes in my music, as so many artists do. I don’t use overtly sexual content in my music, which is what many female rappers are known for, as well. I write songs that are truthful to life and that draw from personal experiences. Again, my writing has always been a form of therapy for me. Writing music is when I feel most at peace and most alive.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5fiiTw7XpwBi3Pk9V7eEwP
• Email: maddiethemadz@yahoo.com
• Instagram: Maddiethemadz
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maddiethemadz/?eid=ARBG8Cmqu7GFn-0Q8B8CNjmi-U1KxIq4K3dGvytm_3oUP9K1yY-hk3-8hkl0wkMFxPcLtnWYp6yY9z4Y
• Twitter: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQlF9XgTIaDu5A5TmqD8i7g
• Other: https://soundcloud.com/maddiethemadz

Image Credit:
Marc Taraz, Devon Hancock, Eric McQueston

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