Miss Madeline is every pop star you’ve ever wanted to be rolled into one. She’s decadently raunchy, unapologetically nasty, ineffably gorgeous, and inexpressibly fabulous. She’s what your parents pray you won’t become and what your boyfriend (or girlfriend) prays you will. Her “megasuperstarprincess” style is a candy-coated, TRL-inspired take on the classic Uptown-Class-Meets-Downtown-Trash identity that so many of New York’s greatest have flaunted ever since the days of Andy Warhol and The Factory.
Originally hailing from Jersey, Miss Madeline has established herself as a NYC “It” girl and made pronounced waves on the internet with sassy AF singles (and videos) like “Ready Set Go” and “Platinum.” She spent much of this summer in LA, promoting her latest single, “Bad Girls,” with live sets at roving rave party, Heav3n, in addition to a We Found New Music showcase. Paper wrote, “Paying homage to the ‘Pop Princess’ archetype, Miss Madeline is proving she has what it takes to become the world’s next bright star, and she’s certainly not stopping for anything,” while like-minded pop provocateur Slayyyter included her on a recent playlist. Today Miss Madeline drops her latest single “Lullaby,” along with an accompanying video, and recently she took some time to tell me what she’s all about in an email chat that made me desperately miss 1997 and AIM.
Izzy Cihak: Considering that your career is still in the “buzzworthy” stage, I’m curious if you’ve had any favorite reactions to your music, or even just your persona, whether from critics, fans, or just friends?
Miss Madeline: Twitter is hilarious so pretty much every comment I receive on there makes my day.
Izzy Cihak: I’ve actually interviewed a lot of artists recently who are also wholeheartedly embracing this kind of Y2K pop/TRL aesthetic. What do you think it is about that sound, that look, and that period that is resonating so profoundly with so many people these days?
Miss Madeline: Well I’ve been on this wave for a while now…. I grew up idolizing artists of that era, so naturally it stuck with me. I’m living out the same fantasy I had since I was a little girl. They say trends happen in 20 years cycles….right? So next up is the 2010s….what I call the bat mitzvah era…and I’m here for it.
Izzy Cihak: Instead of asking artists about their biggest musical influences, recently I’ve been asking artists about some of their favorite albums. Are there any albums that really stand out as favorites of yours, whether stuff you grew up with, or things that you’ve been obsessed with more recently?
Miss Madeline: These albums shaped miss m.
Rumours- Fleetwood Mac
Frank – Amy Winehouse
Blackout- Britney Spears
Sex Dreams and Denim Jeans- Uffie
Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded – Nicki Minaj
Izzy Cihak: I saw that you and JD Samson “follow” each other on Twitter. She’s been one of my favorite people in music since I was a teen, and Le Tigre is like one of my 10 favorite bands ever. How do the two of you know each other? I’m assuming it’s through the NYC club scene.
Miss Madeline: haha! JD Was actually my professor and mentor in college! She is very legendary and iconic. She was tough on us though…and I appreciate that. I always felt like she understood what I was doing….which was sometimes challenging in a school type environment considering the type of music/vibes I give off lol….She pushed me to go above and beyond with my artistry and persona and I’m very thankful for her guidance and support.
Izzy Cihak: I understand that you have a new track coming out September 21st. What can fans look forward to on your latest single?
Miss Madeline: something vulnerable….still hits hard af tho.
Izzy Cihak: And you’re working on an EP, right? What can be expected of that and when can we expect it to hit shelves? Is there going to be a fair amount of unreleased music on it?
Miss Madeline: Yes!! Definitely before the New year! It’s my first real cohesive *project* which feels really…. rewarding as an artist who’s been finding my sound and persona for like the past 4 + years now. I feel like every track on the project encapsulates this moment in my career and the story I want to tell…I’m so And I’m excited to continue to grow as an artist, cuz I know there’s so much more to unlock.
Izzy Cihak: I also heard that you have a few upcoming shows. What does a Miss Madeline live show look like? I imagine it would be something to really leave an impression.
Miss Madeline: I must! My music is so…extra…so I would like the performance to match. I like to perform with dancers…to be honest I feel more comfortable having them there with me…but I know it’s not plausible for every show. I grew up a competition dancer, so I feel like it’s a skill that I can flaunt and sets me apart. My vision is huge…arenas, smoke, fire…all of it. So dancers are something I can incorporate at the stage I’m at in my career right now. Who doesnt wanna see 3 sexys chicks shaking ass on stage….
Izzy Cihak: There aren’t enough artists to whom I get to ask this, but what would you hope your fans would wear to come out to see you? I feel like you might have high standards, and you should…
Miss Madeline: As long as they are ready to dance and get sweaty….im happy:)
Izzy Cihak: On a related note, I really dig your style, which kind of reminds me of my hs years, when I looked like a character in Velvet Goldmine. What is it that inspires your sense of fashion? Do you have any particularly significant style icons?
Miss Madeline: ok love that! and thank you:) well…i like to show a lot of skin…so as little clothes as possible is my vibe haha. Snooki, Lil Kim and Paris Hilton are some of my style icons….I don’t take myself too seriously with what i wear…so if you can make something fugly or ridiculous look cool…that’s what i’m all about.
Izzy Cihak: Finally, what’s next for you? What are you planning for the rest of 2021 and the first part of 2022? Anything you’re especially excited about?
Miss Madeline: SO MUCH MORE MUSIC!!!! I have a lot of songs that I wrote last month…and more from before then….I cant wait to share them:)
