You might know her from her heartbreaking hit song “Mean,” but Madeline The Person has continued to flourish in creating honest, candid, and ethereal indie pop songs in her latest storytelling installment, “Chapter 4: The End.” Filled with honest lyricism, gentle instrumentation, and hypnotizing vocals, Madeline The Person is creating the soundtrack for your most vulnerable moments.
The singer released the final chapter of her four-part EP series, where she explores themes of heartbreak, coming of age, and self-discovery. Madeline The Person plays with metaphors, narrative techniques, and vivid imagery masterfully throughout all four chapters of her story that will make you want to listen to it front to back time and time again. This final chapter is enrapturing and leaves you in a bittersweet, emotional ache in all the best ways.
The singer-songwriter sat down with Intersect to discuss emotional vulnerability, technicolor aesthetics, and coming of age.
You explore a wide range of genres and emotions in your music. How would you describe your music that encapsulates those complex elements?
I would describe my music as indie pop with an emphasis on lyricism. I normally have a hard time describing my sound because it’s constantly developing and changing slightly with every song I make. I’ve leaned into pop, especially in my third EP, Chapter 3: The Burning, but I will always have a soft spot for folky singer/songwriter sounds.
You just released your EP “Chapter 4: The End,” it’s a stellar project! How do you feel this is different from your previous EPs?
This EP was made to be similar to the others because they all come together as one cohesive piece of art, but I do think I am beginning to find my footing with what sounds make sense for me. The End feels like maturing while keeping my inner child in mind along the way.
You’ve released 4 EPs and each tells a different aspect of a story (the longing, the shedding, the burning, the end.) How would you define each era and what is the overarching story you feel you’ve been telling?
This little book of EPs chronicles my life from being a young teen to now, with pieces of my childhood sprinkled in. The Longing was a story of growing up carrying the weight of grief while being a highly sensitive person in general. The Shedding was a look into my journey of finding my identity and experiencing queer love for the first time. The Burning was my rageful outburst after being told to keep it all in for so long. The End is me stepping into adulthood, still grieving, still being highly sensitive, still loving with all of my heart. It’s literally a biography.
How did you decide that this 4th EP was the final chapter of your story?
I started this project knowing there would only be four chapters, and it all happened to fall into place at the right time.
What was a highlight of creating this EP?
I loved getting to co-produce for the first time with my dear friend Maya’s help on Tantrum. Husky & Pug, and Maya did the heavy lifting, and I got to get my hands dirty and learn so much along the way. Maya, Sara (her girlfriend and my oldest friend and epic photographer), and I spent lots of time in the same room, slightly losing our minds but loving every moment.
Each EP has had an entirely different, but very technicolor aesthetic which I love! What is your process for finding these distinct, pop art based, visuals?
I love making art in any capacity I possibly can, and I love to create worlds in which my songs can live. I draw inspiration from lots of kid’s TV shows and cartoons from back in the day. For example, I referenced the Teletubbies show when drawing up the set idea for the picnic in the Watercolor Flowers music video. I think the oversaturated landscape helps convey the dream-like feeling of the song. Oftentimes, I just follow my imagination and what runs through my mind when I sing/hear each song. It is really exciting when a group of songs can coexist so well in the world I’ve created around them.
The aesthetic of this EP is the most stripped back and muted, what made you take that more raw approach with this EP?
When writing this EP, I was really drawn to liminal spaces and dreamy imagery. I wanted to somehow show a glimpse into my dreams at night, which are so full of color and life but also eerie and empty. I wanted to highlight the feeling of walking into an empty room and having a gut feeling that you’ve been there before. But maybe only in your dreams.
What’s your favorite track on the new EP and why?
“Things I Carry” is so very special to me. It feels like the climax of all of my art up to this point. It’s me stepping into a newfound power over my trauma and grief. I sing this song, and I feel whole inside.
You just announced a mini tour for this EP: What track are you most excited to adapt to a live performance and why?
I am so stoked to sing Tantrum live because it’s more upbeat, and that’s quite new to me to perform something the teeniest bit dance-y.
What do you have coming up next?
I’m hoping to write more music, possibly an album. I’m also so excited to perform more live shows next year. I plan on having a really large amount of fun and joy.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
I hope that listeners are inspired to make friends with their big feelings. Your stories are important and you’re so, so, so not alone.