True to her name, the Manhattan-born singer/songwriter Madame Mayhem brings chaos everywhere she shows up. With three albums and many successful singles under her belt, she doesn’t fit into any particular box and paves the path for herself with a powerful voice, thunderous guitars, arena rock hits, and electrifying energy. We had a chance to ask Madame Mayhem a few questions just in time for her performance at Online Female Fest on May 13. Get ready for the show with the following interview.
MG: Thanks for your time! How’s it going?
Madame Mayhem: Hi! Thanks for reaching out! Fortunately, I have been good, all things considered, thanks!
MG: Let’s go back in time a little. Your career started at a very young age, performing with Music Theatre International and Disney. How do you recall this period in your life?
Madame Mayhem: I loved it. Working with Musical Theatre International was my first professional gig. From a very young age I learned a lot and really enjoyed being part of it and performing.
MG: You’ve studied at several prestigious schools and universities and majored in classical opera and musical theatre. With this background, would you agree that it is important to learn and study music and music history to be a good artist? Or is it more of a matter of passion, determination and feelings?
Madame Mayhem: I think it really has helped me in my career. But I also know amazing artists who didn’t study; however I do think it helps significantly. Having the professional and classical training I have, has helped me in every aspect of my career. My background and training along with passion and determination make me the artist I am.
MG: Throughout your career, you’ve performed at a number of amazing venues, festivals and alongside great deal of amazing artists, such as Doro, Sevendust, Memphis May Fire and others. Which’s been your most memorable performance or tour so far?
Madame Mayhem: I have been very lucky to have been able to tour and perform in many amazing venues and alongside many amazing bands. There have been so many memorable performances. But one of those performances was HILLS OF ROCK in Plovdiv, Bulgaria in 2018. We were one of the opening acts for Judas Priest on the main stage. The people of Jägermeister Bulgaria were so awesome to us there as well. It was so much fun and there were so many people. It was maybe one of the biggest shows we had ever done and that experience will always hold a special place in my heart.
MG: Your latest studio album “Ready For Me” came out in 2017. You’ve dropped a couple of singles since then. What are your future plans? Any EP or maybe LP on the horizon?
Madame Mayhem: Yes! My newest single, “Cruel Heart” is out now! I hope everyone has a chance to listen and rock out to it! It is available on all digital platforms. We are planning to release a few more singles and then an EP or Full-length album in the near future.
MG: In 2020, you did a cover of Aerosmith’s “Livin’ On The Edge”. Now, let’s imagine it is Aerosmith who are covering Madame Mayhem. Which one of your songs would they cover?
Madame Mayhem: Honestly, I would be beyond thrilled if Aerosmith covered ANY of my songs! What an honor that would be.
MG: Watching your music videos, they have this rebellious vibe to them. What is the most trouble you’ve ever gotten into?
Madame Mayhem: The rebellious vibe I try to convey is very much about standing up for yourself and not letting other people tell you who to be. It’s all about embracing the inner strength we all have inside us.
MG: If I were to look at the artists you are listening to, who would be on your playlist? Who’s been rocking your 2021 musically so far?
Madame Mayhem: I love listening to lots of different music. But some artists I have been listening to lately include: Avril Lavigne and Mod Sun’s new song “Flames” (I can’t get it out of my head), I Prevail, and honestly a lot of throwback pop/punk/emo from the early 2000s.
MG: You’re one of the artists performing at this year’s edition of Online Female Fest which aims to unite female artists across different genres in one event held for charity. Was it hard to convince you to say yes? I think the message of the whole project is just incredible…
Madame Mayhem: I am very excited to be part of the second edition of Online Female fest! It was not hard at all for me to say yes. I think it’s important to give both music fans and artists something to look forward to and enjoy. It’s a chance for performance and some sort of interaction and connection even if it is virtual. I really do love what the Online female festival does: Showcasing female artists across multiple genres and countries and with a charitable option for a good cause.
MG: Is this your first experience with the festival or have you heard of it or maybe even tuned in to watch last year?
Madame Mayhem: This is my first experience, though I have been following the festival on social media even before being confirmed for the festival and have seen clips from last year.
MG: With festival getting closer, do you experience stress before going on stage? How do you deal with it?
Madame Mayhem: Honestly, the stage has always been a place of comfort for me. Performing is really my favorite thing in the world to do, so I don’t experience stress in that sense. But there are usually logistics or other things going on before and after performing that are stressful for sure! But good news for me is the moment I get on stage or start performing all of that stress goes away.
MG: What can we expect from your performance? Is it gonna be an acoustic set or a full-band rock show? Any surprises waiting for us?
Madame Mayhem: There will be some surprises in the set, so everyone will have to tune in to see what those are ;). The band will be performing with me which is exciting for us since it will be the first time in a long time that we will be performing live all together. I think it will also be great for the viewers to see us rocking out together again as a band. We always give 110% and give the performance all of our energy and passion.
Metal Goddesses 