We recently connected with Madison McGhee and have shared our conversation below.

Madison, appreciate you joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

My most meaningful project is my current one – Ice Cold Case. It’s a true crime podcast, but it’s more than that. Even the word “meaningful” feels like an understatement. It doesn’t get more personal than this. I’m investigating my dad’s murder. In 2002, my dad, John Cornelius McGhee was shot and killed in the doorway of his home. It has been an unsolved murder ever since. I took it upon myself to start investigating the case in an attempt to find closure, justice, and answers and it has turned into a journey of self-exploration, detective work, and the uncovering of dark secrets. It’s been meaningful in ways that are hard to articulate, but the most powerful has been getting to know my dad through this project who I lost when I was just six years old.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Madison McGhee and I am a producer, filmmaker, director, and accidental podcast host. I started working in the entertainment industry before I even really knew it was an industry. I made videos as a kid for this little platform called YouTube and from there I was enamored with content creation and storytelling. I knew that this was a path I wanted to pursue and when I was 16-years-old, I found out that my dad was murdered and that really lit a fire inside of me. I had to be a storyteller because I had to tell my own story. I learned everything I could about the craft and art of filmmaking and thought that I would eventually make a documentary about my dad and his case. I made television shows for major networks and streaming services, but I was always drawn back to my dad’s cold case. I needed to know what happen to him. Podcasting was at an all-time-high so I decided that was medium to tell this story.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

My friend Mia Brabham once told me: you don’t fail, you pivot. And that has been a lesson that I have carried with me as I have been on this creative journey. Things will shift and you pivot, you don’t fail. Making my podcast was a huge pivot. I wanted a documentary more than anything. That’s what I envisioned. That’s what it was meant to be in my mind. So when the podcast concept started to float around, I was very worried about making the change. But now that it’s out, I am so glad I did that and I didn’t allow myself to be too stubborn. In creative endeavors there is a fine line between sticking to your convictions and being fluid. And this project required me to be and do both simultaneously.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

I want to solve my dad’s murder. That’s the mission for my current project. And it’s a big one. It’s going to take a lot of time. But overall, my driving force is telling stories that matter. I want to change the way people see the world and think about certain issues, topics, and people. That will only happen if I’m able to hone in on storytelling in a way that I’m not sure has ever been done before. And that challenge is leading the charge for me right now.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.madison-mcghee.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/madison_mcghee
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/icecoldcase
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/madison_mcghee
• Youtube: www.youtube.com/madisonmcgheetv
• Other: www.icecoldcase.com

Image Credits
Headshot is courtesy of Trevor Paul