We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Max Madly a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Max, appreciate you joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

Art has always been a force in my life in some way or another. Growing up, I spent a lot of time painting with my grandmother in her studio. She was exceptional at her craft, but never fussed over it. Her process was messy and chaotic but also enrapturing and meditative. She always helped me feel free with myself while creating. Painting or doing anything creative were the few times when I felt safe in my own skin as a child.

When I started singing, it was a similar but more intense feeling. I had this insane pull toward anything musical. I was fully enamored with classical music at a young age and spent probably too much time alone in my room, reading while listening to mainly morose orchestral stuff or Avril Lavigne. I remember begging my mom to put me in piano lessons after hearing my cousin play Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata (still one of my favorite compositions to this day) and even though piano lessons didn’t stick, it was a major part of my growth as a musician. Shortly after, I fell head over heels with being on stage after singing at a school talent show. It was the first time I can remember feeling like I just…fit. I remember noticing how rare and special it felt to belong somewhere and to know that I could always find my place in the world through music. From there, I continued singing in school choirs and started classical training in opera. You can still hear influences of that in my music now.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Max Madly and I’m a singer/songwriter and musician. I just released my latest single, “girlbeast,” available on all platforms now. Most people are shocked when they find out that my music career started in classical music and opera. For the first 10-15 years as a musician, I was singing in school choirs and doing rigorous classical training, then ended up singing opera for 4-5 years. I loved it but it was too limiting for me artistically. I moved away from that world to feel more free and expressive. If you listen closely to my music now, you can still hear subtle influences of that classical sound in my songwriting.

I create all of my own photography, visuals and videos. I’ve never seen the visual content as a separate piece of the music puzzle…I treat it as one seamless blob of expression. I think that’s why I’ve kept full creative control of my projects, and I don’t see that changing any time soon.

I’m most proud of how vulnerable my songwriting is. More recently, I’ve written about grief, rejection and my mental health struggles. Darkness has always been beautiful and essential to my work. I don’t shy away from it because it makes me feel whole and connected. I don’t think I could make music if I didn’t let myself sink into my lowest lows, feel it all, then share it with the world. Music has always been my vessel for that. I honestly don’t know where else to put it all. It’s right there, for everyone to see, hear and feel with me if they choose to.

How did you build your audience on social media?

I started my social media on Instagram (@max.madly) about 2-3 years before releasing any music. I used it as a place to build my brand by sharing my art through photos and videos. At the end of 2020, I started using TikTok and grew my page to ~50K followers after about a year. I try to use it as a form of expression first and a marketing tool second. I still have to remind myself to have fun with it and get rid of all of the pressure behind it. Even though it’s a powerful marketing tool, having that intense mindset sucks all the artistry and authenticity away.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

I feel unbelievably grateful any time my music inspires another artist to create something of their own. That has always inspired me to keep doing what I’m doing. The only other thing that compares is when someone tells me that my music helped them in some way. I’ve read comments about how my music helped someone through loss, depression or just a bad day, and it always makes me feel incomprehensibly blessed. Music has been my solace in every way for as long as I can remember. It has always been my dream to make music that can give that to someone else.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.maxmadly.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/max.madly
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/maxmadlymusic
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/maxmadly
• Youtube: www.youtube.com/@MaxMadlyVEVO
• Other: www.tiktok.com/@maxmadly