INTRODUCING: MADDY STORM
Get to know your new favourite pop artist!
Maddy Storm, is a 24-year-old pop artist who’s on a mission to break into mainstream music without following the traditional route. With all of her songs written, produced and released entirely independently, she’s keen to contribute to young women’s representation in production.
Her brand new single, ‘The Art of Giving Up’ follows recent singles ‘Surrealist Dinner Party’ and ‘Dizzying Heights’ which have already had coverage across BBC Introducing. With a bank of material ready to be unleashed, Maddy has her sights set on greatness in the coming year, ready to provide the bizarre new world with a suitably space age soundtrack.
VOCAL GIRLS caught up with Storm about her musical influences, go-to tracks and dreams for the future.
How do you describe your music in three words?
The three P’s - Personal, Pop and PHAT.
Where are you from - and what’s the best and worst thing about the place?
The Midlands - the best: it’s quiet and nothing goes on…the worst: it’s quiet and nothing goes on.
What are most of your lyrics centred around?
My personal experiences - I try to write about the things I’m too scared to, or think that I shouldn’t as they’re usually the most honest and well received.
What’s the first song of yours that people should listen to and why?
I’d start with ‘The Art of Giving up’, my most recent single because it’s new and shiny…and the best representation of where I am at musically.
The three main artist inspirations for your music?
I know as soon as I choose I’ll remember 10 other artists that I should’ve picked but I’m going to say Kate Bush, John Lennon and Radiohead.
What’s your artist aesthetic?
Over-the-top pop
Other than music - what are you really passionate about?
I love art, both creating and viewing it. I do my own album artwork - I find it’s another great outlet for expression.
What’s the best song for lifting you out of a bad mood?
Having a dance around to Getcha Good by Shania Twain always seems to do the trick.
The song that best depicts your mood right now?
Radiohead - Daydreaming
Greatest love song?
There is a Light That Never Goes Out - The Smiths - it’s one of the most interesting ways to say I love you that I’ve ever heard.
The saddest song ever?
Roman Candle - Elliot Smith - I don’t know if it’s the saddest song ever, but it’s pretty sad and whenever I’m being a bit maungy I put it on.
The first gig you ever went to?
I’d like to say it was something cool & edgy but it was most probably Jason Derulo or the X Factor Tour.
Dream venue to play?
There are many venues I daydream about playing like MSG or The Royal Albert Hall, but the show I imagine most frequently is headlining the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury.
Favourite all time lyric?
That’s a very tough question. I’m going to go with “It's hard to hold the hand of anyone, who is reaching for the sky just to surrender” from The Stranger Song by Leonard Cohen, but it could have just as easily been any of the lyrics from It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding) by Bob Dylan.
The artist you wish you could have seen before they died?
Jimi Hendrix.
Favourite new artist/band we should check out?
Mealtime, tasty beats and spicy synths.
When will you know you’ve really made it?
When I can order a second round of margaritas without checking the price…
On the real, I think that my idea of ‘making it’ constantly changes - at the moment I feel like it would mean something kind of quantifiable like accolades or sold out shows but if you’d have told me when I was 15 that I’d be on blogs like this, I’d have played festivals I love and had people believe in my vision, I would’ve said I’d made it already.
