Interview: MADiSON ViOLETT

Rising artist MADiSON ViOLETT is quickly carving out a distinct space in the alternative scene with her raw, uncompromising sound. In this interview, we dive into the visceral intensity of her new single, “BLEED FOR ME,” and explore the evolution of her songwriting and composing process. She breaks down the creative dynamic behind her powerful collaboration with Kellin Quinn of Sleeping With Sirens and offers a glimpse into what’s next on the horizon. Join us as we sit down with one of the most exciting new voices currently pushing boundaries and redefining her own musical path.

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Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions. “Bleed For Me” is an incredibly intense and emotionally charged title. What is the core story or personal experience that drove the theme of this track?

“BLEED FOR ME is a tragic love song in a sense. It encapsulates that painful feeling as you watch your friends and loved ones around you all find their ‘special someones’; find connection and romance. That leads to the questions: “Why not me? Am I doing something wrong? Is there something wrong with me?” The lyrics are a plea: ‘Will you bleed for me, like I bleed for you? Is that something you can do?’ 

However, Kellin’s verse is the lyrical beacon of hope in the track. Things will be okay- and it will become right when they need to be. There’s no need to rush. ‘Take my heart by the hand, don’t ever let me go, don’t ever be afraid, I’ll be your afterglow.’ I’m so excited to share BLEED FOR ME with the world and I hope it will resonate with others who are feeling the same way. A reminder that there will always be light within darkness- you just have to find it.

The track is described as delivering a powerful balance of melody, aggression, and catharsis. When you sit down to write, how do you recognize when a song has hit that perfect cathartic sweet spot?

I’m extremely emotionally responsive to music, and have been since as long as I can remember—it’s frankly one of the reasons I fell in love with it. I don’t make art without intention. To reach that ‘catharsis’, It’s a combination of honest and deep lyricism with carefully thought out chord progressions/harmonies. I draw a lot of inspiration from 2000s post hardcore as well as modern metalcore, which tend to lean towards intelligent and well-thought-out songwriting. All of it boils down to honesty when putting music down on paper. The works I am most proud about are born through vulnerability.

Your lyrics are deeply intimate, yet the instrumentation is massive and arena-ready. Is it challenging to keep a song feeling personal and close to the chest when the sound around it is so explosive?

No, I use the ‘explosiveness’ as a device. The arena ready sound melds with the intimate lyricism and carries the message across not only through the words but sonically. My songs that deal with powerful emotions deserve powerful instrumentation.

For an artist breaking into the scene with such a heavy, mature sound, your compositional sense is very sharp. How does your songwriting process typically begin? Does it start with a vocal melody, a lyric, or a heavy guitar riff?

It honestly depends. When I enter a mood to start writing, it usually begins with something I’d been inspired by (maybe a cool chord progression, melody, production, lyric) etc. and I build off of it. Sometimes, a fun exercise I like to do is pinpointing the emotion I want to convey through the song and attempt to translate it through a melody/harmony/chord progression. 

Sometimes it starts with poetry/a cool lyric/concept. Occasionally I finish lyrics before even starting to write the song and I shape the sonic atmosphere around that.

From there I continue building up and go through many revision stages. When a new idea pops into my head I try it out no matter what and if it works, it works. If it doesn’t, I move on and continue to write.

“Bleed For Me” beautifully bridges the urgency of 2000s post-hardcore with the slick, cinematic production of modern metalcore. How do you work with your production team to achieve that balance without losing the grit?

I’m very inspired by the production of modern metalcore which tends to be very experimental but also very clean and polished. Bands (to name a few) that inspire me sonically such as Spiritbox, Erra, Bring Me The Horizon, and Silent Planet all have very admirable polished production but maintain their heaviness flawlessly. It all comes down to a clean balance of the song’s instrumentation. I like to have a good amount of production and experiment with electronic sounds but have it work alongside the guitar and bass, not one thing overpowering the other.

Being based in Los Angeles, a city with an incredibly rich but diverse music history, how has the local environment or scene influenced your identity as a heavy artist?

Definitely, it’s amazing living in LA as a musician. I’ve had the opportunity to play/network with hundreds of other bands and play at historic venues such as The Viper Room. It’s very awesome seeing so many different sounds and styles diverge here. There’s definitely a strong tight-knit culture between LA musicians and I think the community of it all makes life as a live performer and an artist a lot more enjoyable. 

Your debut single, “Circling,” really turned heads last year. Looking at “Bleed For Me” side-by-side with your debut, where do you feel you’ve made the biggest leap forward as a vocalist and songwriter?

Between now and when I started this project, it’s given me a lot of time to develop my identity as an artist. Although I am still growing as this project is so new, I feel like my music feels a lot more like me. As I’ve had time and many singles to try new production techniques, vocal styles, and songwriting elements inspired by the bands that carry the same impact I strive to do, I’m starting to see the beginnings of a vision I have for the future of this project. I feel like the biggest leap is in my confidence. I’m a lot more comfortable in my songwriting now that the pathways are clearer.

While “Circling” leaned heavily into emotional vulnerability and soaring choruses, “Bleed For Me” steps up the sonic violence with some crushing breakdowns. What inspired you to push the heavier, metalcore side of your vision further this time around?

Again, I’m becoming more in touch of who I want to be as an artist as time goes on. Bleed For Me is a fantastic sonic representation of where this project is heading. Musically, I’m creating a fusion between that polished and clean experimental production along with the ‘crushing sonic violence’ of modern metalcore.

You pull from a wide palette: post-hardcore, metalcore, and alternative rock. Who are some of the foundational artists or albums that first made you realize you wanted to create heavy music?

As mentioned before, Spiritbox is a prominent influence on my sound. I love how flawlessly they meld innovative production with the brutality of metalcore and death core. Courtney LaPlante is an insane female metal vocalist and it’s super cool seeing a woman dominating the scene.

Additionally, the vocals of Amy Lee and Kellin Quinn have greatly inspired me to continue pursuing my vocal technique/style within this genre. Musically, Evanescence is a cornerstone of my inspiration. There’s something so entrancing about powerhouse melodies on top of heavy instrumentation.

The massive hooks and breakdowns on “Bleed For Me” feel custom-built for a live crowd. What are your plans for taking this music on the road, and what can fans expect from a MADiSON ViOLETT live performance?

Currently, I perform primarily in the LA/OC area in Southern California. You can find info about upcoming shows at my Instagram, @venomous.violett. This summer is packed with a lot of amazing performances you won’t want to miss!

That’s it. Thank you for your time. Anything you would like to say to our readers in the end of this interview?

BLEED FOR ME is streaming now! You can find it on all platforms under MADiSON ViOLETT. Make sure to check out all of my pages on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok under @venomous.violett.