Inspired by icons like Sleeping With Sirens, Saosin, and My Chemical Romance, Madison Violett is creating music that blends the nostalgia of late-2000s rock with a modern twist, channeling the energy of the Warped Tour era into her own music. Evolving from frontwoman to solo artist, she’s embraced her identity and songwriting style, eager to express herself fully. Beyond music, she’s dedicated to environmental activism, volunteering for beach cleanups, and supporting fire victims. To learn more about Madison Violett read on!

Where are you based?
I’m based out of Los Angeles, but I’m involved in the SoCal scene as a whole. I live in the Westwood neighborhood, as I’m a current student at UCLA!

What inspired you to pursue a career in the music industry?
When I was three, I absolutely fell in love with music. Music as an art form amazed me because it was something you heard but physically felt. After realizing that all the artists I listened to were doing this as a career, my dream and lifelong goal of becoming a musician began. Throughout my childhood, I worked towards this — as I’m the type of person who doesn’t let anyone in the way of accomplishing my dreams. I began with dance/singing groups, musical theatre, and recitals, but I realized I was missing something. I wanted to learn an instrument to accompany my singing and immerse myself in the world of singing-songwriting, so I picked up an acoustic guitar. My introduction to acoustic guitar led to my discovery of electric, and that prompted my obsession with rock and metal.

How would you describe your musical identity, and how do different genres shape the sound and emotion of your work?
When I began my journey into rock, I joined a pop-punk band when I was 12 and released a full 6-track EP. Writing music of that genre definitely influenced my style, but my favorite genre of all time is undoubtedly metal. My introduction to metal began when I was 13 with two post-hardcore bands from the late 2000’s and early 2010’s, A Day To Remember and Pierce the Veil. I fell in love with post-hardcore, leading to the discovery of similar bands that ultimately inspire the music I write now. I’d say I’m primarily inspired by Sleeping With Sirens, Saosin, and Pierce the Veil. However, my music taste is so diverse that I also pull inspiration from arguably my favorite band of all time, My Chemical Romance, and female-fronted rock bands like Paramore, Spiritbox, and Evanescence. Even though I wasn’t old enough to involve myself in the scenes at that time, I love identifying with the nostalgia of Warped Tour and MySpace era bands. There’s something that hits differently about late 00s music, and I want to channel that energy into my projects. I want listeners to feel like they’ve been transported back to 2008 but with a modern and relevant flair of the 2020 metalcore scene.

Your debut single "Circling" carries a powerful message about resilience. Can you tell us more about the inspiration behind this song and how it came to life?
I’m the type of person who doesn’t let anyone bring me down, as stated before. I wanted to write this as an anthem for anyone who has ever been hurt by people who don’t believe in them; a message for all the dreamers out there that you can do anything if you work towards it with all your heart, no matter what anyone says. This song came to life when I was in a spot after feeling wronged, and I wrote this as a reminder that I’ll always rise up in the face of adversity, and nobody will be able to take that away from me. This song exists as a testament to resilience against doubt.

How has your journey from frontwoman of a pop-punk band to pursuing a solo career shaped your artistic growth?
Being in a band definitely shaped me as an artist, as I learned how to market myself, perform and plan gigs, network with other artists, and define a musical identity. I joined the band when I was 12, and my time there gave me years to develop a technique and vocal style unique to me. I got to watch all of my inspirations evolve into something of my own in real-time, and frankly, I’m still young and honing this skill. Regarding songwriting, I was able to play around with genres and work on my lyric-writing skills. Now that I’m solo, I already have experience in the music scene and that’s helped me a lot with my growth. I’m forever grateful for where my music has led me today and the path it’s guided me on.

What do you want your listeners to take away from your music, especially with your debut single?
I want to be a new voice for female-fronted metal. I hope listeners are empowered by my words and my music, and that I’m able to connect with people out there who may be feeling the same as I am. I love this art form more than anything in life, and most importantly I want to share it with the world around me. Connection and unity are my goals — I strive to unite metal lovers all around the world.

How has your songwriting process evolved from your time in a band to working solo? Are there differences in how you approach writing and composing music on your own versus collaborating with a group?
I hadn’t been able to fully explore my writing capabilities while in the band, and I mostly wrote pop-punk, but now I get to branch out and curate my style. I get to pull inspiration from metal bands I love while creating an identity of my own. Now that I’m solo, I have the opportunity to try new things and fully express myself. I’ve seriously grown as a writer and I’m excited to show what I’ve got!

You have also been involved in beach cleanups with Coastal Angels. What motivates you to stay engaged with environmental causes, and how do you see your activism evolving?
I believe activism is incredibly important in today’s times, and I try my best to do my part to make the world a better place. I’m huge on promoting environmental sustainability, and I not only practice little things in my daily life like using less single-use plastic, but I love going to events like beach cleanups. The ocean is at high risk especially now that environmental policy is currently worsening in the U.S., and that’s what keeps me motivated to use my voice and do my part. Individual people engaging in activism may sound insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but when we all work together, so much progress can be made.

I definitely see my activism evolving further in the future as I journey into adulthood. Defending human rights is up there with my most important personal values, and I strive to protect and represent marginalized groups for the rest of my life. As a diverse woman, raising up the voices of my communities and communities under attack is also what I love to do in my music. As I involve myself further in the music industry, I one day wish to do a big charity event to support a cause close to my heart.

We also heard that you have also been involved in sorting clothes for fire victims and helping with food prep. Can you tell us more about these volunteer initiatives?
As stated before, I live in Westwood, Los Angeles, and I watched the Palisades fire start from my dorm, as Santa Monica and the Pacific Palisades are a mere three miles away from me. The day after the fire started, the smoke got so bad and the fire was approaching so fast that classes were canceled, and a lot of students evacuated, including me. Things escalated extremely quickly, and it was painful to watch people lose their homes and loved ones. To me, it felt wrong not to do anything about it and I instantly began a search to start volunteer work. Back home, I found a restaurant that was packing food for those affected by the Eaton fire, and I spent the day there. I also went to sort boxes of clothes provided for free for those who had lost theirs.

During these difficult times, one of the most powerful things is watching the entire community come together to do all they can to help our neighbors. When we all unite during hardship, we create a bond stronger than ever, and I saw that during my week of volunteering.

I want to give a big shout-out to Halfsies Empanadas in Azusa, who distributed food to victims of the Eaton fire, and Tacos Los Huicholes for organizing the clothing drive at Santa Anita Racetrack!

What advice would you give to aspiring musicians who are just starting out or looking to break into the industry?
Technically, connections are one of the most important assets as a musician, whether it be music industry associates or other bands and artists! You never know who’s going to be there and what doors it will open. Plus, if you make friends with other musicians, that’s a very easy way to gain exposure and play at more gigs.

In today’s world, social media plays a huge role in an artist’s growth. Even if you don’t like it, using social media to your advantage is a crucial part of developing your artistic identity. TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube are all internationally open doors for new listeners and important people to discover you.

In general, if you have a dream to pursue music, just go for it. There’s nobody stopping you from achieving your goals — who is? It’s commitment, it’s hard work, and it’s dedication, but if you keep that fire burning in you, there are no limitations on what you can achieve.

Are there any upcoming projects you would like to share?
I’m making an announcement on all of my social media on February 10th. Stay tuned!

It has been a crazy past few years, how have you been staying positive?
Art definitely keeps me going. These past few years have been a lot to handle, but using music as an outlet has helped me express things that words themselves cannot do. I entered high school and began my life as a teen during the pandemic, and that isolation made me realize that it was now or never to really push toward my musical goals. Five years later, I’ve made astounding progress since being the 12-year-old stuck in her room writing acoustic music on GarageBand, and I’m sure she’d be happy to know that I’m still going just to make her lifelong dreams a reality.

What is your motto in life?
“Make your dreams a reality — don’t let them just be dreams.”

To learn more about Madison Violett, please follow the links below:
Instagram: @venomous.violett
TikTok: @venomous.violett
YouTube: MADiSON ViOLETT
Website: https://madisonviolettmusic.wixsite.com/music
Spotify

Madison Violett - Shattering Boundaries