Almost A Dirty Dozen with MADiSON ViOLETT – January 2025

According to a recent press release: “Overlooking a sold-out venue before singing her first note, performing to a packed mass of eager concert goers in sordid anticipation of the music that is to come, or jamming at a backyard gig, MADiSON ViOLETT has been there and rocked everyone the same. Fusing the nostalgia of 2000’s post-hardcore with innovative metalcore and pop-punk of the 2020’s, Madison is an up-and-coming force to be reckoned with. Based out of Los Angeles, she emerged into the modern metal scene in 2025 with her anthemic and climactic debut single “Circling.” Emotionally charged, carried by hard hitting vocals, catchy riffs, and intelligent lyrics, it is a quintessential must-listen track for all fond of the genre.” We get Madison to discuss new music, influences, and more…

1. Tell us a little about your latest release. What might a fan or listener not grab the first or second time they listen through? Are there any hidden nuggets you put in the material or that only diehard fans might find?

My latest release, “Circling” is actually my debut single as a solo artist! The music I’ve written in the past was very pop-punk adjacent and I never really got the chance to explore to the extent of my writing capabilities, but now I’m utilizing this current project to incorporate my love for multiple genres, including metalcore and post-hardcore. I take all of my inspirations into account and fuse them to create a unique yet familiar sound which can be appreciated by all rock enjoyers alike. I don’t necessarily have any ‘easter eggs’ in my music, but people who have been following my path as a musician will notice that this is my first time exploring metal, since everyone who knows me personally knows it’s undoubtedly my favorite genre!

2. What got you into music, and can you tell us about the moment you realized you wanted to be a musician?

I’d say I was born with a love for music. Growing up, even though I have no musical family members, I was surrounded by it and always gravitated towards musical hobbies compared to anything else in my life. I began vocal lessons, group performances, and musical theatre at the age of four. Around this time, I realized that you *could*, in fact, have music as a career, and this sparked my goal to become a touring musician and spread my art all around the globe. I kept this dream close to me as I grew older, and didn’t let go no matter what got in my way. As a kid, I believed in and chasing your dreams and doing anything to make them come true- and frankly, I’m very much so that person today. I haven’t stopped and I won’t stop. What got me into rock music specifically was my interest in guitar. At eight years old, I began learning acoustic guitar because Taylor Swift inspired me as a singer-songwriter, but through learning acoustic I was introduced to electric. I then discovered the world of rock, metal, and punk. My mom is actually a  hardcore punk fan and encouraged my love for rock, introducing me to punk bands like Green Day and Rancid, as well as grunge bands like Nirvana and Alice In Chains. But what really caught my eye were the female-fronted bands. Hayley Williams, Amy Lee, Joan Jett, and the powerhouse women of rock ultimately paved my path to my desire to pursue this genre. I saw myself in them, and that deep connection amplified my desire to continue after my lifelong dream.

3. Building on that, is there a specific song, album, performer, or live show that guided your musical taste?

As stated before, Amy Lee of Evanescence and Hayley Williams of Paramore ultimately immersed me into rock. From then on, I began discovering bands similar to them, leading to my current love for post-hardcore and metalcore. When I was 13, 14, I discovered the songs “Mr. Highway’s Thinking About the End” by A Day to Remember and “A Match Into Water” by Pierce the Veil, and I fell in love with them instantly. I refer to those as my first two metal songs and my formal introduction into the genre. The band that ultimately got me into the deep rabbit hole of heavy metal was Spiritbox, another band fronted by a woman, Courtney LaPlante. Exploring metal subgeneres refined my taste, and I fell in love with late 2000’s and early 2010’s post-hardcore. I’d say this is the genre my music is primarily inspired by, including bands like Sleeping With Sirens, Saosin, and Pierce the Veil. The album With Ears to See and Eyes to Hear by Sleeping With Sirens plays a massive influence on what I write. Even though they aren’t metal, I’m also deeply inspired by My Chemical Romance, arguably my favorite band of all time. Their 2004 album Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge in my opinion, is a lyrical and musical masterpiece.

4. If you could call in any one collaborator to do a song with, who would it be, and why?

Probably Kellin Quinn from Sleeping With Sirens. He’s an absolutely insane vocalist and definitely a pioneer in his genre. I think our voices and our genres would mix nicely. Along with his amazing music, he’s a wonderful human being and I’d love to meet him in person! The first and only time I saw them live, unfortunately, Kellin was sick, so I’d love to eventually see him perform with his full capabilities! If not Kellin, definitely Hayley Williams, as she was one of the main individuals who got me into rock. I’d love to personally watch her sing in the studio and learn vocal techniques under her. She’s incredibly sweet as well, and looks like a really fun and inspiring person to hang out with.

5. What is your favorite activity when out of the studio and/or not on tour? What do you like to do to unwind?

I do just about everything considered creative or an ‘art’. I love to draw, as I actually had a dream of becoming a comic book illustrator when I was little. I love to cook, from cultural comfort food to haute cuisine; I was actually an auditionee for Master Chef Jr. when I was 11! In addition to cooking and drawing, I love to write not only music but books and short stories. One of my life goals is to eventually release a full novel. I love musical theatre, acting, and would take up a Broadway, movie, or TV gig in a heartbeat if somebody asked me today. I plan to pursue acting alongside music throughout my life. I’m also interested in film direction and cinematography, as I direct, edit, and produce all the visual content on my social media pages.

6. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before? What is the one comparison a reviewer or fan has made that made you cringe or you disagreed with?

I describe my music as a combination between 2010’s post-hardcore and modern pop-punk. I want to channel that musical nostalgia of the 2000’s and 2010’s but add a modern flair as well.

7. When was the last time you were starstruck and who was it?

In October, my best friend and I went to go see the Korn 30th anniversary show at the BMO stadium in Los Angeles. The lineup coincidentally consisted of three of my favorite bands of all time, Spiritbox, Evanescence, and Korn. We got early access tickets, and we were center barricade the whole show. I had already seen Spiritbox three other times, so I had a lot of fun during their set and Gojira’s. However, I didn’t know how I was going to handle seeing Evanescence live, with Amy Lee standing literally five feet away from me. As expected, I actually began crying before she had even begun singing. She sung a couple songs from Evanescence’s self titled, including my favorite from the album, “Made of Stone.” She saw me singing along and pointed at me, and I collapsed into my friend’s arms. Korn’s set was absolutely amazing. Jonathan Davis is an incredible performer, and I’d have to say that was the best concert I’ve ever attended.

8. What is the best part of being a musician? If you could no longer be a musician for whatever reason, what would be your dream job?

Being a musician is amazing because you can create art with sound. Emotions, stories, and the human experience in of itself can all be told through voice and instruments, and I think that’s the coolest thing ever. I love writing lyrics, as it’s my poetry. I love writing instrumentation just as much, because sometimes the music itself speaks more than the lyrics. I always write music with intention. In addition to making music, live shows are one of the best parts about being an artist. I love performing live because I get to share my art with everyone in that audience. I have a chance to resonate with each and every person standing there, and deeply involve them in the sounds and feelings. If I couldn’t be a musician, I’d continue working in the music industry! I’m actually a student at UCLA, currently studying music and law to become a music industry lawyer.

9. What is one question you have always wanted an interviewer to ask – and what is the answer? Conversely, what question are you tired of answering?

I’d love for an interviewer to ask me about all of the concerts I go to! I go to *so* many concerts, and one of my favorite things is to talk about all of them! I actually didn’t start becoming a concert-goer until mid-2022, but since then I’ve seen around 80 bands on tour. (yes, I have a concert journal!). My favorite venue of all time is House of Blues in Anaheim, which is my most frequented venue and where I actually saw my first metal show ever: Brand of Sacrifice, Dayseeker, and Spiritbox. My favorite shows to go to are metalcore, especially 2000’s bands. The only thing about going to see those bands specifically is that usually I’m the youngest person there! The last show I saw was actually also at House of Blues, with a MySpace era band named The Devil Wears Prada.

10. Looking back over your career, is there a single moment or situation you feel was a misstep or you would like to have a “do over,” even if it didn’t change your current situation?

I don’t have anything that I necessarily regret in my musical career, but I really wish I had gotten into rock music earlier in my life. Considering my love for music goes all the way back to when I was born, I only started immersing myself into rock when I was 12-ish. However, if I stuck to acoustic guitar, I might’ve not had the chance to explore my love for the genre so I’m grateful that I did in the first place.

11. If you could magically go back in time and be a part of the recording sessions for any one record in history, which would you choose – and what does that record mean to you?

Probably Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge by My Chemical Romance, released in 2004. This was such an influential record for pop-punk and emo, paving the way for the development of the genre and inspiring countless bands in the early 2000’s. The lyrics are incredibly poetic and nuanced, while the music is so experimental for that time. One of my idols is Gerard Way himself, and if I was part of that session I’d love to see his active process of how he makes music. I’ve seen MCR live once, and he was absolutely insane on stage (he shot a flamethrower onto the audience). It made me curious about his process in the studio. Gerard is also such a great guy; so sweet and kind in interviews and fan interactions alike. If I were to pick any artist in the world to have a meet and greet with, it would definitely be him.

MADiSON ViOLETT LINKS:

OFFICIAL SITE

INSTAGRAM

Category: Interviews