Madam Who? On the Making Of “Reclaim Your Power”
How does "Reclaim Your Power" reflect your musical journey and growth as an artist?
Fabulous question! Right now it fully represents everything I am in this moment. I am passionate about mental health and helping people to learn to love themselves. I had to learn that myself. In fact, when I first wrote the song, “Reclaim Your Power”, I didn’t even believe the positive things I was saying. I was at the lowest point I’d ever been in my life after so many setbacks and heartbreaks.
I had moved away from Nashville after a near miss at stardom with my former band, Audra & the Antidote. We played on USA Network, were nominated for the very first AMA new music award, and named one of Nashville’s top unsigned bands. The events of 9/11 derailed our train going straight to the top and we broke up. Two years later I had a cancerous brain tumor removed and went through radiation which resulted in permanent hair loss. A few years after that, my long term relationship ended via text while I was out of town. Our two kids helped my Ex put all of my belongings in the kitchen of the home I helped build with my own hands. My son wouldn’t talk to me. To make matters worse, nine months later I nearly drowned in the ocean trying to save my young daughter from a rip current and we both had to be rescued by strangers. I felt worthless and unlovable.
After realizing writing songs about drowning wasn’t going to help me out of the deep, dark pit I was in, I changed tactics. I began writing songs with affirmations, hoping that if I sang it over and over while writing, I would start to believe it. When it actually began to make me feel better, I felt like I was on to something. I knew I had to share it with as many people as I could. That’s when Madam Who? was born.
Was there any challenge that you encountered while making the track?
OMG, yes! I had to learn how to work GarageBand on my iPhone. At first, the production was more of a hip-hop flavor because I wanted to try something new. I felt like a rap poser but I couldn’t find a melody and thought just speaking the verse didn’t really fit. I had to convince myself that it sounded fine and to be confident doing it. When I upgraded to Logic Pro and got a proper mic, I rerecorded most of it. Then had a friend mix it. And rerecorded it again. Then mixed it again. Then Animal Farm heard it and wanted to remix it. I thought it was such a good and important song that people needed to hear, I couldn’t give up on it. Now it is out for all to hear!
What has been one of your favorite memories along the path to making "Reclaim Your Power?"
I really enjoyed making the video for it a few years ago. I did it during the pandemic to enter NPR’s Tiny Desk contest, hence the desk. I knew it wasn’t going to win because they don’t pick stuff like that, but I was glad it motivated me to film and edit a video. I released it again on YouTube.com/@madamwho with Animal Farm’s remix behind it.
What has been the most memorable experience or achievement in your music career so far?
Playing on Farmclub with Creed and Godsmack on USA network was pretty awesome. Getting to the top 10 for the first AMA’s New Music Awards was cool too. However, this January when Good Morning America did a story on Madam Who? and broadcast it to their 1.7 million viewers days after my father’s death, it took the cake. It was pretty meaningful to me at that moment because I knew my dad died proud of me.
Are there any specific themes or messages that you aim to convey through your music?
Yes!!! Love yourself! Loving yourself is the most important thing you can do. If you can’t love yourself, you can’t truly love anyone else. And what nobody can get enough of is love. Also, kindness goes hand in hand with love. Be kind to yourself. Treat yourself like you would treat your best friend. And be your own person. If you like you, that’s all that matters.
Sometimes I do go off message and joke around quoting my Grandma Rita about feeding peter meters or Mr. Spock about saving the planet, but that is another thing entirely.