In anticipation for her upcoming headlining shows in Houston, Los Angeles and New York, Off Record had the grand opportunity to hang out with Houston artist Madeline the Person.
Madeline the Person is a breakout star from Houston. Through her over-the-top visuals, genuine song lyricism and a city charm, Madeline has charged through with songs that connect with fans all over the world. Through songs like “Mean!,” “Watercolor Flowers,” and “Before It Gets Bad,” she provides a relatable perspective and garnered a cult following on TikTok through a multitude of videos. Now, Madeline the Person is performing three headline shows before the end of 2023 as a little glimpse of what is yet to come.
Off Record Blog had the pleasure to chat with Madeline the Person on a sunny Wednesday afternoon about her experiences as a songwriter, inspirations and what’s next for the singer.
ORB: You are playing three one-off shows soon – Houston, Los Angeles and New York! Are you excited? How does it feel to perform a headlining show at one of Houston’s beloved venues?
MTP: Yeah it’s my first time headlining, so many cool things to come. It feels surreal, and I feel honored. I’ve been to so many shows at White Oak, so I’ve never really imagined myself on the stage – definitely surreal.
ORB: What can fans expect at these live shows?
MTP: It’s gonna be such a fun show, we’re building it right now! I’m so proud of it and I’m excited to put it on. My songs will be performed in the order of a story, there’s going to be bubbles and my mascot named Mr. Man, who’s a teddy bear with a cyclops eyes will be there! We are gonna crowdsurf him, might even play some games – just a fun, good time.
ORB: The local scene in Houston is on the rise, and you’ve managed to break through that barrier as a singer from Houston after getting discovered on TikTok. What advice would you give to up and coming artists in the Houston scene right now?
MTP: I think it can happen in so many different ways – it can be the good old-fashioned way like word of mouth. I would say be super real on social media and find a niche audience that appreciates what you are doing and what you are saying! That can bring a lot of success. My guitarist was in a band called Dante’s room, and now we get to tour together!
ORB: You’ve dropped 4 EPs, each one picking up after the last. Chapter 4: The End was the final release of that set, what’s the inspiration of the entire narrative and story?
MTP: Since the very beginning, I wanted to release my music in little pieces, since that’s how I process things in my life. I also planned on giving myself time to ‘live’ in between each EP so that I can have a concept and know what to write about next. It’s all a story of my life and feelings – the common thread between all of it is grief. I lost my dad when I was 15 and I wrote about that a lot, it’s a message that comes up in all of my songs. This is kind of the reason why I started writing and sharing my music on TikTok, because I realized I could make people feel less alone by sharing my grief as a young person. People who are younger don’t get the chance to talk about their grief experiences, it’s a very specific experience to lose a loved one while you are still developing. I like to have it all out on the table.
ORB: That’s perfect, seeing how the Niche Marketing works in your favor and helping others by capturing that sense of grief. On top of your songwriting, your visuals are always over the top and creative, but they seem to have simmered down since the beginning. Is there a reason for that?
MTP: Just naturally simmered down as I’ve grown. At the beginning, I was closer to childhood and I would see things with a rose colored lens, everything was so bright and colorful. It was easy for me to portray a kid-like state of mind, and as things progressed, that lens has lessened. It’s not that I don’t find everything to be extremely beautiful (because I do), it’s just that I have a different way of seeing things now. I’ve grown as a person and an artist, I’m still outlandish but I see things so differently now than before.
ORB: What inspires your visuals?
MTP: I love looking at kid’s television shows and books, like surreal things such as The Big Comfy Couch, Teletubbies, etc. I love landscapes that are too bright and almost fake, because it feels very expressive and portrays how I see things. It shows what I can get away with and all aspects of extreme art! The song lyrics also inspire the visuals, especially in the beginning when I was very literal with it. It’s just telling the story of the song in the most dreamiest way possible.
ORB: You’ve worked with artists like Adam Melchor and Noah Kahan! How did those collaborations come about?
MTP: I don’t even remember (laughs), I remember I was in New York and Noah and I wrote my song “Mean” together! Then, a couple of months later, he sang a verse in the song and it was a lot of fun. Noah Kahan is such a great person and an incredible writer. It’s awesome to work with people who are super passionate about art like me.
ORB: What other artists are on your radar, currently?
MTP: Oof – I love Chappell Roan, Devon Again, and so on. I also really love Sarah Kinsley, she does all of the instrumentation and production herself! She puts videos of her building out the songs on TikTok, too! I love classic artists like Mitski, too.
ORB: Who is your dream collaboration, dead or alive?
MTP: If I’m dreaming really big, I would say Joni Mitchell.
ORB: Nice! Speaking of collaborations: Who would you love to open for on tour? Who would you like to open for you on tour?
MTP: It would be awesome if I could open for Chappell Roan or Em Beihold! I’m thinking of powerful women in the industry right now who are making cool art, there are so many.
To open for me, I’ve never thought about that in a broad sense! I have to look at Spotify (laughs, checks phone). Dafna is opening for me in Los Angeles and I’m so happy! I think Maris and Grace Gardner would also make great openers. Oh my gosh, GGwendolyn?! She’s one of my favorite artists right now and I feel like she REALLY needs more hype.
ORB: Through it all, you are a memorable rising star. What’s next for Madeline the Person?
MTP: I am hoping to perform more spots next year and meet more fans in real life, which is the best part in all of this. Maybe I’ll write more songs or even a full album! Hoping for all of that to come true within the next year or so.
Madeline the Person will be playing three headlining shows in 2023, get your tickets now:
November 30th at White Oak Music Hall (Houston) – Tickets Here
December 7th at The Morrocan Lounge (Los Angeles) – Tickets Here
December 11th at Baby’s All Right (New York) – Tickets Here
Listen to Madeline the Person: Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube | Soundcloud
Follow Madeline the Person on Social Media: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
I'm a full-time music journalist/photographer from Houston, number one Paramore fan and Husky dog owner. I have a B.S in Radio-Television-Film from UT Austin and a M.A in Mass Communications from the University of Houston, which makes me smart! On top of being an avid concert-goer and movie fanatic, I love bonding with others over the power of local music and media.
I am an aspiring photographer from Houston. I am into many things, including soccer, video games and attending concerts. I got into portrait and music photography because of my sister, and it's one of my favorite hobbies. In the future, my dream is to be a Sports Medicine Physician for FC Barcelona.
