Meet Madz

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Madz a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Madz, so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.

A lot of people will tell you to “fake it til you make it” when it comes to confidence and self esteem. I say more of “create it to make it.” True confidence is about having a life, look, attitude, or work ethic that you are proud of. I think, in a way, you have to work for your confidence. Insecurity and self doubt are very common and normal, but you have to have things that prove those insecurities “wrong.” This comes from evidence that you have put effort into creating. For example, it’s common to say “I hate my body, I’m too big/small” (whichever people would be insecure about) BUT I exercise daily and eat right and I am looking more muscular. Now, there are some things in life that we are insecure or worry about that we cannot change, but we can change the way we look at them and think about them.
My insecurities have always been solved with proving them wrong, and I make an effort to be confident in myself. I stay authentic, I do what makes me happy, and I don’t let anyone control how I think and feel. My opinion of myself belongs to me, and everyone can have their own. I’ve let go of caring about other’s opinions.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

As a drummer, I’m mainly know for my energy behind the kit. When it comes to performance, I take a lot of pride in connecting with the music and putting on a true show. I guide the energy and emotion of the show, and take it to the next level. Energy is what means most to me. To go out there and give people a show they haven’t seen and won’t forget about. The goal is to make strong impressions.

I’m also a big believer in being real, honest, and open about your journeys. The music industry is based off of real life. Don’t be ashamed or hide your struggles, because you’ll likely find that there are a lot of people who share the same ones, and can relate to what you are feeling or saying. This is another thing that draws connections, and has been how I have grown such a close-knit fan base. I am not afraid to show vulnerability and my REAL life. I’m not here to fake it or pretend to be something I am not. The real magic happens when you combine struggle and pain with performance. When you have a strong emotion, performance is sparked. It then becomes more real because it is now your outlet. That’s what the audience can see and connect with. Put your heart out for them, and they will watch it beat.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Three qualities/skills I could think of would be persistence, fearlessness, and the ability to let things go. Persistence is first, because you have to be willing to be knocked over repeatedly to succeed. It’s not about how hard you can hit, it’s about how hard you can GET hit and then get back up. If you quit easily and let failure define you, you will never succeed. You have to have the courage and strength to keep going once you are rejected.
Fearlessness is another super important factor; you have to be willing and ready to experience the unknown. You cannot be afraid of other’s opinions, afraid of the failure you are going to face, or second guess yourself when things get tough. Sometimes we are scared and nervous for an uncertain future, but that is where the fearlessness and strength comes into play. You have to be brave, and keep pushing forward when adversity hits.
The ability to let things go is life’s biggest teacher. When things are removed from your life, it is typically because you are supposed to see something else. You are refusing to look, so you will see distractions remove themselves. When you go on a new journey to take on a new life, you will watch your old one deteriorate. People and things will leave and change, but your only choice is to adapt. Accept the change, and let life do what it needs to do. Gaze to the horizon, and never look back.

What’s been one of your main areas of growth this year?

What great timing for this question… 12 months ago I was living in Indiana at the time with my partner, and I had just recently gotten fired from a country band I had played with for a few months. I’ve never been fired from a gig, the rejection was a bit shocking. Looking back on it, it may have not been the greatest fit; but losing a gig is never fun. I had no idea I was going to move to Nashville- I didn’t really know what I was going to do honestly. I had just recently decided to drop out of college, and I had hit a dead end. After a phone call with my mom, she told me that I should just go for it and move to Nashville. Luckily, I have a relative that lives down here, where I could stay while I got some things lined up. I decided on it, and by September I was gone and moved in here. I started with just a few bar gigs here and there in Nashville, and about a month later I was discovered by Alli Walker and her team. I auditioned and got the job, and have then immediately been brought to some of the biggest stages in my life. I played the Ryman Auditorium opening for Lonestar in March, and we now have a show opening for Shania Twain in Toronto this Wednesday (July 16). It’s been a complete 180, and I had never really guessed I would be here doing this so quickly. It hasn’t even been a full year since I’ve been here. Can’t wait to see what the next 6 months bring.

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