Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Madu. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Madu, so happy to have you with us today. You are such a creative person, but have you ever head any sort of creativity block along the way? If so, can you talk to us about how you overcame or beat it?
I often experience writer’s/creative block, and the best way I’ve found to combat it is by taking a limited break. I’ll set a timeline for myself to rest my brain and creative juices, and once my time is up I just write whatever words I have, or make a beat and fix it later. Some of my favorite songs of mine have come from pushing past that wall of creative anxiety.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I consider myself a baby creative who is ready to learn. I have been singing ever since I could remember, and I was trained by my mother who is a Psalmist and a Pastor. She herself is a gospel artist and it has always been important for me to follow in her footsteps with my gifts. Although I wouldn’t call myself a gospel artist, I love God and I incorporate worship in a lot of my songs. I don’t think I have a genre that I submit to as I really make whatever makes my soul happy. My process usually involves finding/making a beat that speaks to me, freestyling over it, and then refining it. I believe that my best work comes from raw emotion straight from my heart.
I recently added modeling to my resume about a year and a half ago when my friend Chi (@bratwrldarchives) invited me to help her with a photoshoot. I fell in love with modeling more than I ever thought I would. It’s something that feeds my soul, body and mind. Modeling has helped me appreciate and trust my body and my instincts. As a fluffier black girl it’s important for myself and others like me to see ourselves doing editorial and out of the box projects, so I’m glad to be able to put myself out there and hopefully work with my dream brands someday.
Outside of my creative work I am a student and an older sibling to 5 wonderful people. I have no fur babies but I hope to change that very soon. Thank you for wanting to hear my lore!
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The first skill I ever learned was to serve. Being a child of pastors I was thought to serve God and others. It teaches you to respect everyone from the youngest to the old and makes you see the world from both sides of the coin. I sang, and still sing in my parents’ church choir which strengthened my love for music and taught me the skills I use now to hone my craft.
A quality I learned early on was empathy. It breaks my heart to see people hurting or in distress especially when they cannot help themselves. In the creative community we have tons of talented people who lack visibility and I believe it’s our duty to help one another be seen and grow. There should always be space in our hearts to aid the struggling wether it’s an artist or just a person who needs help.
A piece of knowledge I hold dear is that people need people. I value all my friendships and connections a whole lot, because you never know who’ll be your savior tomorrow. If someone spits on you today they may need you tomorrow, and if I were spit on I’d find it in my heart to help that person tomorrow when they need me. Not to say let people walk all over you, but everyone deserves the decency of grace.
My advice to anyone starting out is to build your spider web. If you have a business or creative venture you’ll need to know people in your community for them to spread word about you. Attend events relating to your craft/business and shake hands with everyone. Use discernment to rule out who’s your friend and who’s not a supporter. Don’t trust everyone but be kind to everyone because it’s the highest currency. Lastly stay true to yourself and your originality. Be your biggest fan until you have people to join you in being so.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
I would be honored to collaborate with any artist truly. I am willing to learn and play with them in their genre of comfort. I am seeking out singers, rappers, instrumentalists, photographers, models, and creative directors. The sky’s the limit when it comes to art, and when we come together we create unique beauty. You can find me on Instagram/facebook & threads:
@duhitsmadu
@madudamodelhq
@madeupbymadu / my makeup page
TikTok:
@allegedmadu
My business email is:
Bizmadu111@gmail.com
My SoundCloud is :
duhitsmadu
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Duhitsmadu
- Facebook: Madudamodelhq
- Linkedin: Madu Ibe
- Twitter: Allegedmadu
- Youtube: Madu Ibe
- SoundCloud: Duhitsmadu
Image Credits
@ugx.sol @thecreatorscoalition @jujuscreativespacephotography @abundantlyebo @shotbyevanjones @bratwrldarchives @calebaza @kennythemua @aarielsfacecanvas
