Music Mondays - King Madi Interview

King Madi Interview

In this exclusive Music Mondays Interview, we sat down with self-producing artist King Madi. We detailed everything from their inspirations, early work and much more in this MM article.

12/8/2023

JAYD3D: Who is King Madi?

King Madi: I feel like King Madi is the embodiment of everything I want to be. Even if its not how I feel as myself, Ashton, in the current moment, King Madi is almost like a medium where I can express myself however I want.

JAYD3D: What music do you still resonate with from your early years?

King Madi: I would say I resonate most with music I grew up listening to like Michael Jackson, Earth, Wind, and Fire, The Spinners, the Black Eyed Peas, Missy Elliott, Busta Rhymes, the list goes on.

JAYD3D: Your discography is full of such a wide variety of styles and sounds. Which King Madi sound is your personal favorite right now?

King Madi: I'd have to say my favorite sound from King Madi right now is definitely my MATRIX series. I love my latest self-titled album, but I feel like I'm so much more in my element and ideas flow so much more smoothly when I'm working on something with a concept and storyline.

JAYD3D: Can you tell us about your creative process when crafting songs?

King Madi: I typically produce all of my own music, but sometimes I will collaborate with other producers. But it has to move me. That's probably why it takes me so long to finish anything because I can't really just create something if I'm not inspired. Once I have my instrumental, I'll lay down some flows and ideas and write to them. Whenever I'm creating a song, I have to picture it almost like a movie or video game. It has to have a concept. Even some of my most silly songs, they all stem from an idea that I build off of. I will sit with something for weeks, sometimes months and constantly change it until I feel like it's perfect.

JAYD3D: How do you see yourself pushing boundaries and challenging the conventions of the genre?

King Madi: I feel like I have a sound that really sticks out and it's mainly because when I'm creating music, especially when I'm in album-mode, I will not listen to anything else but my own past work, and try to make something completely different than what I've done before. I have a tendency to disappear and be out of the loop when I'm working on stuff because I want to be in my own little world and create music that can't be compared to anything else people have heard.

JAYD3D: From here, it seems like your audience expands more with every drop. How do you balance maintaining your authenticity as an artist while also appealing to a wider audience?

King Madi: I try not to get too attached to numbers when it comes to my music. I definitely am tuned in with my statistics and I appreciate it tremendously when I see growth, but people appreciate my music because they can tell that I really live and breathe it. This is my life. I truly love the art of producing and writing songs and I think that's kinda what makes listeners gravitate towards me. As far as remaining authentic, it does get a bit hard not to want to play with sounds that are popular at the time, which I have definitely done. But I sit with everything I create for so long and try to listen to it as if I'm not the one who made it. I always ask myself if this is something I'm truly proud of or if I'm doing it because I think it's cool.

JAYD3D: Your newest album is, in a way, your most personal work to date. What were some factors that contributed to you making such an album?

King Madi: This album was the biggest challenge in my life as an artist. It took me almost two years to finish. But I felt like it was necessary. I've always been a very reserved person but there are things that I just could not hold in anymore and this album was a way for me to get to know myself better and learn more about how my trauma has affected me, how to deal with it, and to be more patient with myself. It was extremely necessary for me to create this, even if I never released it. Before this album, I did have some personal songs, but all of my albums before it I feel they were more surface level and more so just "enjoyable music". I had to make this project so I could grow as an artist and show myself that what I'm doing isn't just writing random lyrics and putting them over beats, but that I put thought and intention into everything I do. This album is very mellow and not as colorful and animated as my other albums, and I feel like unlike the rest of my other albums, this was the first time I really had no direction or concept. I literally just let myself create music based on how I truly felt and even if it's hard for me to listen to, I'm proud of myself for finally being able to vocalize things that have always been inside of me.

JAYD3D: With ashton. out now everywhere, how are you feeling about its release?

King Madi: I honestly thought that after releasing this, I'd be ready to create more music nonstop. But that really wasn't the case. It was super draining and I wasn't necessarily "excited" to drop it. But I knew that it was important for me to do it. I'm happy that I worked up the courage to put it out, but I think I'll need some time to get inspired again and just let myself be happy with the album. I'll never stop making music but this one took a big toll on me mentally and spiritually. But I know that now I'm no longer as afraid to be vulnerable in not just my music, but in life in general.

JAYD3D: What's next for King Madi?

King Madi: Even though my latest album sort of burnt me out, I have been working on some new songs and collaborations. I'm not sure when the next album will be, but you can definitely expect some new music in 2024. I've been trying to just live my life and gain new experiences so I can come with something fresh. But I don't plan on going anywhere. I'm just getting started.