“I’m starting the ‘Sans Peur’ movement”, With Singer/Songwriter Madeline Rosene
I think one of the biggest problems people face is being afraid — being afraid of doing what they love because it might not provide immediate stability or affluence. I’m slowly trying to figure out how to write songs in French so maybe I should call it the “Sans Peur” movement. That would be nice and pretentious sounding…seriously though, there’s a ring to it. Nobody steal this! Honestly, I can’t think of anything that holds people back more than fear, except for maybe insecurity which is a product of fear or at least very related. When people stop being afraid and stop the “what if *insert negative outcome” mindset, they can accomplish so much. I could probably just get dope t-shirts that say “Sans Peur” on them… maybe throw a picture of Edith Piaf on there for dramatic French-themed effect (and because I love her, duh…), play some shows and talk about this. BOOM. Movement started.
I had the pleasure of interviewing Madeline Rosene. Madeline is a singer/songwriter indie pop musician. Madeline is currently based in Los Angeles. Her songs run the emotional gamut of comedic to sad. She has performed all over the country, most often in New York City, Massachusetts, Ohio and Southern California.
Thank you so much for joining us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
Sure! I have been writing music since grade 7. I began playing guitar in the fifth grade. This is embarrassing but I saw Lindsey Lohan in Disney’s Freaky Friday and I thought, Yep… I want to have a rock band and I want to be a musician. My brother was already learning guitar so he started teaching me everything he knew. God, I really hope I’m not remembered for my girl crush on Lindsey Lohan’s character…
My mother, Barbara Rosene, is actually a jazz vocalist. She tours with the Harry James Orchestra and she has played with Les Paul, Vince Giordano and The Nighthawks, Woody Allen’s Jazz band, etc… She is a HUGE inspiration to me. At the end of the day, I’m not exactly sure what brought me to this career path except for Lindsey Lohan… Just kidding. The fact is, I love words and I love lyrics. They are the best way I know how to connect with people. I think it’s the wordplay and self-expression that draw me to the music industry.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started this career?
Interesting things happen to me every day because of my music career. I couldn’t pinpoint just one interesting. I have met my best friends through a shared love of music, traveled, gone to music festivals, created music videos, and collaborated with some of the most talented content creators I’ve ever met. Playing at Stagecoach in the camping grounds, meeting people from all over the country, and sleeping in my friend’s car was a fun little journey… Creating a music video in an empty bar in the middle of the day and then filming in a completely pink apartment was a trip…Shooting with Mumford and Son’s tour photographer, Alex Huggan, at sunrise on the Santa Monica Pier…
Like I said, amazing things happen every day. Yesterday I was gifted a beautiful Gretsch guitar that was allegedly previously owned by B.B. King! I am so fortunate to be surrounded by talented, motivated, radiant human beings.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
These aren’t funny but working with a manager who didn’t understand me and working with a producer who didn’t understand the sound, were both good learning experiences! You always want to work with people who like what you do, believe in you and your sound, and want to be a part of it as much as you do.
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?
I am working on a new single called Doormat. It’s almost done in the studio. My friend Dante Jukel is going to have a rap verse on it. I’m excited because we’ve never done this before. He is a producer but his bars are FIRE.
Who are some of the most interesting people you have interacted with? What was that like? Do you have any stories?
I went to a studio session with Aaron Carter. A friend of mine, artist and songwriter, Lilrichid, dropped by to maybe work on some lyrics with him and he brought me along. Aaron has the voice of an angel and it was such a pleasure watching his creative process.
Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?
Maybe it’s because I’m auditory-oriented but for something simple, I recommend listening to positive hypnosis YouTubers, ASMR-tists, and guided meditations. I think people in music experience a lot of anxiety. It’s a tough industry, between facing rejection to scrambling to make money… I think it’s this anxiety and also the lack of stability that makes people burn out. There are a lot of amazing ways to fight crippling anxiety though. Actually playing music for fun is one of them. When music becomes your career, sometimes you need chill time to play and just know that you are playing out of love and not for any other reason at all.
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
I think one of the biggest problems people face is being afraid — being afraid of doing what they love because it might not provide immediate stability or affluence. I’m slowly trying to figure out how to write songs in French so maybe I should call it the “Sans Peur” movement. That would be nice and pretentious sounding…seriously though, there’s a ring to it. Nobody steal this!
Honestly, I can’t think of anything that holds people back more than fear, except for maybe insecurity which is a product of fear or at least very related. When people stop being afraid and stop the “what if *insert negative outcome” mindset, they can accomplish so much.
I could probably just get dope t-shirts that say “Sans Peur” on them… maybe throw a picture of Edith Piaf on there for dramatic French-themed effect (and because I love her, duh…), play some shows and talk about this. BOOM. Movement started.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each.
- Try to get clear on what it is that you truly want to do in this life and do it.
- Sometimes it doesn’t pay to be a realist and you have to be somewhat delusional to achieve great success — Someone who works in sports told me that recently. It applies to the music industry too of course. When odds are piled against you every day, you have to find ways to almost trick yourself into knowing you will be a musical sensation.
- Try to visualize your success every day.
- Just be yourself every single day. If someone tries to change who you are or suggest you do something differently that you don’t like or doesn’t coincide with your value system/ doesn’t work with your wardrobe, RUN AWAY.
- FOCUS — don’t just visualize but work towards the success of that vision every day, step by step.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
I love Eminem. I think he is a lyrical genius. I also appreciate that he is so himself and doesn’t change to assuage or benefit other people. He said simply, “I say what I want to say and do what I want to do. People will either love you for it or hate you for it.”
More and more I realize that people who are unaffected, truly stand their ground in their mission, purpose, and voice are the most and best heard. As a songwriter, I think at the end of the day, I just want to be heard and this is the best advice I’ve noted to achieve that….that, and “Turn up your vocals!”
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
It really bothers me when people say they’re “self-made” or “I did it all on my own.” That is never the case. I owe everything to a very specific few people who believed in me enough to put their own time, work, and money into my success. Those people are Justin Lund and Dante Jukel who spend hours in the studio, sometimes without me, working on my music. Justin drives my car-less butt to shows, writes music with me, and is an all around great friend. Lilrichid, who I met in an elevator, told me I’d be crazy to not pursue music. I showed him my songs and he is actually the person who inspired me and believed in me enough to make me want to give music a second chance. Honestly, I couldn’t name just one person because anyone who I’ve ever made listen to my music and hasn’t told me to shut up is an inspiration and huge help to me.
Some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might see this. 🙂
Scooter Braun. I admire your work, your passion, your ear, and I love following you on Instagram!
How can our readers follow you on social media?
Instagram: @MadelineRosene
YouTube: https://goo.gl/nGUKw1
Spotify: https://goo.gl/boVdGk
Twitter: https://goo.gl/hzc65r