Today we’re thrilled to be talking with Maddison Falls. Julien and Joel, welcome back to College Radio Charts! It’s been a few months since we last spoke. How has the summer been treating you?
The summer has treated us well so far. It started with vacations and being apart for a while which is always hard, but living life gives us inspiration and we will take that! Now we are back and ready to make the rest of the summer about writing and rehearsing with a major focus on the release of our new single “When I See You” and immediately continue to write, rehearse, write and rehearse!
Your new single, “When I See You,” is set to release today July 8th. Can you share the inspiration behind this track and what it means to you both?
For us we really hope that our song’s meaning becomes whatever the listener wants it be. For us, it’s about how you feel when you see someone for the first time, and the feeling you get inside your heart—the sort of “takes your breath away” feeling.
Has your sound evolved since your debut release, “Both Sides,” earlier this year?
Yes, it’s a different feel but it’s still Maddison Falls, and as time goes by, our songs will vary and change. This is how we would like to be as a band and as song writers, we want to always sound like Maddison Falls but also don’t want to be put in a box. We love the idea of diverse music and let the songs lead the way to what and how we want and feel!
You met at NAMM in 2023. Can you take us back to that moment and describe how your musical partnership began?
We met at the Fender Audio booth and walked around NAMM for the rest of the day and the rest is history. We hit it off and became friends immediately. We both were impressed with each other’s talents and that was big for us.
Your music blends a wide range of genres, from classic rock to reggae. How do you manage to fuse these diverse influences into a cohesive sound?
We just do whatever comes to us and go with what we hear and flow with that. We are working on many song ideas. Right now, we have only released 2 of those songs but continue to work hard on many more!
How does “When I See You” differ from your previous work in terms of sound and lyrical content?
“When I See You” is definitely less rock and more indie pop and a different vibe. We wanted to experiment with new instrumentation, like we used a drum machine on this track and more funky and melodic guitar parts, which is just what the song needed and it all felt right. So as writers, we went with it, ya know?
How do you balance input and ideas between the two of you?
The last 2 songs have been different because we haven’t been able to really sit down and write “together” this summer, so we come up with the initial idea and each of us adds our unique style to it. Julien: On “When I See You,” we went with the initial idea I had, the lyrics and structure, and Joel came in and added all of the lead guitar parts and background vocals and that’s where we collaborate best. It organically becomes Maddison Falls.
What has been the most surprising or unexpected challenge you’ve faced since forming Maddison Falls?
To be honest, things have just flowed for us, it’s been pretty great so far, no real hurdles yet. We hope it continues to be like that!
You’re located in Los Angeles. Do you have a favorite venue as either a performer or as an audience member?
So far we haven’t played many shows as Maddison Falls together, so it’s hard to say, but we are planning on it this summer and the rest of the year. There are some amazing venues as you said, The Wiltern Theater, The Troubadour, The Orpheum, The Whiskey, The Roxy – like SO many in LA… Our dream is to play those venues and festivals when the opportunity arises.
How do you prepare for your live shows? Is there a pre-show ritual that you both follow?
We are usually goof-offs to be real, we pump each other up, get excited, try and handle the nerves, and get up there are play our hearts out!
Your music aims to inspire and uplift. Can you share a moment when you felt that connection with your audience?
At the CSARTS Battle of the bands, the fans were very passionate, they were dancing and singing along, people’s reactions were so amazing and inspiring. We hope we can always inspire our audiences back.
How do you stay creatively motivated and continue to push the boundaries of your music?
Joel: I grab my guitar and improve my craft and same goes for vocals. I’m always looking for the next plateau.
Julien: I either start with guitar or drums and I come up with melodies and lyrics and we put it down and write what comes to mind. We get together and hit the studio to record. If it sound great, we plan the release and work to put it out for the world to hear!
What has been the most rewarding part of your musical journey so far?
Probably for us, 250k+ views on our first release and music video for “Both Sides”has been amazing. Watching our plays grow and our following grow organically has been truly amazing. Just being able to share our music with the world is such a gift!
