Madison Cunningham 'Wednesday' + Interview
☆ By MOLLY SHARPLES ☆
RADIATING AUTHENTICITY AND ORIGINALITY - Grammy nominated Madison Cunningham’s latest EP, Wednesday, offers us a nostalgic body of work of timeless melodies; a touching and meaningful escapism as a response to trying times. Whilst Wednesday provides us with covers of highly acclaimed artists such as The Beatles and Radiohead, likewise, Cunningham positions her authentic style of electronically influenced melodies firmly within them in the hopes of providing us with a soulful comfort to counteract the senses of loss and hardship that we have faced within the past year.
Speaking of the release of her latest EP, Cunningham openly discusses the process of her song writing and her journey as an artist within the industry since she picked up the guitar at age seven. Yet her potential and her ability to continuously evolve as an artist is demonstrative of the endless talent and perseverance she possesses as a musician within the industry.
Elaborating on her vision behind her latest EP, Cunningham’s inspiration for the project emerges from the chaos of the past year; Wednesday is an ode to the hardships that Cunningham and her listeners alike have endured. This EP is much more than an attempt to adapt to the circumstances of the last year, but rather a bold representation of Madison’s creativity as an artist, it showcases the ability of her music to provide a sanctuary for the artist and listener alike. As a listener, we cannot ignore the overriding personal sentiment and raw emotion embellished throughout the EP that transforms songs such as “The Age of Worry”, originally performed by John Mayer, from covers to bold illustrations of her artistic authenticity.
Inspired by the talent of Joni Mitchell as a guitar player, song writer, vocalist, and the raw vulnerability encompassing her work as a musician, Cunningham’s similar desire to navigate the most intimate and personal nuances of our lives through her music is equally as apparent. The overall feeling Cunningham wants her listeners to take from her covers are ultimately a sense of familiarity, but in a transformative way; Madison in this sense, personalises songs such as “In My Life” to encourage the audience to relate to music that they can “insert their own lives into”. She explains, “That’s when you feel you’ve done your job as a songwriter, is when people feel like what you took so hard to work on and write and create puts into words something for them”.
Speaking about the difficulties of composing and producing during lockdown, Cunningham addresses the difficulties of not being able to perform live, stating that songs can “take on a totally different meaning” when played in front of an audience. Cunningham, in this respect, is an artist whose music is built upon and captivated by a profound and ultimately treasured relationship with her listeners.
As is apparent in her ability to personalise the covers of her EP Wednesday in such a unique way clearly her inspiration, whilst influenced by other artists such as Jeff Buckley and Joni Mitchell, is that Cunningham recognises the importance of searching for it within herself. An artist confident in her conviction and ideas, this is overtly visible in her approach to overcoming blocks within her creative process. Cunningham believes that “writing blocks are self-imposed”, and it is the endurance and the willingness of the artist to “work through” their attitudes, in order to come out the other side with artistry that is thoughtful, authentic and that aligns carefully in conjunction with her goals as a musician: “sometimes space is all you need when you feel lost.. go for a walk, go to a museum, feed yourself with things that inspire you”. As an artist, Cunningham’s message is clear; inspiration surrounds us, we must work with and challenge ourselves to find it.
Whilst her unique style is etched centrally within her music, adapting Joni Mitchell’s acoustic use of open tunings to her own electric compositions on guitar, Cunningham is open and honest when addressing the challenges that emerge from trying to find your own style and sound as a singer songwriter. “The process is never ending” Cunningham says, “personal sound is something that you have to work towards and find.” More recent inspirations for Madison’s music include the likes of Fiona Apple and Sufjan Stevens, who she sees as a “little braver” from the artists she has previously called upon for creativity.
As a female musician within the industry, Cunningham acknowledges the importance of determination and perseverance. When asked about advice she would give to fellow musicians, for Cunningham, trust, conviction and dedication are imperative to her. As Madison unapologetically states, “show them that you’re good because you’re good”. This is self-evident in Madison’s fearless desire and determination to learn from the artistic realm she has and will continue to establish herself firmly within.
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slowthai by Rosie Matheson 🤩 https://t.co/z7SDfFQ5iF
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RT @i_D: Ian Kenneth Bird photographs young punks on Polaroid: https://t.co/MKT0tMUqO9 https://t.co/a0tTl12ML5
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RT @AnOtherMagazine: #DreamHome – this isolated idyll in the mountains of Lanzarote 🌵 📸 via Nowness, photography by Clemence Blr 🔁 https://t.co/GUusdxD0cg
