Former Whanganui muso Madie releasing debut EP next month

Madie Eades started down her musical path while at Whanganui City College. Photo / Supplied

Wellington based singer songwriter Madie, (the stage name of Madie Eades) is gearing up for the release of her debut EP titled THE MODERN MIND, four soul songs with a major focus on mental health and its different aspects.

The single Whisper Lies addresses anxiety, Please Stay is about a suicidal friend, Sanity "looks within", and Not Alone is a reminder that "there are people out there who can help you".

Madie, who grew up in Ohakune, said she really started getting into music when she attended Whanganui City College, with the guidance of Head of Music, Andrew Weatherall.

"Back in Ohakune I initially started in theatre, and I didn't really delve too much into music. It wasn't until I moved over to City College that I started getting involved in it," she said.

"I don't think I even had music as a subject, I just went and hung out in the music room and decided to change classes."

Now completing a commercial music degree at Massey in Wellington, Madie said the songs that made up A MODERN MIND were recorded at the university's music facility.

"I do all the vocals and guitars on the tracks, but my friend Rupert does a really lovely solo on a song called Sanity as well.

"From there a lot of friends from my course jumped on board to help out, and the university actually has an insane multimillion-dollar studio for us to use. It's every musician's dream, and I do feel very lucky.

"We've just had Hollie Smith record in there actually, and we get to go and talk to the artists while they're there, so that's awesome as well."

Madie said Adele and Amy Winehouse were the two main influences "for her sound as a whole", while artists such as Matt Corby and Yebba "definitely come through" on the new EP.

"I recorded demos before going into the studio, just to have a bit of structure. Because of Covid-19 we lost a lot of recording time and when we got in there we had to smash things out right then and there."

Madie said the oldest song on the record, Sanity, was written in 2018, and dealt directly with her own mental health. Half of all online royalties from the EP would also be donated to New Zealand Mental Health Foundation.

"At first this EP was more of a project just for me, because music is my own therapy, and I rely heavily on it to express how I feel.

"I'm not someone who's a big talker when it comes to mental health. I admit, I do have that Kiwi attitude of 'she'll be right'.

"I wanted to give something to people that they can relate to, while hopefully giving something back to the community as well. Shaun Robinson from the Mental health Foundation has listened to my EP and seems keen to get behind it, so that's very exciting stuff."

While no tour dates were booked as yet, Madie said she was keen to play in her hometown of Ohakune, as well as in Whanganui.

"I used to work at a bar in Ohakune in the weekends, and I'd love to play there again. There's also Lucky bar in Whanganui.

"I'd definitely love to do a wee tour."

Madie's debut EP THE MODERN MIND will be released on November 27, with the first single, Whisper Lies, set to drop on November 13.

To check out more of Madie, go to www.madieeades.com/ or www.facebook.com/madieeades