Late last year, Gold Coast singer-songwriter madi goodwin did what many talk about but rarely have the guts to do. She pulled the pin on her day job, a career in film and television, and instead backed her love for music with passion and focus. With her debut album On Our Own out in the world, we asked madi to talk about the change in career, surviving the busking world, and the strange world of writing an album on the road.
"I was a late bloomer to the performing scene having only started busking when I was about 22 and everything since has been an act of gaining confidence in these spaces and finding my footing. I've had a lot of dreams but music was never included in my picture of possible careers because I lacked confidence and experience. Music was always something I did for myself so I think that's also why I didn't consider it in this category. I thought film was going to be my one thing and then I found myself in between contracts busking more, performing at open mics and gaining gigs. I was completely surprised by the response I was receiving at the time and to have been making enough to pay my bills. I love both industries but found that both required my full attention so I had to make a choice. I got a call for a Tv show that was filming near by and I thought if I take it I'll be able to gain perspective on what my heart is telling me. Half way through the contract I was missing performing regularly and I figured I'm still young with not a whole lot holding the string to my kite so if I'm going to give this a go, it feels like now is the time to explore pursuing music full time."
Listening through On Our Own, a real sense of rawness and honesty runs through the music. We asked her whether there was a deliberate effort to steer away from the earlier feel of releases like "all we can be,"
"I write from a subconscious place meaning that I pick up my guitar and whatever comes out comes out," she says. "I write what I feel, what's on my mind, what I'm exposed to at the time so there isn't always room for conscious thinking. Sometimes there is, but in this case I would say not also because the songs on my debut album were written across a 2 year period".
A good chunk of that two-year period saw madi and her partner exploring and camping around Australia. We asked how living on the road influenced the sound of the recordings, particularly the title track "On Our Own".
"I find that being out on the road, somewhere off track, is where I can feel most at home. Travelling Aus gave me so much time to reflect and explore songwriting, and 'On Our Own' is actually the first song I ever fully finished. So far, all of my songs are written by me, alone, on a guitar or occasionally a piano. It was important for me not to overproduce these songs because of how they came to be. I'm no producer or sound engineer, but I did my best to stay true to an acoustic feel and I hope that has pushed through."
madi goodwin cut her teeth busking. There’s no stage lighting to hide behind, it’s just you, your instrument and your voice. We asked her how perfoming on the street shaped her emerging career in music.
"I think everything we do is going to have an impact on how we move through the world day after day. With busking, it started out as this shiny playground where I could take centre stage. I was exposed to a whole new world that was exciting and constantly pulling me in. I had made friends with other buskers and surrounding businesses. But then, like anything, there were challenges. I have a lot of gear. At the time I was taking my full length keyboard which needed a 12v battery to power, as well as my guitar and speakers. Busking started to feel like a chore but it was only highlighting what was already there. Repeated packing, unpacking, setting up, packing down, packing and unpacking. Navigating wet weather and hot days. Staying out of the busking / street performer politics. All of this only felt hard because I started to feel the pressure of 'this is now my job and I have to treat it in such a way'. This thought was really estranged because I never did music for the money. It felt more like a product of my music. A bonus or the cherry on top that I could explore music and not be starving or living on the streets. Busking continues to reaffirm me to do my own thing. A lot of the buskers I came across would play music that was top trending to gain more tips where as I play music that feels true to my style. If that happens to be in the top trending then great, otherwise it's no worries. I was still able to make a living wage without compromising who I am and what I believe in. I hope that this is a lesson I'll carry with me throughout my life. Do it for the art not the paycheck."
Despite gathering a growing following overseas in both the UK and the States, goodwin remains grounded in the local community on the Gold Coast. We asked her about the pressure placed on independent artists to become expert social media influencers to get gigs and how she navigates that online world.
"I'd firstly just like to point out that I really dislike this side of things. I'm sure that other artists feel the same way. It's really disheartening how much this 'matters' to certain gigs. I have a certain amount of followers but what's more important to me is the people who are where I'm playing and having this joint experience together of music. I really go back and forth with social media. I have tik tok because it seemed like the right business move but I will be deleting it because it doesn't align with who I am. Self promotion is an uphill battle. I have sent countless emails to radio stations, shopping centres and other advertising mediums. I don't keep a large budget for advertising so I have to take whatever opportunities I can get and hope that they will have a lasting effect. I don't want to be seen all over social media so this is a conflicting area and something I am still working on."
When it comes to stepping onto a stage to share these songs live around the country, we asked what punters can expect from the live set and whether she's sticking to a stripped-back approach.
"I love an acoustic set and that's what you get every time with my shows, at least for now, just me and my guitar and a great crowd."
Of course, writing a record on the road isn't all golden sunsets and romantic campfire singalongs. We asked madi about some of the strangest experiences during that time.
"The 6 month trip around Aus, when I was writing some of these songs, was full of lots of adventures in all different colours. I think that the people you come across are always so interesting. The worst kind of person is the one you feel stuck talking to. This happened when my boyfriend and I were stopped over at a dusty information area. I can't remember what this was for. There were signs scattered to read about the history of the area. Maybe gold mining related when this little sliver Hyundai Getz style car pulls up. A guy gets out and starts to walk in our direction which instantly felt a little targeted, when my boyfriend does the 'hey, how's it going?' Instant regret on making the small talk because now this guy, avoiding eye contact, was rambling on and on about how disgraceful this town was because it had Illuminati references everywhere (apparently). Then he is talking about the bible and how there are errors and he's burnt his bible and so on. This guy is still avoiding eye contact and pacing, so my boyfriend tries to get out of the conversation by saying 'okay well thank you for shining light on what's going on'. This did not go over well. The guy rambles on about how light is actually the devil and how this relates to rape and there is a group of others like him. I don't even remember how we managed to leave this conversation but we were there for a good 40 minutes. It's the kind of encounter that you feel stuck in because you don't know how this guy is going to react or interpret you trying to leave. We didn't even read the one sign we were at. We just had to leave."
goodwin’s momentum isn’t slowing down. With On Our Own now out in the world, we wrapped up by asking what she has planned for the future and where fans can keep an ear out for more.
"You can expect a lot of new music coming! I am starting work on an EP and a longer Album. All of the songs are written, just waiting to be recorded. For the first time there will be some collaboration on these songs and I'm leaning into a sound that is warmer and more intimate. My songwriting has changed over this past year so I'm interested to see how these songs will be received. I love all of these songs so much. In an attempt to steer away from the social media space, I will be setting up an email newsletter to keep people up to date. Until then, my website and Instagram are the best ways to find out about my music and upcoming gigs."
Make sure you listen to On Our Own the new album by madi goodwin.
Learn more about madi goodwin on Local Sounds
https://localsounds.com.au/artist/madi-goodwin
SoundVerge Editorial
Independent music journalism
