Hello, this is David Delmar, your host of SuperPower Creatives. You’re listening to our episode, Consciousness Raising Performances. I believe everyone is a creator, and it’s this inherent birthright that’s the source of our superpowers. Stepping into this personal authority is scary though. This show celebrates creatives that stay true to who they really are, making a living, using their creative superpowers. The stories they share will excite and inspire listeners to do the same, making positive change in the world.
I’m very honored and excited to introduce our guest for today’s show. She’s a bright star in the world of country music, and is powerfully inspiring her audiences with her exciting stage performances, and is so generous with her time and talents when not on stage, helping children in need in truly amazing ways. Madelyn Victoria grew up in the deep South of Texas in Harlingen, where songwriting career began at the age of 13, and she won an acclaimed vocal competition singing Sarah Evans, A Real Fine Place To Start.
That same year Madelyn opened up for pop boy band sensation, The Jonas Brothers. In December 2012, Madelyn performed in Las Vegas’s, The Shania Twain Sing-off Contest with her. More recently though Madelyn and her band have opened for some of the biggest names in country music, including Easton Corbin, Turnpike Troubadours, Tracy Lawrence, Kevin Fowler, Clay Walker, Josh Thompson, Dustin Lynch, Zac Brown Band, the Charlie Daniels Band, and more.
She’s also a top 50 CMT.com artist as well. Madelyn loves giving back to her community by volunteering at locomotor training events for special needs children. Singing to children at hospitals and rehab centers, and by starting her own annual event called Octave Higher Christmas for children. Madelyn Victoria’s debut single release, He Only Loves Me On The Dance Floor, reached number one. Numero uno on the National Country AM/FM Chart. New Music Weekly, winning an April 2016 Akademia Award for Best Country Song. The video reached Y’allwire.com top five most watch videos chart, and her latest single from her self-titled EP is the song Hold On.
Madelyn, hello. Thank you so much for being here today. It’s so appreciated.
Hi David. Thank you so much for having me. Thank you for that introduction.
You’re welcome. You’re welcome. Thank you for inspiring it in me. I appreciate that.
Of course.
Absolutely. Well, it’s such an impressive list of achievements and accolades. I just want to say thank you for taking your talents direct to your many fans, especially those children at the hospitals and rehab centers, who I know appreciate it immensely. It’s that kind of service for others that this show is all about, and we are just honored and overjoyed to have you here today.
Thank you so much again.
My creative superpower is my performance and also my songwriting.
You’re welcome. Well, today we’re talking about our show, consciousness raising performances. Specifically, how Madelyn feels her performances raised her own awareness about the world, and how, when she performs her audience’s awareness is increased by the power of voice and song. So Madelyn, how we like to open up our show is with the same question for everybody, and it’s possibly an obvious one, but here it is. What is your creative superpower?
Yes. I believe my performance and also my songwriting.
Yeah.
My ability to go up in front of a stage, and actually, not be so nervous, and just do it. And you know, my songwriting, my creativity from within.
No doubt. Well, no doubt. I mean, that is a superpower on its own, to be able to approach a stage with ease, and with grace, and with confidence. With the ability to connect with your art, to show that to others. It is a creative, and is a superpower all its own. What is it like for you Madelyn, to have that sort of essence of yourself, and take that onto the stage, and share that with your audiences? What’s it like to have that sort of superpower? That sort of inner knowingness?
Oh man, yes. It’s just an amazing feeling. It could be really surreal at times. At one point I’m like, “Wow! I can’t believe I’m actually doing this.” But, it started when I was a little girl, and I guess I’ve had this, what you’re calling this awesomeness, a superpower.
Yeah.
Since, I was very young. And, a lot of people say it comes natural to me, but even if it doesn’t come natural to other people you can always learn to do it, and I’ve seen people do it before. By seeing others, and just being able to get up there and do it, you know, it’s the nerves, and the nervousness, and the questions. That, you know, “Well, what if I mess up?” Whatever. It’s, you embrace that, you actually have to embrace that. And you take that, and you turn it into a positive energy.
That’s what I’ve been doing since I was a little girl. Performing since I was five, in front of an audience, and forming my band when I was in high school, and moving on with that. Being able to connect with people through song, and through music, and how they can relate to the songs I’ve written. It’s a beautiful thing. If somebody’s out there and they want to do the same, I’d encourage it, it’s an amazing feeling.
Well, I want to touch on that a bit, because it’s interesting how you share where you embrace, you embrace the imperfections perfectly. It’s something to actually speak about, and I’d like to ask how you approach that not being attached to outcomes, not being attached to needing it to be perfect? Which, of course, automatically tenses you up anytime that’s going on. You’ve obviously mastered that at a very young age.
How do you approach that, just willingness to be open to whatever happens, and that you lovingly accept it, and turn it around to be a strength? As opposed to, the way so many people turn it into becoming a weakness and a liability, and something that would keep them from even getting onto a stage. How is it that you’re able to harness that understanding where you do perform the way you do?
You take it slowly and let the opportunities come as they may.
Yeah. It’s one step at a time. You take it slowly and let the opportunities come as they may. I see things as such a beautiful thing even if it’s a negative thing, I always try to turn the negative into positive. You have to have a real bulletproof mindset, that’s what I like to say. Ever since I was a lot younger … For example, if I’m in a competition, and you’re afraid to lose something, there’s nothing to be afraid of, because everybody there is feeling the same way you do.
If you just put yourself in anybody else’s shoes, even the judges are nervous. Even they want to make the right decision you know?
Yeah.
Everybody is feeling the same way, so once you know that you’re already rated in that way, then you could do it. And, you know there’s room. Another thing I like to think about is that there’s room for everybody. There’s room for everyone to win. If I lose, that was their time. This is their time to win, and this is my time to learn something. Either way it’s a learning experience.
Well, and it is. It’s such a refreshing way to hear you put it that way, because what I hear that you’ve detailed is, really being able to speak for people that are subconsciously speaking just through their nervousness, or their showing outwardly of nervousness. But, I love how you described it. Where, even the judges are nervous, cause they want to get the call right. Everyone’s feeling the same thing, and by recognizing that it doesn’t formulate that separation anymore. For you, it sounds like you’re able to really get that togetherness that strengthens all of this, and that awareness.
I love how you put that, cause it’s such a refreshing thing for anybody out there. I mean, whatever it is, competition for whatever might be the venue. To approach it like that, where you recognize that everybody’s feeling the same way. Don’t think you’re alone, don’t think you’re separated. Embrace that everyone is feeling that same emotion, and find a way to make it your strength in that moment, to maybe speak, or go talk to somebody in a way where it strengthens both you.
Have you found, where you’ve been at competitions before, that you’ve utilized that inner awareness that you have to go and maybe take some of the drama out of the setting? Cause, sometimes it can get built up when people are so nervous like that. Have you been able to diffuse some of that for people, being someone who is no stranger to competition?
Yeah. Actually, I was just thinking about that as you asked me. Growing up, I competed in different competitions, from singing, to even, I was in pageants and what not.
Yeah.
I don’t think I would consider myself a pageant girl. I’m just someone who likes to be on a stage, and someone who likes to sing.
Yeah.
I do seek out to help people.
I don’t like to define myself as anything. I did some pageants, and I was in a group called Effifey as well, where we raised animals. Within that organization we had different pageants as well, for Miss Cowgirl, and Miss Cameron County. And Rodeo Queen, I won that one. So, being in that. And, it’s funny that I do seek out to help people, and do seek out to make. I just want everyone to feel comfortable. So, during these competitions it helps me become less nervous if I’m actually talking to them. You know, talk to the other competitors on a level of, I want to get to know this person.
It seems to calm all of our nerves once we start having conversation, rather than any kind of competitive drama, or anything like that. I try to make sure that we’re friends, and we’re rooting for each other. And then, it starts from there, and everyone starts to get along backstage, and behind the scenes of these competitions. Or, any kind of competition, from, even choir. I was in choir, and all state kind of things like that. It just helps for me to just make friends with everyone, talk about what’s going on, talk about how we feel. And, encouraging one another, I love to encourage one another.
Well, I can speak for the other people confidently when I say they are appreciative. That, that is something that you naturally gravitate towards. Everybody in the room appreciates that. That’s very awesome stuff. Well, we need to take a quick break, cause I want to explore with Madelyn about what you’re sharing here. And then how, from the stage, you’re able to be your full conscious self, and how that might help listeners have greater awareness when performing on stage, or on live stage.
But, before we do jump into a break let’s tell people where they can go to find out more about you.
Yes, definitely. Everyone can visit my website, that is madelyn-victoria.com. You all can see where I’ll be playing. And also, anywhere, you can Google my name, Madelyn Victoria, Facebook, Madelyn Victoria. Twitter as well. Any kind of music download apps, streaming apps. You can search my name and I’m sure to pop up.
Cool. Yeah, absolutely. Well, outstanding. Alright. Well, we’ve been talking with Madelyn Victoria today about consciousness raising performances. We’re going to take a quick break, and when we come back we’re going to continue with Madelyn on our little mini tour here, and let you out there know how you can make this knowledge applicable for you.
To listen to the entire show click on the player above or go to the SuperPower Up! podcast on iTunes.
Music Credit: Words and Music written and performed by David Delmar. Engineered and produced by John Keenan.
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