Madeon Interview with Billboard Magazine (2019)

There’s something special about watching artists you love take major leaps forward in their career. It’s more than being able to say “I saw Chainsmokers when their only hits were Kanye and #SELFIE” or “Illenium is going to blow up as soon as he finds his stage presence.” Doesn’t mean I’m not gonna slip that in at every available opportunity but it’s more personal than that.

When you admire a person for their life’s work, you want everyone else to recognize the same.

Madeon has been producing quality, innovative music since he was 16 and Pop Culture broke the internet. Last year, he finally released Good Faith, 3 years after Shelter and almost 5 since Adventure.

He gave a super cool and intimate interview w/ Kat Bein about the experience producing his latest record. Check out some of my favorite quotes:

I knew Adventure was about my teenage years. That’s when I made it, and I wanted this one to be about my early adulthood.

I wanted to move to an environment where my entire life was dedicated to that vision. The walls at my house, I covered them with concept art, drawings and ideas. Everything around me relates and contributes directly to the project. It’s really immersive in that way, really inspiring and intense.

I am a superfan with certain artists. I’m on fan communities and know what it’s like to be a big fan. All I want is to hopefully, eventually become an artist that it’s worth being a fan of.

I drew a lot from Shelter live with Porter, because it felt very true to our taste. It felt like dance music, but it wasn’t a DJ set. It was a live show with all our own music.

I think joy is a key theme to the music, but it’s joy that is sometimes being challenged and questioned. It’s not purely a celebration, it’s more about re-earning your joy or celebrating the joy you’ve found again, drowning in it purposefully.