English jazz singer/songwriter MADELINE CASTREY takes the likes of jazz and modern day pop, to create beats that echo through the years of legends and then some. Thus, forth she has come quite a ways, creating her music, including release all new material altogether. She herself Madeline Castrey goes into discussion about all of this and more!
1. Please tell us about the history of your band and its members.
Well, it’s just me, Madeline Castrey! I was born in Surrey and I’ve always been a lover of music from a very young age. If you’ve heard my songs, you might not believe it, but my background is actually in classical singing. I have a strong background in West End Theatre and television, but then I fell in love with opera and began to train as an opera singer.
I was seriously ill as a teenager, and the silver lining of this was being able to spend lots of time on music and finding the style I really loved. I was thrilled to become the first ever 16-year-old admitted onto an undergraduate degree course at The London College of Music, and I then went on to gain a distinction in my master’s degree specialising in opera.
Over the past few years, I’ve been using music as a means to fundraise for the charities that helped me as a teen, and I was thrilled to receive a Princess Diana Award for my work.
Alongside producing my own music, I am also a published author and about to finish my PhD in music…safe to say, I don’t cope very well when I’m bored!
2. What’s the origin of the band’s name?
As much as I wish I had a groovy band name…it’s just me! I’ve left the middle name off though – With two left feet, I’m the least ‘Grace’ful person in the world!
3. Where is the band based out of and what is your music scene like there? Are there any local bands you could recommend?
I’m a Surrey girl, born and raised just south of London. Coming from a small village, the music scene is basically just me making lots of noise! Obviously, the jazz scene in London is much more vibrant. Personally I’d recommend the 606 club! There’s some amazing bands and artists performing there (I’d love to perform there myself one day).
4. How would you describe your style?
Smooth, velvety and sweet with a beat…a bit like chocolate really! I think nu-jazz as a genre is quite under-represented in both the commercial market and in terms of female engagement (be it artists, producers and more) With a strong background in classical music, I can see so many links between the classical and jazz worlds, and so much room for innovation by modern artists. I strive to bring new audiences to smooth and modern jazz to put my own stamp on this wonderful genre and hopefully inspire more people to engage with it.
5. What have you released so far and what can someone expect from your works?
I have released three original singles so far with many more to come! It’s probably the most clicé answer in the world, but I really believe that you can expect the unexpected! Whenever I mention that “jazz music” I’ve found that a lot of people are often either pre-disposed to a negative opinion or have the wrong idea about how broad the genre can be. It’s not all just saxophones and long solos – and that realization is really what I’m trying to achieve through my music.
All my songs are very lyric focused, so I hope that you’ll be able to relate to my words and adopt my songs as mantras or realizations of your own experiences. To top it all off, there’s a lot of catchy melodies, silky vocals and fresh, groovy beats.
6. Do you have any new music in the works?
Oh yes! I have some more singles ready to go and I’m currently writing an EP too! There’s a really good mix so far of “groovers” and “chillers” so whether you’re in a mellow mood or in need of a jazzy bop for a bit of motivation, there’ll be something for you, I’m sure!
7. How about playing shows and touring, have anything planned out?
The global situation at the moment makes this all a bit difficult, but I’m a performer first and foremost and I love nothing more than engaging with audiences of all sizes. I’ve performed at quite the variety of events in my time; my background is in West End Theatre, so I’ve had the opportunity to perform in some fantastic shows including The Lion King, Les Miserables, Evita and more. I also performed in a number of London opera productions in the past couple of years…and nothing is more difficult than singing opera in full Edwardian dress! What I’ve found with my music is that it’s really refreshing to be able to sing as myself! I’ve performed at some fantastic venues over the years including the Twickenham Stadium Live Room but I can’t wait to hit the ground running and start performing my new singles more widely as soon as we’re able!
8. What plans do you have for the future as a band?
I’d love to release an EP in the next year alongside a few more singles. Then looking ahead to 2021/22, I’d love to think about getting a label involved…the sky’s the limit really!
9. Where can we listen to your band and where can we buy your stuff?
You can hear all of my releases on Spotify, Apple Music…all of those major platforms! I also publish regular covers and extra content on my Instagram – so if you fancy giving me a follow, you might just see some extra content.
10. What is it you’d like a listener to remember the most when hearing your music for the first time?
A combination of things really; I’d love listeners to remember my melodies, their reactions to the words and above all, if the music brought you some joy, I’d love you to remember that feeling! And if you can remember my name, that’s a bonus!
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