Paris
Madeline Rhodes is a pop singer-songwriter from the Upper West Side of NYC. She was raised by a single mother and five older sisters in a home that her family jokingly refers to as “The Brothel.” Growing up in a home rife with mental illness and addiction, Madeline found solace in songwriting using music as a form of therapy and self-expression. Through her lyrics, she found a way to make sense of the chaos that surrounded her.
After attending NYU for the performing arts and scoring gigs on Broadway, and in television and film, Madeline decided it was finally time to share her own stories with the world. She began releasing music under the stage name "MuMu", focusing on the female experience and using her music as a platform for her activism.
In June 2018, MuMu made her debut with the powerful single "Free the Nip”, a feminist anthem that addresses the censorship of the female body. The accompanying music video quickly went viral, amassing nearly 2 million views on YouTube. The song became a show-closing staple at various Pride events and festivals, including St. Pete Pride and North Jersey Pride, where Madeline opened for renowned artists such as Pussy Riot and Todrick Hall. Additionally, "Free the Nip" was featured in an episode of Netflix's popular animated series, Big Mouth (S6:E2).
In 2020, Madeline collaborated with Zeno Mountain Farm on the groundbreaking musical film, Best Summer Ever. As the head songwriter and lead antagonist in the film, Madeline received critical acclaim from major publications such as The New York Times, Variety, IndieWire, and The Hollywood Reporter. The film premiered online at the SXSW festival and was named an official selection at the 2021 festival, winning special jury and screenwriting awards.
Looking ahead, Madeline has exciting plans for the future. In 2024, she intends to release a full-length album under her given name, Madeline Rhodes, signifying a shift towards a more vulnerable style of storytelling, allowing her audience to connect with her on a deeper level.
About "The Brothel"
“This album is about mental illness as a family disease. I’ve spent so much of my life masking insecurity, laughing through anger, and painting over red flags. But there came a point when I wasn’t able to keep up the facade. This album holds family stories of betrayal, sickness, loss, and most of all, love. It’s brave to stand on your own two feet, but when your foundation is cracked, sometimes it’s better to fall.”
“The intent of this album is to help people realize that the things they hate most about themselves, are the things that made them the extraordinary people they are today. I hope this album validates the need for self-care and amplifies the cry for help.”
Madeline Rhodes’s tracks
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