Working-class East London-based singer-songwriter Madi Mai is set to release the ambitious Indie/Alt-Rock single ‘Anti-Clockwise’ due out on Friday, 19th of November, recorded and released by Instinctive Behaviour. Having written music her whole life, she's now teamed up with seasoned producer Major - a former MC and signed artist to Sony Music Entertainment, who has worked with the likes of Amy Winehouse, Soul II Soul, Tricky and Ciara.
Reflecting Madi Mai’s natural affinity for storytelling, ‘Anti-Clockwise’ represents how it feels to have your life spiral out of control. A natural-born songwriter, she has been accredited with writing songs as young as 10, later developing into a multi-talented musician through self-taught guitar, keys and ukulele, as well as a poet and lyricist. We caught up with Madi Mai to find out more...
So, what's up Madi Mai? What's on your mind? I’ve been super busy lately balancing school and the start of my music career, but I wouldn’t have it any other way!
Tell us everything about your new single 'Anti-Clockwise'? Anti-Clockwise is a song that I hold really close to my heart. In general, life is unexpected and can be messy, so I wanted to write a song that reflected that. Anti-Clockwise is about feeling hopeless as your life spirals out of control! The music video is available to watch on Instinctive Behaviour’s youtube channel, and the single releases on November 19th.
When did you start writing music? I’ve been singing all my life, but I wrote my first ever song when I was 10. I’m 18 now and I don’t plan on stopping soon!
Really liked the video. Share with us the concept behind it. The music video is an interesting story. I finished year 11 in 2020, and usually we would have a huge school prom to celebrate. Unfortunately 2020 was a bad year for everyone, with the pandemic happening. My school prom was cancelled and I was upset because my parents had saved to get me a beautiful dress. I told my producer, Major, that I regretted not being able to wear my prom dress. Because of that, Major and I decided to incorporate the dress into the video! We made the video all about the school prom being cancelled and I finally got to wear my actual prom dress. I’m sure lots of young people across the country can relate to this.
Which animal would best suit your personality? I think that a husky would best suit my personality because they’re the most dramatic and vocal dogs- they’re known to be pretty good singers! I’m also very protective of my friends and like to be included in a pack.
Who are your musical icons? I’ve always been inspired by the likes of David Bowie and Kate Bush, their music is really special to me. Growing up I also idolised Melanie Martinez and took a lot from her personal style and songwriting.
What was the first album you purchased? I’ve never actually purchased an album although I have a lot of them on my Spotify playlists. The first album I fully listened to was What’s The Story Morning Glory. It doesn’t have one bad song!
Which artists are you listening to right now? Right now I’m into a wide variety of genres. I love Alice Cooper and Iron Maiden especially. I’ve also been listening to softer sounds such as Mitski.
How would you describe your fashion style? My fashion style is a mix of creepy and cute. I take a lot of inspiration from alternative and gothic fashion, as well as harajuku and Japanese inspired looks. I love weird things and I love cute things, so why not combine the two?
What does the rest of 2021 hold for you? Throughout 2021 I’m going to be busy performing and promoting my debut single Anti-Clockwise. All updates on my gigs can be found on my instagram account. I’m also working towards my album, so stay tuned for that!
