A true powerhouse vocalist, with an expert songwriter’s ability to craft hard rock music that is both aggressive and melodic, New York City-based artist Madame Mayhem continues to build legions of followers, who are ardent admirers of her deeply personal and revelatory lyrics, her passion for writing, recording and especially performing original and positively incendiary music.
They are already beyond ecstatic with the release of her latest single, Broken, which hit the internet and airwaves earlier this month. It is emblematic of Madame Mayhem’s insistent energy and dynamism as a vocalist, as well as her maturation as a crafter of songs that hit listeners in the head, heart and soul.
“It’s something I don’t really write too much about and it’s the moment you’re sensing that a relationship is over. You have been with this person for a while, but you can see there’s something in their eyes that’s changing, it’s not the same. You both aren’t the same people you were before and it’s that really difficult moment right before the end of a relationship; that internal struggle to break away and not let that person you once loved kind of take you down with them, especially f they are going down a destructive path or a path that you don’t want to go on, no matter what,” she explained.
“It’s about standing up for yourself and not letting them break you. And I think we did a pretty good job or portraying that, and at the same time having the song be just a fun one to listen to. There are people who just love the music and don’t want to read too much into it or focus a lot on the lyrics, and that’s totally cool too. So, I am glad to be able to get the point across as to the meaning of the song and what it’s all about, at the same time, just have a fun song for people to rock out to.”
A professional musician and songwriter for more than a decade, the now 30 year old rocker has always understood and embraced the therapeutic and cathartic benefits of unloading her darker thoughts and feelings into music.
“I definitely gets out whatever internal emotions I am experiencing. If I am dealing with a lot of frustration, whether it’s with work, being in the industry, or personally, it could by anything – and just being able to get that out in a song and be able to belt my face off and sing it out loud always makes me feel better, even if sometimes when I am performing those songs, I relive those situations in a way,” Mayhem said.
“It is so therapeutic to write that down, and be able to share it with the world, where someone else who might be going though something, even if it’s not the same thing I was going through, can apply that to their life and be able to take their own meaning from the song themselves and feel better.
And as she hit that significant birthday milestone on Jan. 24, it was a time for a bit of reflection as to how she has evolved as a songwriter and recording artist since the release of her debut album, White Noise, in 2012.
“Thinking back on it, we all get older. And you have different life experiences and you learn a lot of different lessons. So, in life, hopefully I have become more mature, although let’s be fair, you never really grow up when you do what I do. As a writer and a performer, I think I am evolving through having all these experiences, whether its touring with all these bands and travelling all over, whether it’s the country or the world,” she said.
“I think when I look back at some of my earlier songs, I see how I would have done things differently now, and how I kind of write about different things. I think I am willing to try more new things now, but it’s still all about being open and honest. So, it’s definitely been an evolution over a decade, while still being true to who I am as a person and as an artist. Over time I am more willing to try new things and not allowing myself to get stuck in my ways. I think I have become more open minded.
“And the drive is still there and is stronger than ever. I am always pushing myself saying, ‘okay, I’ve got to get to this certain level so I can be able to perform and share my music with the world.’ It’s a real passion and I think it never goes away.”
Mayhem said she always prefers working alongside a songwriting collaborator and has seemingly found a vital and prolific new partnership with Nashville-based songwriter Keith Wallen of Breaking Benjamin, with whom she wrote Broken, as well as a few other songs that are expected to be released in the coming months.
“We had met in passing over the years, but I only got to meet him outside of ‘hi, how are you’ in 2018. I went over to Tennessee to twice to work with him and we were able to get a couple of songs out of each session, and it was awesome. I have had this kind of luck lately and been so fortunate over the years to have been able to write with people that I feel really comfortable with and the work just kind of flows, because co-writing is my favourite thing. Even if you have your own ideas, it’s always nice to have the opinion of someone else, and then it turns into something new that you yourself would never have thought of, which is great,” she explained. Some of those artists include Satchel from Steel Panther, Ron ‘Bumblefoot’ Thal, Corey Lowery of Stuck Mojo and Evanescence’s Troy McLawhorn
“I have had the opportunity over the past few albums to co-write and feel comfortable with all of these people and it’s been awesome. And I had the same kind of feeling when I was working with Keith, in that I was able to be really open and honest and not be afraid to share ideas. And so even though it’s only been a couple of sessions, it’s gone very well, and I am thrilled about all of the songs we’ve come up with.”
A couple of other special collaborators have participated in some of the recording sessions, including for Broken. They are legendary bassist Billy Sheehan (David Lee Roth, Sons of Apollo, Mr. Big) and Korn’s drummer Ray Luzier.
“Having them play on these songs has been the icing on the cake. Their support means everything to me. Billy is like a mentor and a big brother to me. Him and his wife are always so amazing, and they are like family. And Ray has always been super supportive. And I always wonder who am I compared to these exceptional people? To have these people still believe in me and still want to work with me is incredible,” she said, adding that they also played on her 2015 release, Now You Know.
“And they’re like that whether they are involved in the record or now. They were not involved in my last album, Ready For Me (2017), but they were still super supportive of that and just amazingly supportive of my journey and that means the world to me, as I said before. These are two living legends who also happen to be such great people. And more than anything else they are just good people and the fact that they also happen to be amazing musicians is a bonus. But they still have the same passion they always have. The still practice like every other musician and they still rock out on stage like everyone else.”
Madame Mayhem is a stage name, but it has become so entwined with the off-stage person, born Natalie Ann Cohen in New York City, that people call her May. And far from being a ‘character’ it is merely an extension of Cohen’s personality, fashion sense and attitude.
“I mean, there are times when I just roll out of bed and need to run an errand and will just go in my sweats, and I don’t care. But, honestly, I am usually wearing all black – it’s not all that different that what you see on stage. I may be wearing a whole lot less eye liner, but my style is, in real life, very similar, if not the same, as I when I am onstage. Obviously, it’s heightened onstage and in photoshoots because you want to portray the most artistic presence that you can. Everybody calls what I have a goth-glam look, it’s a style that’s very me anyways, which is how it became what it is now in my live shows and for promo shots and stuff,” she explained.
“My day to day is ‘Mayhem light’ and there’s not too much of a stretch from when I am in stage mode, which is a little more intense. My everyday still is just a little more chilled version, but it’s the same tone because it means I get to stay true to everything the music represents. And the name Madam Mayhem is something my parents gave to me as a joke for while as a kid and it just turned into something I thought would be a cool band name. So, personality wise, it’s pretty consistent with who I am. I don’t change into another person when I go onstage, everything is just elevated. I am putting on a show, but it’s still me. Natalie and Mayhem are the same thing. And, honestly, nobody calls me by my birth name any more; it’s May or Mayhem.”
With more music to come, with the possibility of the songs being compiled into a full album later in the year, Madame Mayhem is also firming up tour dates for the year, with some festival dates already announced. A sojourn across the Canada/U.S. border is something she said he has wanted to do for many years.
“I would love to. It’s ridiculous that I am from New York and have never been to Canada. I have only heard the most amazing things and I know so many people there. I know our music gets played there sometimes, so it’s a big mystery as to why we haven’t been there. I have no idea, but it’s something I know we have been pushing for a while with promoters and agents, and hopefully we can make it happen,” she said.
For tour dates, news about new music, and any other information, visit www.madammayhem.com.
- Jim Barber is a veteran award-winning journalist and author based in Napanee, ON, who has been writing about music and musicians for a quarter of a century. Besides his journalistic endeavours, he now works as a communications and marketing specialist. Contact him at jimbarberwritingservices@gmail.com.
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