Inspired #259 - Maddy Wood
Describing herself as a ‘Rock n Roll glitter princess’ - Providence based artist Maddy Wood has just released her new ‘If I Could Move’. She took a moment to talk to us about the inspirations behind her music.
Who are your top three musical inspirations and why?
Harry Styles, Phoebe Bridgers, and Stevie Nicks.
I was a huge One Direction fan in my tweens/teens and turned 18 around when Harry was becoming a solo artist, so I feel like we both started to come into ourselves at the same time which is really special. I really admire the way he approaches everything he does and makes with kindness and openness and honesty. He is really important to me.
Phoebe possesses the duality of being so insanely badass and also really delicate and she absolutely shatters my heart. I really admire that. Her music has inspired a lot of my recent work and she has made me see songwriting in a whole new way.
Stevie Nicks in my mind is the ultimate existence, I honestly see her as God. She has always inspired me to harness my heartbreak and turn it into something beautiful and powerful. The way she commands any space she's in is amazing. She is so captivating.
Is there a certain film that inspires you and why?
I am always really moved by The White Stripes documentary, “The White Stripes Under Great Northern Lights.” It's a really cool documentary about a tour they did where they set out to hit every province in Canada and played some really unusual spaces. I am inspired by the way the band approaches their style of heavy distorted rock music with such tenderness. The movie really captures that. They are so raw in a way that’s really hard to replicate. The last scene with Jack and Meg at the piano always makes me cry.
What city do you find the most inspiring and why?
Like most people who make music, I am really inspired by New York City. But I am also really inspired by home, in Providence. That is where I found my love for music and became the musician that I am. Most of the people who showed me how to be an artist are all there and all of the experiences that led me to become a songwriter happened in Providence. I learned how to play guitar there, how to perform there, my first major heartbreak happened there, etc.
Who is the most inspiring person to you and why?
It’s cliche but I have to say my mom. She is such a powerhouse. When she sets her mind to something she will stop at nothing to make sure it gets done. She is a great leader and also incredibly kind and comforting. She is one of the most intelligent people I have ever met. And so much fun. She instilled a really strong sense of caring and independence in me and my sister.
What were your inspirations when writing your new track?
I took bits and pieces from most of my romantic experiences when writing this song. A lot of the time there has been an overarching feeling of really caring for the person I am with and wanting them to be better for both of us, and feeling paralyzed and stagnant in the relationship and being too scared to leave and be alone. I tried to capture that on paper. I was listening to a lot of Phoebe Bridgers and Taylor Swift when I was writing this song. As usual.
How would you like to inspire people?
I would like to inspire people to feel openly and unabashedly, and to celebrate the intensity and range of the human emotional experience instead of feeling like they need to tone down or hide away. I hope people see in me a genuineness and authenticity that resonates with them and makes them want to emulate that in their own way.