There are truly gifted people in this world, with a talent not only for art or music, but also for making people feel seen. Maddie Lam is the pinnacle of this gift.
As a child, Lam developed an interest in music, singing and taking piano lessons. After teaching herself guitar, she later began writing songs at age 14 as a way to cope with the world around her. The daughter of immigrant parents, she wants to pursue her music to the fullest extent, appreciative of the sacrifices it took to get her there.
When discussing her songwriting process, Lam states, “Some songs are like friends that you connect with immediately… other songs take months and years.” Her art is worth the time and effort it takes, including the creation of her music video for the song, “Violet Sky.” A process that she describes as laborious, but in an environment full of incredible artists, visionaries, and directors. As difficult as creating visual art, and songs can be, she says, “the role of the artist, for me, is about looking at the pain and not turning away… choosing to alchemize it.” Lam has experimented with visual art, focusing on self portraits. “I try to find the beauty in myself… to find a beauty that’s useful” she explains about her work with painting and photography.
Along with recorded music and accompanying visuals, Lam has stepped into the world of live performance. “It’s one of the most intimate things we can do with other people, to be in ceremony with other people… it’s quite ancient” she states. Live music is like capturing a firefly, Lam believes, and we get to show it to the people we hold close. Recently, she put together a band, taking on performances together. Their recent endeavor, a performance for the WGBH radio station, felt like an out of reach dream only a year ago for Lam. Her hard work and dedication amounts to deep connections and incredible music. Lam wants people to see “what happens when you dream out loud, when you dream with your feet and your hands and your heart.”