‘Ace’ is out in full today. A living breathing 14-track thing with a life of its own now. I do classically feel like a nervous parent. I know full well this thing represents me, and yet it’s completely going to do whatever it wants.
Last October, my band and I flew up to Woodstock, NY to make a record. Just two months before that, I had two songs to my name, drowning in the aftermath of a life changing event, and as you can imagine was starting to worry myself into oblivion. I still don’t quite understand it, and I try not to at this point, but miraculously right when I needed it, the songs downloaded like choreography I just stepped in line with. And by saying “right when I needed it” I don’t mean deadlines, I mean right when I thought I would implode from swimming in the liquid of unexplainable feelings the words started to calcify. I’ve never experienced anything like it, and sometimes wonder if it was just a fluke. These words are meant to be open ended, and transitory for the sake of changing eras with me, and hopefully with you too. And also because who ever has the whole deck of cards from just one chapter of life?
I chose the title ‘Ace’ because of the duality it represents. The strongest and the weakest card in the deck. There are dozens of parallels there, but it reminded me of what it feels like to be the oldest child, set to go first, expected to succeed, designed to fail. I am an oldest, and in so many ways have felt like the youngest and most ill prepared at every turn. I believe a lot of these songs have those strands, even if written with invisible ink.
They hold my devastation, my fear, my shortcomings, my remorse, my anger, my beliefs, my doubts, my devotion, my hope, my curiosity, and as much love as I have in me.
I can’t even begin to thank my producer in crime, Robbie Lackritz. I learned a lifetime of lessons and antidotes from your brilliance. I’ll always have them with me.
Thank you to my dearest friends and favorite musicians. I pinch myself that we got to do this thing together. It changed me forever ♠️
All my love,
Madi
Photo by
@seanfstout
Additional photos by
@robbiejeffers
Final photo by
@johannasamuels 
