Written by Giselle Francis
Maddie is an event photographer and a new producer/Dj. From free parties and illegal raves to club events you’ve probably seen her work! Moving to London from Hertfordshire she describes finding the London creative scene as her “growth into the community”. She photographed her first event at Club MAlissa in Dalston which was the catalyst into her entering event photography full time. she started with fashion photography although she was drawn to the music and energy of events.
The dance is a very special place for Maddie “ the message I want to show is the dance when you look below the surface of people simply, freely enjoying themselves rather than acting for the camera it’s really beautiful”. Maddie’s love for the music community spiralled into her taking photos for some of the most popular events all over London and beyond. Starting off by just taking pictures for the fun of it, she has now taken up a residency for Sexy Lady Massive a female jungle collective, as well as independently continuing to show up to events she loves and taking incredible shots.
Looking at her work you really feel like you could be there, I suppose this is a product of Maddie being so intuitive adapting to different music genres, spaces and the feeling of the people. This is what pushed her to explore music, starting with digital mixing, moving to vinyl and eventually producing her own music. She has achieved so much in such a short time; her first set was last October at The Amersham Arms and since then she has released two of her own tracks surpassing her original goal of just one by the end of the summer.
Maddie’s passion and obvious drive is really inspiring, when I asked what advice she could offer to other young women she says she’s heard a lot of rules around making music particularly in jungle and techno, but she has a different ethos, “make the music you like and wanna make and it will sound good”. It seems most of Maddie work is influenced by her genuine love for what she does and the community she is a part of. She says that part of her process which most brings her joy is this learning more and meeting people, that nothing she does is the same, “I have love for every single event I do”. Maddie never expected to be where she is now, she says it’s hard because you set yourself so many high expectations there’s a constant feeling of wanting to do better.
Like many female creatives we have interviewed Maddie says, “I don’t give myself enough credit I’ve achieved so many milestones so young and when I think about it makes me so excited for the future”. There is lots in the works for Maddie, she hopes to meet more women in her scene and see more women working in and for London events; one of her favourite new events are Jungyals and Gays an example of a company that really represents. Alongside releasing an EP by the end of the year, she also will be dropping a book with 4 years of her event photography work she describes it as a “collection of the scene how the dance finds its way into all aspects and spaces it’s amazing how music can find itself absolutely everywhere and that’s what I want to show in the work”. If you can’t wait to hear more from Maddie she’ll be playing at our next event at Beer Rebellion on the 16th of September! We are incredibly lucky to have her play for us and wish Maddie all the love with her next ventures.
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