an interview written in chords, confessions, and wildfire wanderlust –

In her most intimate project yet, Maddisun lays her heart bare across The Pages — a 12-track album structured like a musical journal, where every song captures a snapshot of emotion, revelation, or hard-won clarity. From the vulnerability of “Open Door” to the hard-fought resolve in “Get Through,” she transforms raw moments into something luminous, guided by the lessons of over 500 shows around the world and the inspiration she found in Nashville’s songwriting heartland. Drawing from vintage folk, Southern rock, and Americana influences, Maddisun reflects on confidence, creative evolution, and the deeply personal stories that shaped this record. In this candid interview, she opens up about turning pain into beauty, building immersive live experiences, and finding balance between wild adventure and grounded reflection.

Welcome to A&R Factory, Maddisun! We’re excited to sit down with you as The Pages makes its way into the world.

“The Pages” feels like a deeply intimate project — what made you decide to structure it like a musical journal with 12 “pages” instead of a more traditional album format?

This whole album felt very journal-esque as I was writing and building everything. So, it kind of just showed itself to me that way. It’s interesting for me with albums – sometimes they just reveal themselves to me and completely take over into a whole world of their own. The creativity and ideas just run wild for me, so I just went with it.

Each track captures a specific moment or feeling — were there any pages that were particularly hard to write, and how did you know when they were ready to be shared?

Yes, for sure. Each track was different to write, of course.

The song “Get Through” took me a while to write. I did it in two separate writing sessions, where the chorus came before anything and I built the rest of the song around that, which isn’t my usual style. I’m one to finish a song from start to finish in the same day. I really wanted to get the words right. Oftentimes I don’t go back and edit songs because the words that come out in the moment usually fit the best phonetically.

You’ve spoken about turning hard moments into beauty — can you tell us about a song on the album that really encapsulates that philosophy?

“Open Door” was written through a bit of a rough time for me. I was trying to be with and connect with people who just weren’t letting me in, and then I came to realize that I shouldn’t be giving my energy and love to people that don’t want to receive it. That was kind of a revelation to me, even though it’s pretty basic.

I didn’t expect this song to make it on the album, but it fit as a perfect transition into the second “chapter/half” of the album, and it really showcases my vulnerability and passion.

You’ve performed over 500 shows across Canada, Ireland, and Los Angeles — how have those travels shaped the sound and soul of this album?

Yes, performing is my bread and butter, and I feel super at home on stage – like I was born to do it. These travels certainly made me more brave in my music – where I am now, anyway. I feel like I have more confidence in my sound, because I’ve gone all over the world to figure it out.

This album was really inspired by my recent trip to Nashville. I spent a few weeks there writing (“The Pages”, “Big Star”, “Your Muse”, “Colours”) and it really made an impact on the sound of this record. I feel like I’ve found my true sound and it’s definitely one of nomadic dreams and adventures!

The record draws on vintage folk, Southern Rock, and Americana influences — what drew you to those sounds and how did they help tell your story?

I’ve always been so deeply inspired by vintage rock and roll and country – this is the music I grew up on! So, it’s only natural that it made its way into my own music.

A lot of my writing inherently starts as either country or like a rock/folk ballad. The folk world is so cool, and I took a lot of inspiration from folk imagery and styles, specifically for the album artwork and photos, but then also female rock icons like Stevie Nicks, Sheryl Crow, and Heart.

You’ve got endorsements from some big names in the guitar world — how important is gear and instrumentation to capturing the emotions you want in your music?

Gear and instrumentation are really important to me, because they’re the tools that help me translate what I’m feeling into sound. Shout out to Aria Guitars and Yamaha Canada for setting me up. I feel so lucky to have their support.

Having instruments that inspire me makes such a difference. The right guitar tone or keyboard patch can completely unlock the emotion I’m trying to capture in a song. At the end of the day, the feeling starts within me, but having the gear that resonates with my style allows me to bring that emotion to life and share it in the most authentic way possible and also allows me to be comfortable and cool on stage.

With the album release show in Toronto and more dates ahead, what can fans expect from your live performances during this new chapter?

My album release show in Toronto was sold out, which was such an amazing feeling! It really set the tone for this new chapter.

Fans can expect my live shows to be more than just concerts. I love creating entire worlds with my music. For “The Pages”, I’ve brought in exclusive merch, lyric sheets that I hand out, and a lot of space for connection and storytelling. I want people to leave feeling like they were part of something truly personal, like we created our own little world. And of course, one of my favorite traditions is ending the night by serving pumpkin pie!

You’ve released three albums and more than ten singles in the past five years — how do you keep your creativity fuelled and your perspective fresh with each project?

I keep my creativity fuelled by really living life to the fullest. Travel and wild experiences are a huge part of my process. I’m pretty much up for anything. But it’s also about balance.

I escape into the woods and mountains in my hometown in BC, and that’s where I process everything. Laying in the hot springs or hiking in nature helps me reconnect with myself, clear my head, and find new perspective. Then I take that grounding energy and combine it with the adventure, spontaneity, and bohemian ‘let’s go for it’ attitude I bring into my travels. That mix of stillness and chaos keeps my music fresh and authentic.

Stream The Pages on Spotify now.

Interview by Amelia Vandergast