Ayesha Madon: A Star On The Rise
Star of Netflix’s Heartbreak High, Ayesha Madon is more than just an actress. She’s a hardworking popstar on the rise, making waves across the nation with her debut hyper-pop R&B influenced EP The Unanticipated Prequel.
Turning the heads of global acts like G-Flip, The Beaches and Meg Mac, it’s clear that Ayesha Madon was made for the stage. If you’re a fan of cheeky, layered pop beats, main character energy and Ariana Grande whistle tones, she’ll quickly become your new latest obsession.
Words Millah Hansberry // Image supplied
You’re widely known for your breakout role as Amerie in Netflix’s Heartbreak High. How would you describe your music to newcomers of Ayesha Madon?
I would describe The Unanticipated Prequel EP as very tongue in cheek. Lyrics have always been the thing that I’ve gravitated towards the most, so I hope the lyrics are the star of the EP! It’s like an R&B, hyper-pop influenced production, pop EP.
The music that I'm making at the moment is super fun and ‘80s and early ‘90s influenced, which is the music that I grew up listening to. And I mean, I wasn't born in the early ‘90s, but I really gravitated towards that sort of music and R&B, you know, Janet Jackson, early ‘90s pop. That's kind of the type of music I'm enjoying making at the moment.
What song off the EP do you think Amerie would most relate to or vibe with?
I think to narrate her would maybe be ‘Eulogy’, but I think she'd think ‘Eulogy’ was really cringe. I think she'd be like, “What the f*** is this?” haha. I think Amerie would listen to ‘Jonestown’, I think she would really f*** with that song.
How has it been landing for you, having your whole EP out in the world now?
It was such a long time coming, this project. It solidified a lot of decisions that I want to make moving forward, and who I am as an artist. Releasing music is such an important practice because it forces you put down the tools, let go of your ideas, and see how they land with people. I think it's very freeing as an artist, it’s a good exercise in letting go of perfectionism.
I was super young when I started making music, and I'm a very anxious person. So early on, I was really scared to release music. I thought everything had to be perfect and look a particular way and sound a particular way.
I would produce my own demos and be like, “I can't put this out into the world because I'm not a producer.” It's just lots of imposter syndrome. And then it kind of got exacerbated when I did Heartbreak High, because then I had more exposure. I think a lot of it was actually just getting out of my own way.
You’ve been touring with G Flip and The Beaches this March! How have you found performing to such huge audiences?
Oh, my god, it's such a privilege. Most people don't know that I make music, so the opportunity to share that side of myself with an audience who wouldn't ordinarily see that is so special and such a cool opportunity. And just on a personal note, I just love G so much. I think they're one of the most special humans I've ever met. I've had some of the funniest, most amazing memories with them over the years. To be on tour with one of my friends adds another level of special. On a more practical note, it’s been such a good learning opportunity to have a run of shows where you can refine the show. It reminds me of my days doing musical theatre in a way. You get to keep chipping at it until it's close to perfect!
Returning to your acting roots, the final season of Heartbreak High is out now! Do you have any standout memories on set this season?
I think truly, filming season three was a real golden era in my life. I'm happy for it to be like the height of my whole life; those few months were so fun and so beautiful. A real core memory is when we all shot the final scene together. We didn’t know when the final take was going to be called, and we were just sitting there holding hands, being like, “Thanks, guys. Thanks for everything.” We just sat in silence, take after take, being like, “Is this the last take?” When they finally called it, we just all hugged each other so tight. It was a really, really special day and very sad, but very resolute and beautiful.
That’s a huge chapter to close!
Absolutely. I was actually auditioning for it in Adelaide when I was doing the musical Fangirls. So, it would have been like five and a half years now. It's pretty crazy, a large chunk of my 20s.
Could you take us back to figuring out that you wanted to pursue a career in acting and music?
To be honest, I always wanted to be a musician, but I was kind of afraid because I didn’t have anyone in my life that knew anything about acting or singing. I was at a bit of a loss for where to put my foot next after high school. My sister was auditioning for drama schools, and I guess I kind of was like, “well, that's the closest thing that I know to doing music,” so, I auditioned. I studied music theatre for three years. I always really loved it. I loved watching it, but I was never very good at it. My voice has never really suited music theatre and I was a bit of a black sheep in my course. I never really intended to pursue acting or study music theatre. I just wanted to do music.
I think a lot of my career has been allowing things to flow, and being open to different opportunities, whether they're what I set out to do or not. I would really encourage kids in school to do that. Be ambitious! Set your mind's eye on something. And if that's what you want, just go for it. If I had been so closed off to music theatre, (which I almost dropped out of because I was stressed about wasting my time), I wouldn't have gotten Heartbreak High. Just stay open and trust. Trust you’re moving where you should move.
What’s next for you?
I've almost finished my next project, so I'll be starting to put that out real soon. I'm just excited to show everyone the new music coming out because it's some of my best stuff yet. I'm really, really proud of it. Stay tuned for more!\
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