Today we’d like to introduce you to Madison Nocon.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
There have been various moments in my life so far that I would say have defined me as an artist. I do not want to get into too much detail, but I have overcome a lot of obstacles; Some are your typical ones, others, not so much. I am my most honest self when I write because it feels more natural for me to process what I am feeling that way versus talking about it. I do not hold back anything in my music, and I write about all aspects of my life, from the challenges to the successes. If you would like to learn more about me, I would say the best way would be to listen to my music.
To give you a little back story, I got my first guitar when I was five years old, and have been writing ever since. Going through the things that I did as a child, music in general was and still is my saving grace. My grandma was a singer in the Philippines, so she instilled singing into my life from a young age. When my mom left when I was 7, she would watch me and my brother to help my dad out. We would sing “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and other songs in Tagalog together to practice.
In addition to her guidance, my dad and stepmom were always very encouraging. Though we could never afford any formal classes and training, they always encouraged school choir and set me up with a karaoke machine in my room (which I am sure was not fun for them, but it was a blast for me!)
Fast forward to now, I would say my journey as a musician is still in it’s beginning stages. I was always very scared to perform alone in front of crowds, so growing up, I was the “shower singer,” and did not typically do solos in choir. The music industry is a beast, and it always intimidated me to my core. I never thought I was good enough. When I realized that music isn’t a competition, but rather, a way to express myself, I started performing and putting myself out there. The result of that has been absolutely incredible! I have performed at Birthday Parties, December Nights in Balboa Park, the SD County Fair, etc. I am so thankful for these opportunities I have had so far, and am eager to keep adding to my story as I continue to grow as a musician and person!
Please tell us about your art.
Though I am a singer, I would say my true artistic ability comes out in my songwriting.
I create my music in various ways. Sometimes I wake up at 4:00 am and write an entire song and fall back asleep, other times I think of a chorus, and then I add to it later. I would say that it is more typical of me to write an entire song in one sitting, and then tweak things when I am practicing it.
As I mentioned, my writing is my most expressive self. I have written about everything from love to hardships, challenges, abuse; you name it. Though I have hundreds of written songs, I have only shared about 20 of them publicly. I’m looking forward to getting into the studio to start recording some of these to share with everyone.
My music is typically very relatable. I wouldn’t say that I give one specific message, or that one thing inspires it. It is a collaboration of experiences and feelings that inspire me to write. Those feelings and experiences are generally all unique. Everyone has their stuff. Most likely, someone else has gone through something similar to you. We all love hearing those songs that bring us back to a good time, and those songs that make us process how we overcame a hardship. The feedback I have gotten from people is that they can relate to my music. That is the biggest compliment I can ever receive.
As an artist, how do you define success and what quality or characteristic do you feel is essential to success as an artist?
This may sound cliche, but I would define success as happiness. When I initially decided that I was going to try to pursue music (even has a “side hustle”), I made my mantra “Do what you love, love what you do.” As much as I love music and am passionate about performing, I have other things in my life that I am passionate about as well. I feel like a successful artist is always hungry for more, yet, is happy with what he/she has, and thankful for the experiences. I am very thankful for the opportunities that I have been given thus far. Sometimes when we pursue our passions too much, we forget why they make us happy. My goal is to not forget why I started in the first place!
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
I am currently in the process of recording, with plans to upload more of my music to a variety of different platforms. Social Media has been the most powerful tool to share the videos and gigs that I have coming up!
Contact Info:
- Email: madisonnoconmusic@gmail.com
- Instagram: @madisonnoconmusic
- Facebook: Madison Nocon Music
Image Credit:
Christiana Alley, Joseph Carroll, and Stanley Woo
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