MAWD is the moniker of Los Angeles musician Madeleine Mathews. With a sound that gravitates toward an eclectic mix of genres including indie rock, folk rock, folk, blues rock with a bit of a 60's/70's retro twist, it's hard to pinpoint her into one musical corner. MAWD's soulful textured timbre is diverse and ranges from a breathy/sultry folk and blues vibe to a powerful Janis Joplin-esque/Karen O belt. Born and bred in a small town in the foothills of California, Madeleine started writing music and making her mark around her hometown of Placerville at age 17. She constantly played open mics and any small gig she could get. During her time in college in Chico, CA she fronted and wrote for numerous folk and rock bands, won songwriting competitions, and made a name for herself all while garnering the attention of a small indie label (Soundx3) who signed her under her solo nome de plume "MAWD", sent her on a international tour, and helped release her debut EP in Spring 2016.
After graduating with a degree in Music Business from CSU, Chico, Madeleine up and moved to Los Angeles in the Fall of 2017. She quickly hit the ground running and formed her backing band, the "MAWD Squad". Within the first couple months of living LA, she opened for Larkin Poe at a sold out show at The Hotel Cafe. Soon to follow, MAWD started creating a buzz in the music scene opening for Robby Kreiger of the Doors, touring to SXSW in Spring of 2018, playing over 10+ Sofar Sounds across California, and frequently playing local popular venues (The Hi Hat, The Satellite, The Hotel Cafe, The Love Song Bar, and more). Her music has been playing nationally and internationally on numerous radio stations including Sirius XM (Rodney Bingenheimer's Underground Garage), Buzzband's LA's show on 88.5 KCSN, KZFR, and many more. She has been featured on notable music blogs including The Line of Best Fit, LA Weekly, Earmilk, Ladygunn, Live Nation's One's to Watch, and Buzzbands LA as well as played live on Balcony TV (atop the Live Nation building). With her single "Wandering Eye" getting much air time in 2018, Madeleine plans on being back in the studio this Summer to record her debut LP set to release in 2020 meanwhile playing solo and/or with her backing band all around LA.