We had the good fortune of connecting with Maddy and Kev and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Maddy and Kev, what habits do you feel helped you succeed?
As artists, having creative time is invaluable. Time to write, express emotion, get lost in melodies and be inspired is central to the creative process of making music, but having good habits to support and ignite creativity is important to success. We find that hard work and discipline, both in our schedule and our craft, are practices that help us provide a quality product. We maintain a calendar with set practice times, writing time, periods for social media outreach, booking, and recording. To be creative with well-arranged music and quality sound we must approach our routine as both artists and businesspeople, staying organized and open to original thought simultaneously. Achieving a balanced schedule allows us to strive for excellence and create music in a thorough and refined manner. Staying positive is another habit that has helped us succeed as musicians. We believe in creating meaningful connections with our audience and expressing an interesting storyline is important to us. Being uplifting is what we want to represent and encourage, so we work to make it a personal habit and reflect that positivity through our music, social media content and partnership. Lastly, we feel that being honest has been an essential habit to our success. It is typical for us to regularly recenter to ensure that we are writing our story the best way possible, not swaying too far with trends but staying true to ourselves and the music we want to create. As musicians, we associate with many people including booking agents, venue owners, and producers. We find being honest is a quality that has great return when working with others.
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
We are a singer/songwriter duo from Mancos, Colorado. Our stories merge with some hardship, a friendship, and a lot of music. We have both always had a love for music and each of us grew up performing. Blues, classic country, jazz, and folk are all influencing genres to us and by joining two very different personalities and backgrounds, each with a unique writing and playing style, we like to say that our music is a sweet and savory cuisine you must taste for yourself. Our music is honest and true. We write from real life experiences and express our views and perspectives about the human condition. Our professional music journey began by performing at local venues and private events while developing social media platforms to stay connected with fans. We worked to put our product together and then utilized opportunities in the local music scene to share it. Immersed in a musical lifestyle, we began writing together and developing our own sound to take to the recording studio. Recently, we recorded our debut album in Woodstock, New York and our music is available now on all streaming platforms. The journey was, and still is, not always easy. Being working musicians has its uncertainties and requires a lot of hard work, but with consistent gratitude and acknowledging that we are doing what we love, challenges can be overcome. Through our experiences we have learned that staying true to oneself is paramount to creative fulfillment and success.
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
We live near Durango, CO, a beautiful place to spend time outdoors, eat delicious food and visit the historical downtown. During a weeklong trip, visiting Vallecito Lake for fishing, boating, and swimming is a must. Vallecito is tucked in the trees and surrounded by beautiful mountain views. After a day on the lake, one of our favorite places to eat is James Ranch Grill. They serve local, organic fare from gourmet burgers made of James Ranch beef, to seasonal soups and salads assembled with ingredients from local farmers. While at the ranch, it is fantastic to be able to support local producers and entrepreneurs by shopping in their sustainably sourced market. A great spot for appetizers and drinks is El Moro Tavern in downtown Durango. El Moro has an extensive drink list complete with specialty cocktails and mocktails. While downtown, another must is to peruse shops like The Sparrow, Gardenswartz Outdoors and Overland. The Durango Hot Springs is another stop worth making. Their hot springs are perfect for relaxing and rejuvenating. Finally, if our best friend felt like some country music and dancing, we would stop by the Wild Horse Saloon to have some fun on the largest dancefloor in town.
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
We would like to recognize and say thank you to our family. Their love and support is the cornerstone of our success! They come to almost every show, helping us with our soundcheck and setup, they are always ready to listen and discuss new ideas, and they have been essential in our creative process. When days feel too big to handle, they are always ready with words of encouragement and healthy perspectives. We absolutely couldn’t do this without them.
Website: https://maddyandkev.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maddyandkev/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maddyandkev
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzSC13_bz25DSb7WwRrFDiA
Image Credits
ZU Gallery, Megan Houston