Maddy O’Neal at Forecastle Festival: Female Representation, Dream Collaboration, and Favorite Letter of the Alphabet

Maddy O’Neal at Forecastle Festival: Female Representation, Dream Collaboration, and Favorite Letter of the Alphabet

While working on her upcoming full-length album, Maddy O’Neal is simultaneously in the midst of a heavy summer tour rotation with one of her stops being Forecastle Festival in Louisville, KY, over Memorial Day Weekend. Prior to her festival set, the Denver-based producer and DJ, who mixes funk, soul, hip-hop, and all sorts of goodness into her electronically-focused music, sat down with us for an interview in which we talked about her latest single, “Never Fades,” which is the first release off her forthcoming album. We also talk about one of her favorite collaborators, a dream collaborator, the importance of female representation and how she’s seen it change over the decade she’s been in the industry, and some favorites from color to a letter of the alphabet.

Maddy O’Neal is known for her love of combining soundscapes from all across the spectrum of genres. Rich in texture and atmosphere, her roots in funk and soul shine through in funk and soul shine through in a bed of low-end frequencies, making for a unique environment for future bass and synth design to tie it all together. Maddy’s expression was formed by way of soulful melodic overtones, driven basslines, and glitched-out hip-hop grooves. Her live performances consist of original compositions, drum pads, and an interwoven storyline ranging from low grimey bangers to shimmery mid-tempo vocal bass tracks and head nod disco.

Her artistry was well appreciated at Forecastle Festival with a lot of attendees dancing in the rain during her set, or dancing underneath the overpass a little ways off. Check out the interview below to learn more about Maddy O’Neal, whose momentum is unstoppable as she has been touring the country for the last 5 years, playing 90+ shows a year, and spreading her infectious energy from stage to stage.