Heavy Maddy has officially entered the chat, marking an exciting and bold new turning point in her career. With her new EP, Creatures of My Mind, Maddy O’Neal takes us on a trip through nostalgia-soaked basslines and fearless new energy, proving why she’s always been one of the most exciting artists in the scene.

Creatures of My Mind is a nostalgic nod to the golden era of bass music wrapped in a fresh wave of transformation and self-discovery that you can feel with every track. Known for weaving funk, soul, and melodic bass into her unmistakable sound, Maddy O’Neal dives deeper than ever before on this project, channeling growth, balance, and creative freedom into five songs that are anchored in her roots while pushing into new dimensions

With collaborations from Lizzy Jane, MOONZz, Underlux, Zoska, and Britt Lari, the EP showcases the full spectrum of her artistry, from dancefloor-shaking bangers to introspective soundscapes. Now, as she embarks on her 27-date Creatures of My Mind Tour and returns to Red Rocks alongside Big Gigantic for her fifth appearance, Maddy O’Neal stands at the start of a new era, one that is defined less by the grind and more by feeding the soul that fuels her music.

Exploring the mindset behind the music, Electric Hawk chatted with Maddy O’Neal to dive into her fearless new direction of sound, the tour, and the making of Creatures of My Mind. 

“For years and years “the grind” consumed me. My career and the tours and release cycle drove
my entire being where my personal life, desires outside my career and health took a major back
seat.
Lately I’ve been able to find the balance… nurturing my home life and health and reigniting that
adventure girl in me that inspired the whole thing in the first place.
I’ve been through so many different versions of myself through my creative life … This EP feels like a metamorphosis point where all the grind and preparation freed me from giving my entire being away to the hustle.
You have to nourish your body and your relationships and your appetite for living in order to give
your best self to your art and to the rest of the world.” – Maddy O’Neal

Listen to Creatures of My Mind

A Moment with Maddy O’Neal

Kaylee Leitzel, Electric Hawk: I usually start off my interviews asking artists how they came up with their alias, but you kept your original and true name. What fueled that decision?

Maddy O’Neal: For fans who have been around since the very beginning, I was in a duo project called Krooked Drivers for five years before starting my solo project. When I left that, I sat down and brainstormed a bunch of names, trying to figure out what the next chapter was going to look like. Everything I came up with felt so cheesy, and at one point I even considered Goldilocks. But ultimately, this new project felt like a return to myself, like coming home to my authentic self. Using my own name just felt right.

KL: You’ve talked about feeling like many different versions of yourself throughout this creative journey. How does this current version of Maddy O’Neal compare to the early days when you first got started?

Maddy: I think there’s an element of maturity and wisdom that comes with time, and also just caring less about what people think. I’m constantly evolving, experimenting, and learning, and that will never stop. That’s the most exciting part about what I do. But I’ve reached this point where I feel like I’ve earned respect and carved out enough of a lane for myself that I’m not scared to take risks or try something different or weird. 

That freedom is such a good feeling, because in the beginning you’re just tiptoeing around and trying to figure out the industry. Now I feel like I can follow my instincts, even if that means putting out a house record next, which years ago people might have told me not to do. I’m in a place where I don’t care about playing it safe anymore.

KL: Over the years your name has become a staple in the EDM community and a source of inspiration for so many rising artists, especially women, looking to make their mark on the industry. What would you say was the hardest part about getting to where you are now?

Maddy: Honestly, the patience and stamina to stick with it. We live in a world where people expect immediate results because everything’s at our fingertips, but I’ve been producing since 2010…Accepting that this is a journey, and that there’s never really a point where you can say “I’ve made it,” was a big lesson for me. It has to become who you are, not just your career.

You make a lot of sacrifices with your time, your choices in life, and touring is not an easy thing to do. The work needs to be put in constantly while keeping one finger on the pulse of the industry, stay up to date on technology, sound design, plugins, and how music itself is evolving. You have to stay tapped in all the time, which can be exhausting. And then there are the moments where you fall on your face, where you’re playing a show for five people and it feels awkward. But you can’t let that derail you. You have to trust it gets better and keep going. Having that mindset is what keeps you going.

KL: For all the people early in their career, what advice would you give your past self with the knowledge you know today?

Maddy: Yeah two main things. First, it’s really really easy to get swept up in the party, and I definitely did that. I feel like I wasted a lot of time I could’ve spent moving my career forward if I’d used my time more wisely. So I’d tell myself to be mindful of that.

And the second thing is that community is everything. No matter where you’re starting out, whether it’s Florida, Denver, wherever, dive into your local scene. Network, find like-minded people, build a support system. The community around me is what I can credit for so much of my career. I wouldn’t have been able to push through the hard moments without them. And the fans who’ve been with me for years feel like part of my evolution. They’ve been cheering me on through the falls and the growth. You really cannot do it alone.

KL: It’s no secret that you’ve balanced tours with Of The Trees, Daily Bread, LSZEE and your own headline events while also moving to LA from Denver during your only week off. What exactly was running through your mind during that time? Is there anything that kept you going?

Maddy: Well first off, being on those tours at the beginning of this year was such an honor. Those are some of the people I look up to the most and artists I think are doing some of the coolest stuff in the industry right now. Of The Trees, Daily Bread, LSZEE… I’ve always admired how they stay true to what they believe in instead of chasing trends. It was inspiring to share the stage with them, and even more meaningful because they’ve also become my friends over the years.

Anytime you’re in a big transitional moment, you naturally take stock of where you came from. I lived in Colorado for 16 years, and Daily Bread was around back when I first started this project 12 years ago. So I was feeling all these nostalgic waves while also thinking about how far I’ve come, and just feeling grateful. I’m still excited by what I do every day and it feels like the beginning all over again, over and over.

Leaving Colorado was intense. It’s the first time I’ve moved as an adult. I went from St. Louis to Boulder, Boulder to Denver, and now Denver to LA. But it felt right, like exactly what I needed to push myself into the next chapter. Taking risks is part of the high of this whole thing, and I know that’s how I’ll keep growing.

KL: You called Colorado your home for over 16 years before moving to LA. What does this new change of scenery mean to you and your music? 

Maddy: I love Colorado so much. That community really raised me as an artist. It taught me what a true support system looks like, and that working together is so much more powerful than competing. That’s one of the coolest parts of how I came up, being able to build with friends and realizing we’re stronger together.

I’m still brand new out here, but honestly, I moved for love. Prioritizing my personal life was a big deal, because that’s not always easy in this lifestyle. It felt like a win for my mental health and my well-being. And I think I was just ready to be challenged, ready for new environments. Sometimes you just feel it in your gut when it’s time to move on, and that’s exactly what it felt like.

Was it terrifying? Absolutely. It was so scary. But I also knew it was what I was supposed to do. It took me a minute to settle in too. I dropped my stuff off and immediately went back on tour, so for a while I was like, where even am I? [laughs] But we’re here now, and usually the move that scares you the most is the one you’re supposed to make.

CREATURES OF MY MIND EP

KL: Diving into Creatures of My Mind—You created this EP during a very transformative time in your life. How did that affect your music and shape this new, yet still nostalgic, sound?

Maddy: This EP really came together in kind of an ad hoc way. I was starting ideas in between all the madness of touring, which is usually how I work on the road. I’m constantly collecting samples, starting projects, and building little ideas. But they often just sit there until I have time to actually take them to the finish line, which is the tedious part.

By the end of tour I had all these half-finished ideas, and I remember talking with Josh Teed in the back lounge like, “Do you ever feel insane when you’re not writing? Like you just need that block of time to get into the flow?” And he was like, “Totally normal.” I just needed to say it out loud because I really did feel crazy not having that outlet.

So as soon as tour ended, I locked myself in and finished everything. It felt like I had this buildup in my subconscious that needed to come out, and that’s where the title Creatures of My Mind comes from. All these things were just sitting there, waiting to come to life. Writing that EP was literally like pulling them straight out of my head.

And I’m grateful I have that outlet, because I don’t know where all of that energy would’ve gone otherwise.

KL: During the making of this EP you’ve shared how you feel like this is a metamorphosis point freeing you from giving away your entire being to the hustle and grind. How did you find a balance? Was there a certain switch that got flipped?

Maddy: I’ve been touring pretty consistently for about eight years, and COVID was the first slap in the face that made me slow down. It forced me to reel it in and look at how much I was burning myself out. More recently, after some of my biggest headline tours, I hit that wall again where my body felt broken, my soul felt drained, and I realized I wasn’t replenishing myself in other areas of life.

For longevity, I had to ask why those things, taking care of myself, staying active, having a regular workout routine, prioritizing relationships, friendships, and family, weren’t just as important as my career. I’d neglected them in the past because I thought grinding was the only way forward. But that “hustle over everything” mentality can be really damaging. People don’t last if they don’t nurture the other parts of their lives.

Honestly, I got to this place by burning out over and over and finally noticing the pattern. Meeting my partner was a big part of it too. We share a similar lifestyle, but also value finding happiness and balance. At the end of the day, it’s about making decisions that keep you fulfilled as a whole person, not just as an artist.

KL: Was giving up ever an option for you? Were there times you were so burnt out that you thought, “I don’t want to do this anymore”? Or did you always feel driven to just keep going and push forward?

Maddy: I kind of set myself up without a backup plan…not even really on purpose, but from the beginning I decided the only way to do this was to go all in, 100%. If I had one foot out the door, there would always be someone out there working harder than me.

Of course there were moments where you get so frustrated that the thought crosses your mind, like, “What if I just did something else?” But for me, it’s always fleeting. It pops up, and then immediately I’m like, “nah”. I’ve never applied for another job, never seriously thought about walking away. This has always been it.

KL: When did the “Maddy O’Neal” project officially start?

Maddy: 2016. Which is insane to think about. We’re almost at the 10-year mark. Starting this project there was definitely a moment where giving up could’ve been on the table, because I had to reinvent myself completely. But instead of letting it end there, I used it to fuel the fire and push myself to get to where I am now.

KL: Was there any specific message you were trying to send with Creatures of My Mind? Whether to fans, family, friends, or even critics?

Maddy: I think there are individual messages within the songs. The first single I put out, “Back to Now,” is really an ode to living in the moment. We’re all so overstimulated all the time, and that track is a reminder to pause and come back to the present. The lyrics say, “Take me back to here, take me back to now,” and that’s really what it’s about – being grounded in the here and now.

Then the second single, “Pay No Mind,” is more of a baddie track [laughs]. Own your shit, stand in your confidence, don’t pay attention to haters or spectators. Just stay in your lane and do your thing.

Those two ideas are central themes for the project, but overall it’s about being your authentic self. I had all these ideas swirling around in my head, and this EP was about wrangling them into something real and honest. Especially with social media, I think the only way to breakthrough is just to lean into exactly who you are because nobody can replicate that.

KL: The EP is titled “Creatures of My Mind” so I have to ask… Do you have a spirit animal or “creature” you really connect with?

Maddy: [laughs] Yeah, totally. A lion. I love that question, by the way.

KL: A lion! Yea, I definitely see that. I was worried you might think the question was cheesy, but that feels exactly right for you.

Maddy: Thanks! Maddy Lion.

Kaylee Leitzel: That could be the next EP cover or single cover or something.

Maddy: I’m here for it.

KL: Stylistically this EP is different from your past work and feels like an evolution in your sound design, leaning more into heavier bass. What sparked that shift in style, and what was it like creating this music compared to your house-influenced tracks?

Maddy: I’ve been playing more heavy bass festivals, and I was super inspired by the artists I toured with. The deeper I dove into sound design, the more I wanted to experiment with what a heavier version of “Maddy” could sound like. This EP is a reflection of that experiment.

When I first started producing around 2010, old-school dubstep was everywhere, so in a way it feels like that sound has come back around. It pushed me to figure out how to take that inspiration and make it my own. So yeah, this is kind of like heavy Maddy entering the chat.

KL: I love that you have such a wide range of music. It never feels like you’re trapped in a box.

Maddy: Totally. Even when I make heavier tracks, there’s still a soulfulness to them, and I think that will always be there. But it’s fun to make songs that just hit you in the chest and really smash live. Playing shows influences me a lot. I tend to picture myself on stage playing the music live while I’m writing, which definitely inspired parts of Creatures of My Mind.

KL: Is there a song from the EP that you’re especially excited to play live, or that you’ve already played and just loved the reaction?

Maddy: Yeah. I’ve been opening my sets with the first single, “Back to Now”. It’s been such a cool way to set the tone. It starts out really beautiful, almost like a breath of fresh air, and then it just smacks you in the face. People are immediately like, “Oh shit, what are we in for right now?” It creates this moment of separation from whoever played before me, like a palate cleanser, and then straight out the gate, it hits. That’s been a lot of fun.

KL: Were there any track on the EP that has a specific story behind it? Maybe one of the collabs, or just a song that came together in a really unique, crazy, or funny way?

Maddy: Oh yeah, “Back to Now” actually started as a bootleg remix of Soul II Soul’s “Back to Life.” I’m obsessed with that song. It’s so nostalgic, legendary, and I always had this vision of opening my set with it. So Lizzy Jane and I made a remix, and then we reached out to Soul II Soul to see if we could clear the sample and put it out officially. They responded with a flat out no.

So we were stuck, like, do we just drop it on SoundCloud or try to make it into something original? And then it clicked. MOONZz, who I’ve collaborated with before, just happened to live in my neighborhood. She came over one day and we were supposed to be working on something else, but I had just gotten that rejection email. I played her the track and said, “What if we redid the vocals?” She sat down, we deleted all the original vocals, and she completely re-sang it.

So what started as a bootleg remix turned into an original track with MOONZz, who’s such a badass. It wasn’t even supposed to be what we were working on that day, but it ended up becoming the first single. It all worked out.

TOUR

KL: September 27th marks your fifth Red Rocks show, and a second time sharing the legendary stage with Big Gigantic. How does it feel sharing this night with them again almost eight years later?

Maddy: It’s pretty crazy. I actually went down a rabbit hole recently and pulled up all the photos from my past Red Rocks shows. Coming up in Colorado when I did, artists like Big Gigantic, GRiZ, Pretty Lights, STS9, and Gramatik were my idols. They were the direct inspirations when I first started making music. Red Rocks was in my backyard, and it was always the ultimate goal, like, “One day I’ll play there.”

Sometimes I really have to pause and remind myself how far I’ve come. Some of the people I once idolized are now close friends, and being tapped to play this show feels like such an honor especially as the only direct support act. Big Gigantic are legends, and they played a pivotal role in shaping the sound that inspired me at the very beginning.

Maddy: This is funny though…when you play Red Rocks, they give you a USB of your performance. The last time I played with Big Gigantic was 2017, and I had never watched that set until this week. I plugged it in and could barely get through two minutes [laughs]. It was so cringy compared to where I am now. But honestly, it made me even more excited. It was such a direct view of my growth.

Playing Red Rocks is always a moment of reflection for me. It’s this mecca, this legendary place where I can measure my progress and remember why I started. And this year is going to be extra special because my mom’s coming, Pete’s family is coming, even my 91-year-old grandma is flying in from the Bay Area. All my friends will be there too. I’m definitely going to cry a lot, but they’ll all be happy tears.

KL: Your headline tour kicked off on August 15th with support from Artifakts, Jaenga, Homemade Spaceship, Marvel Years, and Lizzy Jane. What are you looking forward to the most during these stops?

Maddy: The bulk of it really starts after Red Rocks. Up until now it’s been a mix of festivals and one-offs, but from that weekend on it’s every weekend until December. This tour is a big moment for me because it’s the first time I’ve been able to carry support with me and handpick my friends to be on the shows. In the past, we’ve done a lot of local support, which is always cool, but getting to the point where I can say, “I want this person on the lineup,” feels really special. To do it alongside people I admire and who inspire me is super fun.

A lot of these venues are ones I’ve been building at for years, and some are brand new. We’re covering a lot of ground, not just East Coast or West Coast, but all over. So I’m really excited. Right now I’m kind of conserving my energy because I know everything’s about to take off at once, but mostly I’m just grateful. At the end of the day, it’s the audience that makes a show great, and I’ve been lucky to see some incredible crowds. I can’t wait to see what this fall brings.

KL: You’re taking on this new powerful era and it’s clear this is only just the beginning. Can you share with us your plans for the future or anything fans can get extra excited about?

Maddy: I’ve got a house EP in the chamber that will see the light of day soon. I’m still finishing it, but that’s been really exciting for me. I’ve done a lot of the Madhaus sets at festivals the past couple years, and producing house music has been such a fun challenge. It’s an outlet I’ve fallen in love with, and I’m excited to share more of that side.

I also have some official remixes in the works that should drop either before the end of the year or early next year. And probably the biggest thing: I’m announcing my largest headline show to date at Red Rocks for Denver. That’s something I’ve been working toward for a long time, and being able to come back to Colorado in such a major way feels huge.

Maddy: I’ll also have fresh merch for the record at every show, and I’m planning to do some meet-and-greet style things along the way. I’ve got so much new music, so many new edits, and a lot of surprises up my sleeve for the sets. I can’t wait to unleash this new chapter all at once and get back out there with everyone.

• SEPT. 26 – Big Fam Festival (Brooklyn, MI)
• SEPT. 27 – Red Rocks Amphitheatre (Morrison, CO)
• OCT. 3  – Effex Nightclub (Albuquerque, NM)
• OCT. 4  – Animas City Theatre (Durango, CO)
• OCT. 10 – 12 – Seven Stars Festival (Arrington, VA)

Click here for the full list of tour dates

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