F  L  A  U  N  T

 Photo Credit: Kevin Justin Tan Ang With the turmoil of the world over the past year, many people have found themselves relocating and searching for a place that they can be proud of, connected to, and call home. For [Madalen Duke,](https://www.instagram.com/madalenduke/) that place has always been Vancouver, British Columbia. While being born in Calgary, she moved to Vancouver on her own as a young teenager to seek out a calling in life. She knew she was meant to tell her story to the world.  Throughout her adolescence and young adult years, she has felt herself evolve in parallel to the city that was molding her. From the side streets she used to sing on, to the art and cultural scene that’s currently exploding from Gastown to the West End—she will always put Vancouver first in her career. It’s more than a city: it’s a living, breathing entity that she’ll forever have a bond with as she continues her musical journey. Her first EP, _Talking To Myself_, grabbed millions of streams with the project's lead single landing as the title song for Netflix’s _The Old Guard_, with other songs from her EP landing in Showtime’s _Shameless,_ FOX’s _9-1-1_, and The CW’s _Batwoman._ She wrote the entire EP when she had only herself to rely on. Full of Madalen’s signature high end raspy vocals, the project evokes a visceral response with full bodied grayscale tones that return her to the nostalgic Vancouver days of writing the project.  As Madalen finishes her second EP, _ELYSE,_ she longed to create a series that put on the city that continuously inspires the sounds and lyrics of her work. Working with local Vancouver brands, Madalen created the VANCOUVER SESSIONS: a live performance video series partnering with the world-renowned Vancouver Art Gallery, critically acclaimed Bartholomew Bar, downtown Vancouver’s luxurious Hotel Georgia and many more. To kick the series off, Madalen does an exclusive debut performance of her single, “Comeback Kid”. As I interviewed Madalen for this article, chills rushed over me. Vancouver’s Queen has arrived.  **What makes Vancouver so special? Why are you so proud of your city?** The energy. I get to be whoever the fuck I want to, I feel like a fucking superstar, a villain, a rebel without a cause. I connect to the energy of the city, it’s literally coursing through my veins, fueling me. I go for a walk every morning on the sea wall and write down one thing that inspires me about Van, I’ve never run out of things to write down. It’s my favorite place in the world. I love discovering new things about my city, finding new bars, alleys, views, bridges, anything that gives me a high and makes me feel like I’m part of something bigger. I’m proud to be part of a culture that celebrates individuality.  **Out of all the places in Vancouver, where's your dream location to perform?**  I saw ZHU play at the Commodore a few years back, and it changed my life. I was like I’m gonna play here one day. Period. I felt like I was in a castle, transported to another lifetime. If you know me you know I love the Victorian ages—the Commodore makes me feel like I’m in a fucking castle in the 1800s.  Photo Credit: Jun C **How would you describe your sound?**  Dark, moody, sexy, real. I make what I like. I’m a hybrid of cinematic, classical x electronic x hip hop bangers. Halsey meets SAINt JHN meets Julia Stone. I’m a fan of music: whatever sounds, interesting textures inspire me, I translate into my music.  **When you blow up, what do you want to bring back to your city?**  A sense of pride. My city is the greatest in the world and I want everyone to know it. I always knew I was gonna be an artist, no question in my mind. I'm going to make every artist in my city feel heard, important, and show them they can do anything.