Punk band MADmoiselle is giving the music scene in Baton Rouge a new vibe by bringing more than just good music but meaning with the lyrics they sing on stage.
Lead singer and founder Madison Delacroix wanted to start a new project after she left her previous band. Drummer Drake Dugas was also in Delacroix’s previous band and joined in on her efforts.
Rhythm guitarist Dylan Falterman and lead guitarist Luke LeBlanc were quickly added to the mix. LeBlanc originally was a bass player until the group discovered his “hidden guitar shredding talent,” Delacroix said. Their need for a bass player was relieved by the addition of Chandler Feraud.
The band has a background in various genres, such as punk, rock, blues and jazz. They mix those elements to create a unique sound in not only their covers but in their original songs.
“Just heavy-hitting type stuff,” Dugas said.
MADmoiselle’s first gig was at Phil Brady’s Bar & Grill. They’ve also been found at other venues such as Chelsea’s Live and the Revelry. At that first gig, they expected only ten people to show. They ended up performing for 150.
“The hardest part about putting together a band is finding the people, and the easiest thing to do is just go to the shows,” Feraud said.
While the band performs covers at their shows, they would like to see themselves one day as an entirely original band. Delacroix said that through the lyrics, audiences can find some sort of guidance. She said she wants to inspire people to understand that it’s okay to feel negative emotions, as it has become taboo.
“My goal was to just maybe help people guide or feel like they have something to go by that they feel is understanding their situation,” Delacroix said. “No matter how specific or big their situations are.”
The group is currently working on releasing a single soon. The actual details are under wraps at the moment as they write and practice these songs. Delacroix said that they hope to go “single by single” in this process of releasing new music.
Falterman said that writing is an ongoing process and that they try to meet at least once or twice a week. While at practice, they try to “crank out” as much as possible. He said the group still has time to goof off and enjoy themselves.
“Whether it’s rehearsing originals and covers for a show, writing new material, jamming or just kind of building that chemistry even more, that’s a win in my book for rehearsal,” Dugas said.
At the end of the day, the group said that one of the most important parts about being in a band and performing together is who you choose to play with. Delacroix called it an “intimate situation” that is a “mix of friendship and business.”
“Just get all of your friends, and you can suck together and grow together and get better as a band together,” Dugas said.
With one more gig this year on Dec. 15 at the Revelry, they plan on working on their originals for the remainder of 2023.
“It is time to accept it is ok to not be ok. We all deserve our own love,” the MADmoiselle website said.
