Artist Spotlight: Molly Pinto Madigan

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“When you look for external validation for art you’ll always face rejection. It could be at a career level, or a personal level when trying to learn something new, so you need a core belief that what you are doing has value. Because as I said, music and art are so valuable. So you need to hold on to that belief and let it guide you.”

- Molly

On the release of her latest album, ‘The Ballad of Tam Lin,’ Molly shares her musical history, her current offerings, and what’s exciting on the horizon.

I reached out to Molly about the Artist Spotlight and am so thankful she agreed to take some time for an interview. Based in Peabody Massachusetts, Molly is a singer, songwriter, guitarist, and pianist, who in addition to teaching classes, also has been creating and touring original music for quite some time. What follows is the conversation we had about her background, her artistic journey to this point, and what she wants to share with the world

So tell me a little about yourself. How did you get started? 

I got started really young. I was really lucky to have supportive parents who made it easy to follow my creative inclinations. I started doing musical theater and playing piano. I remember listening to bands like the Beatles with my parents and just really loving music. It helped that I had friends who were into music as well, and at the age of 14 we started a bluegrass band called “Jaded Mandolin.”

What did you take away from that experience?

It really was cool to be able to tour and release original music. It affirmed my love of music. We released an album, titled “Jaded Mandolin,” by the time I was 16, and going around, performing our original music was a formative experience. We got to tour all around the Boston area, and other parts of New England as well. I also learned about different types of folk music branching out from bluegrass, and it definitely helped shape the direction of my current music.

So what influences did you take from bluegrass?

Well bluegrass traces its roots back to more traditional Irish, Scottish, Celtic ballads and songs. I’m of Irish descent and definitely wanted to follow those roots a little further back. So after a few of my older bandmates went off to college, it felt like a good time to go my own way and explore that traditional Celtic thread a little deeper. 

After Jaded Mandolin where did you find yourself?

I went off to college at Salem State where I studied that ethnomusicology, or the music of different cultures. I also played classical piano and minored in creative writing. I actually wrote my first of 4 novels there. It’s called Of Blood and Roses, and I’m working to get it, along with the subsequent novels I’ve written, published soon! It’s a modern retelling of an ancient Scottish ballad called “Tam Lin,” which also influenced my newest album.

Wow that’s really exciting! So as a new college grad, you’d already toured and released an album with a band, and written a novel. Where do you go from there?

I knew I wanted to work on my own Celtic influenced folk music. My senior project was actually  my first solo album, "Outshine the Dusk." Then after college I went on to release more solo albums: "Wildwood Bride," "The Cup Overflows," "Villanelle," and the newest, "The Ballad of Tam Lin."

Tell me a little more about how your newest album came together.

So I originally started out with this concept for a story album based on the Scottish ballad “Tam Lin,” that I had previously based Of Blood and Roses on. I wanted people to play multiple parts, and have it be a narrative told from different perspectives. Almost like a folk rock opera.  However, I thought that would be just a huge undertaking and I wasn’t sure how to get it done. 

Luckily I was given support by the awesome label, Nine Athens Music and Club Passim's Iguana Music Fund. If you’re a musician looking for help funding or starting a project, they are fantastic. With their help I was able to get all the resources together to make my vision of this story a reality. So on this album I have multiple singers (Myself, Alec Hutson, Mark Erelli, Vance Gilbert, and Jenee Halstead) and musicians (Myself again, Lyle Brewer, Julian Loida, James Heazlewood Dale, Sam Margolis, and Eva Walsh), all coming together to create something I’m really proud of.

We recorded it all at the amazing Riverview Sound in Boston, with help from the owner, producer, and engineer, Sam Margolis.

I’ll be doing a live release of the album on 11/5. It will be streamed by Club Passim, and you can find more info on their website.

And I have a music video (featured below) from the album out now as well for a song called “Love be True.” It was an interesting experience creating it. I worked remotely with a filmmaker in the UK, and he fIlmed it in Cornwall.

I also have another video  for the album coming out soon. It’s a recording of me doing a Viennese waltz, edited with a song from the album. Ballroom dancing is another of my passions. It was really fun to combine these two parts of my life into that project.


Well congratulations! People should definitely check that out. Now in addition to your own music, you’re also available for lessons. What can people expect from lessons with you?

I teach private music lessons over zoom for adults and kids. I offer lessons in guitar, piano, voice, songwriting and music theory.

I really try to make my lessons as personalized an experience as I can. I like to get a feel for what students want and how they best learn, and build the experience from there. I try to find what they’re passionate about and help foster that passion.

Your passion for music and creativity is evident.  It seems like it’s been a constant throughout your life. What are some last words you’d like to leave for any future students, and those who share the same passion?

I really am passionate. I think everyone turns to things like music and art, especially during tough times, to be reminded of the beauty of humanity. But musicians or artists can kind of be looked down upon. Society wants to consume it, but we don’t value those who make it, or encourage our children to go into those creative roles. 

It takes a lot of strength to make that choice to devote time and energy to art, but it’s so enriching to the person themselves and to society as a whole. I was really lucky to have supportive parents who made that choice easier for me. But it’s still hard.

When you look for external validation for art you’ll always face rejection. It could be at a career level, or a personal level when trying to learn something new, so you need a core belief that what you are doing has value. Because as I said, music and art are so valuable. So you need to hold on to that belief and let it guide you.

Make sure to support Molly by following her social media & streaming her music!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mollypintomadigan

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mpintomadigan

You can stream and purchase her music on Bandcamp: https://mollypintomadigan.bandcamp.com/album/the-ballad-of-tam-lin, as well as other major streaming sites. To purchase physical copies of her albums, visit her website: https://www.mollypintomadigan.com/

If you’d like to contact Molly about lessons, you can visit her Facebook page and send her a message or visit her webpage!


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