A Cleveland singer-songwriter whose burgeoning career was sidelined by health issues is back with her rock band The Whiskey Hollow. For this week’s Shuffle, Madeline Finn talks about her comeback and the band’s new album.
Highs and lows
Madeline Finn turns 24 on Saturday – the same day her band The Whiskey Hollowreleases its second EP, Greenhouse. And her musical career has already hit its highs and lows.
Three years ago, her former pop-punk band Envoi started getting a huge following, with their 2014 song From A Cage reaching nearly two million streams on Spotify and hundreds of thousands of YouTube views.
“It took on a life of its own and got fairly successful,” Finn said. But that initial success eventually fell apart when she started battling anorexia and had to leave the band to seek treatment.
During that difficult period, Finn continued to write songs.
“I had so much emotion to get out,” Finn said.
The Whiskey Hollow solo project
At first, Finn wasn’t sharing her songs with anyone. But she eventually mustered enough confidence. Now, three years into her recovery from the eating disorder, The Whiskey Hollow is Finn’s big comeback.
The Whiskey Hollow wasn’t originally supposed to be a group. Finn started it as a solo project. She raised $5,000 through Kickstarter to make the EP “X Waters”.
“I decided then and there that I wasn’t going to let those people down and I was going to keep it growing,” Finn said. “And here we are.”
A new sound and outlook
The group’s latest EP, called “Greenhouse,” is a total departure from that first solo record. Finn describes it as “a kind of part two to ‘X Waters.’”
“Greenhouse” uses a full band throughout. And the overall vibe is much more positive than that of “X Waters.”
“Every song is about living in the moment and being positive,” Finn said.
In a way, “Greenhouse” codifies Finn’s decision to move past a difficult part of her life and embrace positivity.
“I’ve learned to put my energy into things that are going to help other people and help myself,” Finn said.
And the fans are back.
“I never thought I’d be at a point where I felt so much worth in myself but (could still) maintain humility and integrity,” Finn said.
When asked how she feels three years into her recovery, Finn uses one word:
“Better."
And she's looking forward to a big 2018.
The Whiskey Hollow plays an album release show Saturday, December 9th at the Grog Shop.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45kgLBJprD4
