Meet Madu, the 24 year old using her voice for advocacy and Climate Justice
If you haven't heard of Freo Social's latest event, Songs for Climate Justice, note it down for Thursday 31 August at 7.30pm.
Songs for Climate Justice is a chance to experience headliner Grace Sanders x SCRATCHING's smooth electro-pop underground sound, along with Perth singer-songwriters Cassie Skinner, Sharmaine Tan, Mei Lyn Woon and Maduvanthi Venkatesan (Madu) covering your favourite tunes. 2022 WA Beatbox Champion, TEIKJIN, as well as beloved local violist Rose Belford will also be making special appearances throughout the night.
All funds raised (after-cost) will support Climate Justice Union. The organisation collectively pools resources (people, effort, ideas, funds) to “create the future we want and need, while leaving nobody behind.”
We had the chance to talk to Maduvanthi Venkatesan, who played a key role in bringing this event to life. She is also in the opening act, performing for a cause she is truly passionate about.
IN: Tell us about yourself, how long have you been making music?
Madu: To be honest, I am barely a professional muso. I have been singing since I was very small, and now I’m mostly in the chamber choir scene.
I joined Voyces back in 2018 - we’re a contemporary classical chamber choir based in Perth. It's how I met with Sharmaine, Mei Lyn and Rose, who’ll be performing with me on the 31st. I’m also a member of Vanguard Consort, a professional 9-voice vocal consort that’s all about bringing new and interesting choral works to WA.
With them, I’ve had some incredible musical opportunities, like accompanying Bjork earlier this year at the Perth Festival, and singing at Dark Mofo with Max Richter in June.
The contemporary cover band stuff is really more of a hobby, and it’s been a great creative challenge arranging music and programming a set that reflects the issues and themes that Climate Justice Union is all about.
Tell us about Climate Justice Union (CJU), why is the organisation important to you?
I joined Climate Justice Union in 2020, just over a year after I dropped out of uni to work on climate activism full time.
I had been exploring the different groups, organisations and campaigns happening around me in Perth, but I was immediately struck by CJU and how its members created change - it encompassed everything I cared about. Not just emissions reduction and transitioning to renewables, but also anti-racism, decolonisation, disability justice, mutual aid and collective care, unions etc. - all of these issues are deeply intertwined. Fundamentally, CJU is about transforming the way power is wielded and concentrated to solve complex problems and allocate resources.
Its members work across so many different sectors and spaces - environment, public service, health, education, hospitality and arts, just to name a few. It will take a transformation across all of these spaces to meet the challenge of climate. Not just reducing emissions, but ensuring the health system and our communities are prepared to look after people when there’s a heatwave (extreme heat is the most fatal natural disaster) or a flood. Ensuring workers and the communities of the industries that’ll be disrupted by the energy transition making the decisions on how those transitions will happen, so we’re not leaving entire towns behind in the transition to renewables. Working in solidarity with and bringing resources to Aboriginal led organisations to identify specific pieces of work that address climate justice from a First Nations perspective.
And also, importantly, looking after people who do the advocacy and organising so they don’t burn out, are safe, and aren’t extracted from. As someone with chronic mental health challenges, I’ve experienced first-hand how an organisation should actually provide structural support and do collective care so that anyone can participate and be cared for and looked after. That’s a huge part of justice too.
I really urge people to check out our website and our crowdfunding page - there’s so much more information about the really great work my fellow CJU members have done.
Do you find music and art an effective vehicle for activism and advocacy?
Yes.
Art is relational, and the act of creating and sharing art builds community. The connections and relationships I’ve built just by going to choir rehearsals once a week have led to things like mutual aid. Dropping a hot meal off to a friend’s when they’re going through a tough time - this builds community and solidarity. Without these, activism cannot happen.
The power of art to move people beyond the intellectual, but in a deep, somatic, visceral way is also crucial to staying centred and maintaining the stamina for the long haul of ending the climate crisis. When I listen to Yurala by Spinifex Gum, or Blue Sky Mine by Midnight Oil, it makes me feel in my body what I know in my brain about the work we need to do together. That keeps me going.
What can folks expect from Songs for Climate Justice?
In essence, Songs for Climate Justice is just a bloody good night of high-quality music. It’s really a rag tag effort of people chipping in their many talents for the cause.
I'm in the opening act. Our set will be mostly acoustic/folk covers of some of our favourite songs with our own creative twists. We’ll also be accompanied for a few songs by 2022 WA Beatboxing Champion, TEIKJIN. We’ve tried to incorporate a good mix of local and international artists to pay homage to.
Powerhouse vocalist Cassie Skinner is the supporting act. Her voice and artistry is truly something to be witnessed. She’s a composer and songwriter in her own right, but she’ll be performing as a cover artist on the 31st. People who’ve been following our socials might also notice there’ll be an acapella moment. We couldn't help it, we are all choristers at heart!
And the headliner, Grace Sanders x SCRATCHING, is an artist whose music excites me deeply. Electro-pop pop, a moody, groovy, eclectic sound world combined with a really stunning voice, both technically and lyrically. She’s going to be a powerful headliner, I am so excited.
We do ask that people mask up if they can. COVID is still here and it’s also flu season - we have to be looking out for each other!
Songs for Climate Justice is on at Freo Social on Thursday, August 31, 2023. For more info and to buy tickets, head to moshtix.
