WRITTEN BY HAILEY VALDIVIA
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Photo by Lauren Nieves
Maddie Regent is back with her newest single, “Lizzy,” a glittering, lively song that invites you into a world of fantasy and romance. Sonically, it feels fantastical and whimsical, with a driving tempo that, paired with the lyrics, makes the listener feel like they stepped into the pages of Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice.”
Aptly titled “Lizzy”, Regent thought of the idea after rereading the book and then watching the 2005 movie adaptation of Austen’s novel. Taking inspiration and finding an affinity with the protagonist, Elizabeth Bennet.
“We wrote the song after we watched “Pride and Prejudice,” and I shared how I grew up loving romance stories, even though it took me a while to open myself up to love for myself. I think that’s just growing up, but I really saw myself in Lizzy. That fierce and stubborn independence. So we wrote it from that perspective,” Regent said.
The vivid lyricism stands out on this track; it paints a narrative of building romantic tension between two people who can’t escape their feelings for each other. It captures the magical feeling of a romance story and distills it into a three minute song.
Musician and Regent’s life partner Cade Hoppe has helped produce much of Regent’s music, including this track. His efforts encourage the instrumentals and lyrics totell a cohesive story. Regent said that making music with Hoppe is a special experience. With their partnership in mind, an extra layer is added to “Lizzy” in that it was quite literally the product of the musician and producer’s love.
“It is really something so special. We’ve grown together as artists, and I feel so lucky to work with someone who knows me so well. It makes writing about vulnerable topics more approachable,” Regent said.
Regent cites influences such as Lana Del Rey and Taylor Swift, which can be heard in the conversational storytelling while also capturing universal emotions. Regent was born and raised in Toronto, and while she always loved writing songs, she didn't take it seriously until college.
“I found my love for performing through being in the high school musicals, which led to me pursuing musical theatre at NYU. I soon realized storytelling through music drew me to it, and though it took a while, I eventually felt confident enough to share my own stories after I graduated. (My) Influences include Lana Del Rey — ‘Born to Die’ literally changed my view on what pop music could be — and Taylor Swift,” Regent said.
Fans can expect an upcoming album to follow up “Lizzy” sometime in the spring. Regent wants listeners who resonate with the song to know that they are worthy of love and, like Elizabeth Bennet, they can just be themselves.
“You are so worthy of love no matter how scary it may seem. Never change who you are for someone…the right one will stay,” Regent said.
