ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: SPACEBABYMADCHA

Introducing SPACEBABYMADCHA (SBM), Belgium's alternative hip-hop sensation, blending club R&B, ambient, and electronic hip-hop. SBM mesmerizes audiences with their transcendent energy and stage presence, earning accolades like the Ensor Award for Best Music. Their latest EP, "CYCLES," cements SBM as a trailblazer in the European music scene.

1. Your music is often described as genre-defying, blending elements of club R&B, ambient, alternative soul, and electronic hip-hop. What inspired you to explore such a diverse range of sounds, and how do you approach the creative process behind melding these influences into your own unique style?

I think we as humans are so diverse in what we feel, go through and acknowledge in our environment and within ourselves, I feel like you could compare our human experience as an onion, covered in a lot of layers and so for me it comes natural to try to witness all of the layers, in music we could describe it as the different frequency ranges and so sounds, and so I think the beauty of life is in everything perfectly blending in together and that beauty is what I want to recreate, share and show the world. 

In my creative process that looks like/starts with being in touch with myself and what I am going through mentally, spiritually and emotionally, doing practices that bring inspiration, that give off self-soothing energy such as meditation, giving myself the space to explore ideas not bound by time, but simply out of love for what I do and the unconditional love I have for myself and my art. And from there on, working together with my favourite producers who effortlessly seem to inner-stand how my feelings and thoughts sound while sticking to their individuality. That is what creates the depth and the unique sound. 

2. Your live performances are renowned for their electrifying energy and mesmerising stage presence. How do you prepare for a live show, and what do you hope your audience takes away from the experience?

I feel like we live in such an automated society where as I feel like a lot of people are hiding in their shells, hiding in what is known, hiding in fear to not be liked or accepted. And for me, in my liveshows the message is to not be afraid, the message is to seek in your life, what you would seek, if the world wasn’t about status or money. So if you are reading this, would you be doing what you are doing right now if it wasn’t for money? And besides that, I hope to give them a release in their bodies and minds, a distinct show that takes away their breath and gives all it it back. 

So to be able to share this energy with an audience, I always need to center myself before going up by doing some breathing exercises, giving myself a moment of quietude, tapping into my intuition on how I can transfer this feeling without saying too much and running. Daily running, to be in shape. Lol 

3. Congratulations on the release of your highly anticipated second EP, "CYCLES"! Could you share with us the thematic inspiration behind the EP and how it represents your artistic evolution since your debut?

Thank you for the kind words! 

CYCLES refers to the emotional circuits/cycles we go through in life, it refers to a continuous series of actions, events and coping mechanisms I tried to grow out of. I still feel really connected to the title because it really still defines how I see my creative evolution, for me it really goes hand and hand, the deeper i reflect in my copings, thoughts and feelings, the more I let go, the better I can create. 

4. "THE ONE" is a captivating exploration of love and desire, showcasing your unapologetic embrace of authenticity. Can you walk us through the creative journey behind this track, from its inception to the final production?

This track has had the longest creative process to date. I wrote it almost 2 years ago, back then I was in the process of creating a pack of demos for the follow up EP for CYCLES but it didn’t came to fruition yet because of major life change. I had to take the time to get to know myself and my art again in a new way. Resulting In me perceiving my ideas in a renewed perspective. So the track that I thought was finished, was actually just created. 

THE ONE is about acknowledging what love really means, how being truly in love feels like.

 2 years ago, I had not deeped that understanding, resulting in unhealthy trauma bonds in my life because I couldn’t embrace my own love like that in the first place, which is important. I believe as within, so without, as above so below.

So the track laid still for a moment because something was missing, the depth of it was missing. until I had the courage, to face what I was fearing, such as being abandoned, being left alone and just by facing that trauma, I could witness so much love and care for myself to an extent I didn’t have before, which resulted in me attracting a person who gives that same care and love to themselves. 

By witnessing that romantic interaction with that person, which felt so healthy and right, I for the first time felt like I truly was experiencing the Truth of love, true love. Healthy attachment, open communication, enough space for each emotionally, and so on. This was the moment in time, where I rewrote most of the verses of THE ONE and went back to the studio with it. 

We eventually created a whole other beat for the track, as the production had to feel as deep as the meaning and feeling of the lyrics, which took some months as we looked into it with multiple producers and a lots of versions and variations of the beats that were made. 

Within the process I had to remind myself that the best things in life don’t come easy and that hard work and work that comes from the heart will always pay off. So im happy, very happy to say that the release of THE ONE is there and that it is in collaboration with in my opinion one of Belgium’s finest producers, Nathan Elias.  

I hope the world can feel what love can feel like through this track. Because, the love that is expressed in the song, is not only mine now anymore,  its now yours too. 

5. Your work on Belgian television series like "ROOMIES" and "HACKER II" has earned you accolades such as the Ensor Award for Best Music. How does composing for visual media compare to creating standalone music, and what unique challenges or opportunities does it present for you as an artist?

The difference in composing for visual media is that you suddenly need to transfer yourself in a creative and mental world that doesn’t necessarily feel like yours. It creates the opportunity to learn to create from a place where its unknown territory, like a child  being new in a school, it needs to discover what the vibe and storylines of everyone is in order to adapt. So creating for visual media is a great practice and opportunity to get out of my own bubble and subjects i usually talk about.  

6. Your influence extends beyond Belgium, with your music being featured in international magazines and on radio stations worldwide. How does it feel to see your art resonate with audiences on a global scale, and what do you hope listeners take away from your music regardless of their background or location?

I have no words for it, just immense gratitude that people resonate with it. I feel like working daily on a dream for years and seeing fruitions on it, it’s a feeling that is indescribable, it’s like the love a mother has for their child. 

And I simply just hope they take away that everything is possible, to never stop believing and work for what you believe in. The sky isn’t the limit! Our mindset is the only thing we put limits on. 

7. As a true polymath, you wear many hats as a musician, composer, vocal artist, and rapper. How do you balance and integrate these different facets of your creativity, and do you find that each role informs and enriches the others in your artistic process?

Finding the balance for each role is still a task and is an actuality a journey that doesn’t quite end because I feel like everything has its time too. For example when im focused on recording new demos, I am less focused on daily playing for hours on my guitar but its holding its value in seeing how I can integrate the guitar in making new tracks so yes, each role definitely! enriches the other roles and the way of perceiving, the way of making art. 

8. Looking ahead, what creative goals or projects are you most excited about pursuing in the future, and how do you envision your artistic journey evolving from here?

I went/am going way deeper in my musicianship since past year, so what I can already envision and see is my journey evolving to more live instrumentation in my liveshows. Besides that, I am veryyyy! excited for my Europa tour this summer and the tracks/project that will be released this year!