Biography
After completing her studies at one of the nation’s premier conservatories, Maddie Jay built her reputation first as a versatile bassist exploring everything from alternative jazz to mainstream pop, and later as a compelling indie-pop solo artist. Early independent releases such as the 2020 breakthrough single “I Got You” and her 2025 debut album I Can Change Your Mind steadily expanded her reach, aided by onstage appearances supporting Lorde and Remi Wolf.
Born Madeline Jay Lough in 1993 in the small Canadian community of Smithers, British Columbia, she grew up in a household that nurtured her musical interests from childhood, prompting her to begin violin lessons and pursue both classical and jazz approaches. In 2012 she received a five-week scholarship to the Berklee College of Music in Boston, initially intending to refine her violin technique; however, when a bassist failed to appear for an ensemble rehearsal, she picked up the instrument on impulse and quickly became absorbed, devoting countless hours to online tutorials. The following year she returned to Berklee as a full-time undergraduate.
During her time at the college she launched her first notable endeavor by leading Maddie Jay and The pH Collective, a relaxed jazz group featuring horns and drawing inspiration from the alternative R&B of Anderson .Paak and the Internet. The project issued one album, 2016’s Meanwhile…, and the 2017 EP Moondog before Maddie relocated to Los Angeles to pursue broader opportunities. There she secured varied employment, most consistently as bassist for Winnetka Bowling League, the studio-based project of songwriter and producer Matthew Koma. Between 2018 and 2020 she performed with the group and appeared in its “CVS” video, shot inside one of the pharmacy chain’s locations and featuring a cameo by Koma’s wife, Hilary Duff. She also collaborated with producer and remixer RAC, contributing vocals to “Sweater” on the 2020 album Boy, while earning additional income as a touring bassist for acts including Skylar Grey and AlunaGeorge.
Her own first solo release, the bright alt-pop track “Lunch Break,” arrived in 2018. After parting ways with Winnetka Bowling League she concentrated on her individual career, shaping a hazy bedroom-pop sound centered on her own bass lines and synth work. The debut EP Mood Swings, issued as COVID-19 lockdowns began, drew attention through “The Peanut Butter Song” and the modestly viral “I Got You.” A follow-up EP, CMYK, appeared the next year and showcased airy cuts such as “Excuses” and “CR78.” Once live performances resumed, she returned to the road as a bassist, first with alt-pop artist Remi Wolf and subsequently with Lorde, who added Wolf to her 2022 tour and retained several of the same musicians. Following a period of relative quiet, Maddie assembled songs for her first proper studio album, I Can Change Your Mind, which surfaced in 2025 and included the notable tracks “Eckhaus Latta,” “Every Little Thing,” and “Name Your Price.”
Born Madeline Jay Lough in 1993 in the small Canadian community of Smithers, British Columbia, she grew up in a household that nurtured her musical interests from childhood, prompting her to begin violin lessons and pursue both classical and jazz approaches. In 2012 she received a five-week scholarship to the Berklee College of Music in Boston, initially intending to refine her violin technique; however, when a bassist failed to appear for an ensemble rehearsal, she picked up the instrument on impulse and quickly became absorbed, devoting countless hours to online tutorials. The following year she returned to Berklee as a full-time undergraduate.
During her time at the college she launched her first notable endeavor by leading Maddie Jay and The pH Collective, a relaxed jazz group featuring horns and drawing inspiration from the alternative R&B of Anderson .Paak and the Internet. The project issued one album, 2016’s Meanwhile…, and the 2017 EP Moondog before Maddie relocated to Los Angeles to pursue broader opportunities. There she secured varied employment, most consistently as bassist for Winnetka Bowling League, the studio-based project of songwriter and producer Matthew Koma. Between 2018 and 2020 she performed with the group and appeared in its “CVS” video, shot inside one of the pharmacy chain’s locations and featuring a cameo by Koma’s wife, Hilary Duff. She also collaborated with producer and remixer RAC, contributing vocals to “Sweater” on the 2020 album Boy, while earning additional income as a touring bassist for acts including Skylar Grey and AlunaGeorge.
Her own first solo release, the bright alt-pop track “Lunch Break,” arrived in 2018. After parting ways with Winnetka Bowling League she concentrated on her individual career, shaping a hazy bedroom-pop sound centered on her own bass lines and synth work. The debut EP Mood Swings, issued as COVID-19 lockdowns began, drew attention through “The Peanut Butter Song” and the modestly viral “I Got You.” A follow-up EP, CMYK, appeared the next year and showcased airy cuts such as “Excuses” and “CR78.” Once live performances resumed, she returned to the road as a bassist, first with alt-pop artist Remi Wolf and subsequently with Lorde, who added Wolf to her 2022 tour and retained several of the same musicians. Following a period of relative quiet, Maddie assembled songs for her first proper studio album, I Can Change Your Mind, which surfaced in 2025 and included the notable tracks “Eckhaus Latta,” “Every Little Thing,” and “Name Your Price.”
Albums
Singles
