Roxi’s Realm: Madalynne Bares All
Sitting down with R&B Star Madalynne Alvarez is always a literal treat. She organizes almost every home interview at Crumbs Bake Shop, the bakery owned and operated by her sister-in-law. This was no different, but this day had an added twist.
One had to wonder how many cupcakes Alvarez had already consumed when I arrived, as she nearly jumped out at me, from behind her table. At the very least, the action answered a question that I’d been unsure of asking. As I took a seat across from her, she shared, with me, a story.
Roxi Carmichael: Hello Madalynne! Thanks for meeting with me!
Madalynne Alvarez: Of course! You’ve always been my go-to person when I have a scoop.
RC: Ahh, so there is a scoop.
MA: There always is. But we’ll get to that. Just before you got here, I got a text from my husband. Our girls are arguing with him about clothes. Oh, that poor man! I think he should be nominated for sainthood, for everything they put him through. I know toddlers put people through hell in that threenager stage, but I think the whole adolescent and pre-teen eras get overlooked, too. One of them thinks that he is trying to make them look ‘uncool’ because he’s suggesting she wear a striped shirt. I thought she was over that.
RC: Are they planning to follow the modelling route that you took when you were young?
MA: Kobe I hope not. We’d all end up losing our minds then. They’re already little divas. It would really explode if they started modelling.
RC: Can you tell what they might end up doing when they’re older? Any special talents they already display?
MA: Well they both enjoy dancing. I’ve seen them copying me sometimes, especially when they tag along to rehearsals with Max and I. Maybe future ballroom competitors. It’s still a little early to tell.
RC: So you’re rehearsing with Max. Does this mean there are more ballroom competitions in your future?
MA: Yes, in fact… that’s what I wanted to talk about today.
RC: The suspense!
MA: (laughs) Okay, I’ll skip any preamble then. My last album will be my actual last album, and this is my final tour.
RC: Wait - what?
MA: That’s right. The Madalynne Alvarez rollercoaster is coming to an end. I’ve decided it’s time for me to focus all of my attention and energy on being a mom and wife, rather than the fifty percent I have been. Hell, possibly even less than that as of late.
RC: A mom to…just your girls?
MA: (seems to know what I’m asking) Yes! This isn’t like the last time we met here!
RC: So the Bare Tour is the last chance for fans to see you?
MA: Yes. For now, anyway. I’m not ruling out a full time return to music down the road, but not in the near future.
RC: I have to be honest. I never thought this day would come.
MA: Frankly, neither did I, but I reached a point in my life where I realized it was time. It wasn’t an easy decision, but it wasn’t a hard one either. Something in my heart just told me, when I started working on this album, that it would be the last one.
RC: You know your long-time fans aren’t going to take this well.
MA: I do. Which is why I wanted to get out in front of it and announce it now. The final tour is double, so people have multiple chances to come to a show.
RC: What else is on the horizon for you?
MA: Well, it will be the occasional ballroom competition, because those are easy to manage, and I’ll still be coordinating the Casper-Knox Foundation model competition. I also want to help my niece and her cousin out with their music venture, Wildfire. And, I do have several projects lined up with Seth Cohen and Tamar, so it’s not like I’ll be disappearing from the music world completely right away.
RC: I’m sure that will make things a bit easier for everyone.
MA: That’s what I’m counting on.
RC: If anything changes, will I be the first to know?
MA: (laughs) I will certainly try!
RC: Thank you so much for meeting with me today, it’s an honor to always be the one to hear your breaking news first. We’ll all be watching for those dance competitions and anxiously waiting for your later return to the stage!
You can buy Alvarez’s final album Bare in stores and online, and follow her social feed on her website.