Artist In Residence: Midwife & Vyva Melinkolya performing Orbweaving

Madeline Johnston AKA Midwife captured the hearts of hundreds of Roadburners when she last graced our stage back in 2022. Her emotionally weighty set was the perfect way to shake the sleep from our foggy heads and dive into another day at Roadburn. Her presence left a mark on us behind the scenes too, and we’ve continued to follow her career in the months and years since. Her remarkable and singular approach to her craft sets her apart as an artist that not only has a lot to offer, but has many potential paths that she could follow in order to do just that. It was with all of this in mind that prompted us to invite her to be an Artist in Residence at Roadburn 2025. 

Such a residency is an opportunity for artists to showcase their multifaceted abilities across multiple sets over the course of the Roadburn weekend. This year, however, our Artists In Residence have an additional twist to the role: they will also be commissioned. What this means in practical terms is that we have commissioned them to create at least one set that has never before been performed; an opportunity to push their artistic boundaries and explore new ways of presenting their work. 

Alongside an already-impressive body of work, Madeline’s commitment to exploring heaviness through catharsis has marked her out as a kindred spirit. We, too, know the power of emotional release, of existential exploration through music, and few traverse these themes more thoroughly than Madeline via her work as Midwife. Whether she is leaning into the denser, doomier side of her sound, or taking a measured step back with sparser, more fragile compositions, Madeline traverses the hazy world of her own creation; a sound that she has dubbed “heaven metal”; not quite slowcore, not quite shoegaze, not quite metal – something that straddles all three and more.

Madeline will perform three times over the course of the Roadburn weekend. Firstly, she will unite with Vyva Melinkolya to perform their collaborative album, Orbweaving, in its entirety. Secondly, she will perform her latest – magnificent – album, No Depression In Heaven, in full – with additional musicians to accompany her, bringing a new dimension to her already phenomenal work. And finally, she will perform a set of her collected works released between 2017-2020; a ‘greatest hits’ set if you will.

Of her upcoming residency at Roadburn, Madeline comments: “My first time at Roadburn was a pivotal and deeply meaningful experience. Performing alongside all of the bands I greatly looked up to, and finally being able to see my artistry on their level, as a peer, helped me reach an epiphany: that I am one of the bands. It sounds simple, but that was a huge moment in my career. I greatly look forward to what new epiphanies my upcoming residency will unlock. Roadburn is so much more than a festival. It is an honor to be Roadburn’s artist in Residence. “

If you’re yet to be won over by the sweetly devastating sound of Midwife, we can’t recommend strongly enough that you spend a little time with her back catalogue before April rolls around. We’re honoured to have Madeline return to Roadburn, and thrilled to welcome her as a commissioned Artist in Residence.

– Becky Laverty