EPK – Madame Reaper

“This is a fun record… I really dig it.”

– Jim DeRogatis of Sound Opinions

Short bio

Madame Reaper is an art pop project based in Chicago, IL. Built on the fictional backstory of a murderous strip club owner, she sets herself apart with a unique blend of synth pop, glam rock and electronic indie. Known for her explosive and enigmatic live performance, Madame Reaper has garnered a quickly growing following. The project has been featured in Sound Opinions, Luna Collective, the Chicago Reader, Atwood Magazine, Car con Carne, and WNIJ radio. Madame Reaper was also named first runner up for best pop artist in the Chicago Reader’s Best of 2024, and she has received two music grants from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.

Extended bio

You’re somewhere along a dusty stretch of I-90, where Chicago’s urban sprawl bleeds into a rural wasteland. Beyond an exit as nondescript as the next, a dilapidated building bears the words “Madame Reaper’s Gentlemen’s Club” in neon, coaxing you inside. You’ve heard of this place. People have speculated as to what happens inside the club, but never above a whisper. They say she puts on a great show. They say that the most obscene clientele leave in body bags. Welcome to the club.

This fictional backstory—that of a rogue strip club owner who murders lewd customers—encompasses the absurdity, camp, and social considerations of the Madame Reaper project. The brainchild of singer/songwriter Kira Leadholm, Madame Reaper sets herself apart with angular synth-pop melodies, expansive arrangements, and elaborate harmonies. The music hovers as the nexus of ’80s synth-pop, ’70s art rock, and classical, invoking influences such as the Talking Heads, Kate Bush, MARINA, and Sparks. Madame Reaper’s unconventional lyrics and dominatrix persona offer a veiled critique of the way female performers are reduced to tropes, and of gender power imbalances in the industry and in society.

Leadholm founded the project in 2021, and has brought a rotating cast of characters on board to fill out her live band. Her debut record — Madame Reaper’s Gentlemen’s Club — was met with critical acclaim from outlets such as Sound Opinions and Car Con Carne. Madame Reaper’s sophomore album — This is an album because the industry says it’s not. — will drop in April, 2025. Singles from the record have already been lauded by The Big Takeover, The Alternative, CHIRP Radio, and others.