Madame Reaper on late-stage capitalism, DIY survival, and why goth pop deserves a budget.
Madame Reaper doesn’t just make music. She builds a world and challenges the industry to take it seriously. On her sophomore release This Is An Album Because the Industry Says It’s Not, Kira Leadholm pushes her production further while staying grounded in the instincts that shaped her debut. Rooted in Chicago’s DIY scene and openly critical of the systems artists move through, Madame Reaper sits between persona and real life, performance and honesty. We talked about rejecting industry pressure, building outside the system, and why calling something an album still matters.
You’ve released your sophomore album This Is An Album Because the Industry Says It’s Not. In April of 2025. Compared to your original debut in 2023, in what ways does this new chapter differ in terms of storytelling and sound? Did you explore new moods, instruments or influences that set it apart from your original debut?
On my first album, I was learning how to write a good song and produce in a way that served the song. On my second record, I took my production to the next level and treated it as an art form in itself. In between my first and second album, I spent a lot of time listening to producers I admire, and I did a deep dive into more advanced production techniques. I think this helped me push my second album into a different echelon of professionalism. It’s funny though, because I’ve already learned so much since finishing my last album, so I can’t wait to see how Madame Reaper 3.0 turns out.
What inspired the overall influence of “This Is An Album…”? Is it a deliberate critique of the music industry’s gatekeeping language?
At a high level, it’s definitely a critique of the way the music industry — and capitalist society — operate. But on a more granular level, each song is more about the experience of living under late stage capitalism and all the ways it manifests. Ultimately, it’s an album about how I experience the world. So, it makes sense the album ended up being a critique of capitalism, because I am very critical of capitalism in everything I do.
Where’d the title “This Is An Album Because the Industry Says It’s Not” come from, was there a specific moment that the name finally clicked for you?
I wanted to release an album, but felt pressure from the nebulous “industry” to release singles. So I decided to do both — I released nearly the whole album as singles, which was meant to be a critique of the music industry’s devaluation of albums and pressure put upon artists to constantly release content. The name is a pithy explanation of my thought process. I also released each of the singles with one word from the title:
Alright Tonight (This)
Satanic Tango (is)
Feast (an album)…
… and so on. This was a fun way to engage my fans in guessing what the words would eventually add up to.
Since Madame Reaper is a fictional character (a murderous strip-club owner) how do you as Kira Leadholm, juggle that persona with your real life activism or political messaging, especially in the very political climate we’re currently living in?
The deeper I get into this project, the more Madame Reaper and Kira meld together. That means I wear all of my political views on my sleeve, whether in my personal life or in my artistic projects. I don’t feel like I have to juggle between the two — if someone doesn’t agree with my views, then my project probably isn’t for them.
You received two music grants, and was runner up in Chicago Readers’ Best of Chicago 2024 What role does the Chicago DIY music scene play in pushing your creative boundaries and how will that evolve in the next phase?
I owe it all to the Chicago DIY scene! When I started this project, I literally knew nobody making music in Chicago. Meeting a few key people in the DIY scene opened a lot of doors, and almost everything I’ve learned along the way was from people offering free help or advice. My earliest gigs were DIY shows in Chicago, and even beyond the city, DIY scenes have been welcoming to us on the road. So in short, I wouldn’t say the DIY scene pushed my creative boundaries so much as it fueled my career in its early stages. Going forward, I hope to keep playing bigger stages, but I’m always happy to play DIY shows too. The All American Rejects just did a DIY tour — I love the idea of bigger artists saying fuck the industry and playing house shows. If I ever make it big, I’d like to do the same.
If you could expand Madame Reapers’ Gentleman’s Club into immersive live events or even stage. Installations, how would you do it?
I dream about the day when I have the budget for a dance crew, lighting designers, set designers, etc. I love the way massive pop stars put on these elaborate shows, like Lady Gaga’s Chromatica Ball. I think mine would be similar to that, just gothier.
Your live sets have this really cool theatrical edge to them. Do you have any sort of prep ritual before going on stage as Madame Reaper?
My pre-show routine is honestly not that interesting. On gig days, I always try to go to the gym for at least 90 minutes to wake myself up in the morning. If it’s a weekday, I’m working, and then I make sure all of my gear is together and I do vocal warm ups for about an hour. I think the main thing that helps me get into character is my glam — I think about my outfits, hair, and makeup weeks before a show.
In the past you’ve described Madame Reapers’ voice as one that “lets you get away with murder.” What voices or characters helped shape who Madame Reaper is today? Is there anyone outside of music influence with her same vibe?
Seeing successful artists like Lady Gaga and Chappell Roan adopt these outlandish characters on stage empowered me to do the same. Beyond music, my vibe is very influenced by drag and burlesque.
You’ve played everything from Chicago DIY spaces to art spaces. What kind of rooms do you as Madame Reaper feel most alive in? Do you have any favorite Chicago venues that feel like home?
Unfortunately, the bar is pretty low. I played a venue that was still locked an hour after call time, another venue where the sound guy was asleep when we arrived, and another that didn’t have XLR cables. If venues expect artists to bring their A-game, fill the room, and likely leave work early for call time, then they should be professional in return. And I’m talking about legit, licensed venues; I have a lot more leniency with DIY venues where people are usually volunteering their time.
So, I’m usually pretty happy with any venue that has a good sound system and professional staff. And of course, the most important thing is a crowd that’s engaged. I’d rather play a garage full of supportive fans than an arena full of people staring at me blankly (or worse, an empty arena). In Chicago, some of my favorite places to play are Schubas and the Hideout.
“This Is An Album…” has a lot of bite. Where does that sense of dark humor or catharsis come from in your writing process?
I use dark humor to get through heavy times, and I’d definitely call these times heavy. 2025 has been so bat shit insane so far that I feel like all you can do is joke about it, otherwise you’ll go crazy. Also, I feel that adding a layer of dark humor to my music gives it more depth than if I were to just come out and say “fuck Trump.”
Let’s say Madame Reaper runs for mayor. What’s on her platform? What would her first 3 executive orders be?
LOL this answer is going to be so boring and practical. Assuming I’m mayor of Chicago:
Get rid of speeding/red light cameras
Build better bike infrastructure
Rehaul the CTA train lines to get away from the spoke model/make everything more expansive to transit deserts.
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