The entertainment industry is known for being one of the hardest fields to venture into. N.C. A&T junior journalism student Madison Murray;however, already has her foot in the door and is breaking down barriers. The podcast host, ambassador and blogger is the epitome of being “booked and busy.”
Murray, a South Carolina native, was raised in Charlotte, North Carolina. From a young age she knew that she loved playing music and sports, as she spent her time perfecting her craft as a violinist and basketball player in junior high school.
Though she eventually grew out of these hobbies, her passion for them still remained and she turned those passions into her own podcast, The Majestic Mix, in October 2019.
Her mentor Jeff Johnson, award-winning journalist and political commentator, had pushed her to venture into a new creative outlet, and soon The Majestic Mix became Murray’s debut into the hosting world.
“I wanted to do something different,” Murray said. “YouTube was the wave so I thought why not start a podcast.”
With The Majestic Mix, she created her own lane in the media world to discuss topics that she’s passionate about. Through her episodes, she has raised awareness for issues, like the death of Breonna Taylor and quarantining during the coronavirus pandemic. She also discusses her music reviews and conversations about popular culture and sports.
“I’m looking forward to doing more interviews with different artists and creatives for my next season,” Murray said. “I’m also excited to talk more about sports. I just want to discuss a little bit of everything.”
Murray’s reign doesn’t stop there. She recently became a sports and entertainment staff writer at FM HipHop, where she has published articles on topics like Megan thee Stallion becoming one of Time’s Most Influential People of 2020 and Deion Sanders becoming the head coach for the Jackson State University football team.
She is also the newest blogger at Sony Music U, where she gets to further showcase her passion for writing and conducting interviews.
Murray and I met via Facetime to discuss her biggest inspiration, her advice for students wanting to get into the media industry and her experience being a student ambassador.
Who has been your biggest inspiration during your journey?
Madison: “My mom is my inspiration for everything that I do, but in the industry it would be Lala Anthony because of her range. She does a little bit of everything and I aspire to be the same way. My mentor also inspired me, because when I wanted to just be on the radio, he told me he saw me doing something even bigger. He pushed me to start my own podcast.”
Can you talk about your experience in being an ambassador? I see from your social media that you have some big things coming up.
Madison: “I’m a goPuff campus brand ambassador, which is like a grocery delivery app. I’m an ambassador for the Culture Fusion Agency, which allows me to be more active in music and entertainment. I’m looking forward to interviewing some celebrity artists, such as Flo Milli and Trey Songz.”
Do you have any advice for students who aspire to have careers in the media?
Madison: “I would say just take that leap. Don’t ride the wave, start the wave. Drop that first project!”
At only 20 years old, Madison has some big accomplishments under her belt and it’s clear that she has much more in store.
To keep up with Murray, be sure to follow her on Instagram and Twitter at @maddiebynaturee. To listen to her podcast, follow @themajesticmix on Instagram and stream on all major platforms.
