From Tolosa to the World: Dren Zabala’s Rise Through Resilience and Sound
It’s rare to meet an artist whose journey feels like a handwritten letter to everyone who ever dared to dream in silence.
Whether it’s Maddi’s genre-fluid, boundary-breaking sound or Arté’s raw, soulful take on R&B, these two are carving their paths with conviction and clarity. As a scout who’s constantly searching for artists shifting the soundscape, meeting these two was a reminder that real artistry still thrives at the edges.
Madness Maddi: Finding Power in Transformation
Madness Maddi’s entrance into music wasn’t about chasing trends—it was about survival and self-expression. Starting with poetry in middle school and finding her voice as a singer in 2021, Maddi’s artistic transformation has been steeped in honesty and risk. Her decision to relocate to Las Vegas on her 23rd birthday wasn’t just a move—it was a pivot into full creative freedom. Maddi's style moves like water, fluidly merging pop, indie/alt, R&B, country, and rock with operatic textures and lyrical storytelling.
Her songwriting process reflects the same intentionality: she builds from the chorus outwards, centering the emotional thesis of her songs before layering the verses, pre- chorus, and bridge. With influences from Whitney Houston to Becky Hill, Maddi’s sound is emotional, unpredictable, and wide-ranging. More than anything, she’s committed to making music that validates human emotion—songs that give people the courage to feel.
Arté: Soul-First, Sound-Second
Arté’s musical story began with songwriting in elementary school, expanding into piano and flute before coming full circle back to his roots: songwriting and vocal performance. His process is intuitive—letting a beat or melody sit, waiting to see what it stirs up emotionally. From there, he digs deep to find the words that matter most. Inspired by legends like D’Angelo, Ne-Yo, and Michael Jackson, Arté creates music that’s rooted in emotion, but never afraid to let the rawness show.
Where Maddi explores the outer limits of genre, Arté leans into soulful R&B with a stripped-down honesty. His belief in the power of each word echoes H.E.R.’s approach to songwriting, a reminder that in the age of filler bars and empty hooks, some artists still care about what’s being said—and how it makes people feel.
Growth, Vision, and What’s Next
For both artists, growth isn’t just a byproduct—it’s the point. Maddi speaks candidly about learning from early missteps and now approaching her artistry with structure, theory, and a clearer vision. With plans to further integrate into the West Coast music scene, she’s looking ahead to collaborations, immersive live performances, and genre-bending releases that challenge both herself and her listeners.
Arté, meanwhile, brings that same commitment to evolution. His message to aspiring artists? Believe in the vision—even if no one else sees it yet. With new music on the way and an open invite for collaboration, Arté is making space for authenticity in an industry that often prioritizes polish over passion.
A Message That Resonates
There’s no manufactured mystique here. Madness Maddi and Arté are artists in the truest sense: open, evolving, and unapologetically themselves. Whether you’re drawn to Maddi’s poetic genre-hopping or Arté’s R&B soul, there’s a shared message running through their work—keep pushing, keep feeling, and don’t let anyone else define your sound.
Follow Madness Maddi and Arté now—before the world catches up.
