Madison Curbelo from Westfield, semi-finalist on “The Voice”, gives first headliner concert

Since returning from her appearance in the semifinals of “The Voice,” it has become a regular occurrence for Westfield native Madison Curbelo to perform in front of audiences in Western Massachusetts.

The singer, whose Latin rendition of “Stand By Me” earned her a four-set appearance on the NBC show’s 25th season, has performed across the region this summer, including at 52 Sumner in Springfield and a Westfield Starfires game in June.

Now, the 22-year-old will reach another musical milestone when she performs her first headlining show at the Blue Room at CitySpace in Easthampton on Saturday, July 6. Curbelo shared her gratitude in an email interview with The Republican.

“Before that, I had only ever opened for other artists or played small shows in restaurants and bars, so I’ve been waiting my whole life for my first headlining show,” she said.

Curbelo, along with her backing band, will perform original music and a variety of acoustic pop covers. Tickets for the show are $25 and are available online at cityspaceeasthampton.org.

Curbelo took time before her show to talk about her connection to CitySpace and the experience she had on “The Voice.” The following interview has been condensed for length and clarity.

Q. CitySpace is a special venue for you, is that right? Can you explain this in more detail?

A. Yes! My brother had hosted shows at CitySpace before, so I thought it would be the perfect venue for a concert for my private voice students that I teach all over Western Mass. We had our show here this year just before I left for the live shows of The Voice, and it was awesome. Some of my students will be in the audience, so I can’t wait for them to see me perform with a full band for the first time! Such a full-circle moment.

Q: How long have you been teaching music? Was that before you were on The Voice?

A. I was here last year and saw my first show at CitySpace and since then I’ve always wanted to put on my own show here. I started teaching in the area in December 2021 so it’s been a true blessing to be able to grow with some of my students from day one. Teaching has really helped me fall in love with music even more and it’s made aspiring to be on The Voice seem like a no-brainer. I constantly teach my students what confidence is and what shows more confidence than singing on one of the biggest stages in the world!

Q. And you have a backing band at this concert. Can you tell us their names and what it’s like working together?

A. It’s a great feeling to be able to say that two of my bandmates are my brothers: Evander Curbelo on guitar and Angel Curbelo on drums. Our third bandmate is Alex Keaveney on bass. We just had the best time working together on this show! We bounce ideas off each other, look for the best songs to pump up the crowd, and think of ways to engage the audience. We want everyone who comes to our show to leave with something special, whether it’s physically or with a great memory. My band is the best!

Q: How does the musical approach differ when working with a backing band versus performing solo?

A. It’s a totally different experience! When I work with a band, I feel like I have a safety net. Nothing is better than playing with great musicians and feeding each other off with energy. I love my solo performances because they can be so intimate and I can captivate the audience, but a full band really helps the audience get involved and really helps me fill a room.

Q: Can you tell us more about the original music you have planned for the concert?

A. I’ll be playing some of my newest songs – one song is coming out on July 5th, the day before the show. It means so much to me to share this music because I feel like I’ve learned so much about myself during my time on The Voice. I now know exactly what kind of music I want to make and how I want the world to hear it. These stories mean so much to me and I hope that everyone who has heard them can relate to them in some way or another.

Q. That’s great. Can you tell us some of the covers people can expect?

A. We’ll be playing some Bruno Mars, Fleetwood Mac, Amy Winehouse and many more! We’ve got some classic songs and some newer songs that we enjoy so much. There really is something for everyone in our setlist.

Q: Looking back on your experience on “The Voice,” what lessons did you learn that helped you prepare for this concert?

A. I really learned that I can be big and bold on stage without having to hold back. Dan (Smyers) and Shay (Mooney) always told me, “Never stop being Madison,” and that really stuck with me. I think in this show, the audience will get a real taste of who I am and how much I love what I do. I gained the confidence to pursue my dreams and even think about putting on a show like this. I will always sing songs that I love, always connect with my audience, and try to convey something to people when they listen to me!

Q: What’s next for you after the CitySpace concert? Can you tell us anything?

A. I have my first original song since The Voice launched on July 5th, many more to come, and many more performances coming up that I plan to share with everyone on my social media pages. Each show will be different, and we have so many fun things planned for everyone who comes. We can’t wait to play for you!