'I needed music to comfort me': How this Western Sydney singer turn to music while in isolation battling her skin condition

At a young age, Madelaine De Leon had been dealing with a severe skin condition called Red Skin Syndrome. It was 2017 when she had to completely stay at home due to the severity of her illness. She turned to music for comfort as she was feeling sick and isolated.

Madelaine De Leon Source: Madelaine De Leon

Highlights

• Music has a comforting sound that many can turn to especially in times of isolation and emotional distress.
• At a young age, Madelaine De Leon has been battling a condition called Red Skin Syndrome (RSS).
• RSS, also known as Red Burning Skin, is a skin condition that affects a person's whole body manifested through skin redness, a burning sensation, and itchiness which may then be followed by peeling.

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Paano nakatulong ang musika habang humaharap sa isolasyon dahil sa sakit ang mang-aawit na ito mula Kanlurang Sydney

SBS Filipino

07/07/202228:48

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The comfort of music

"I was kind of bed-ridden then. I was having my own lockdown even before COVID happened. I was basically on fire due to the Red Skin Syndrome," recalls the Madelaine De Leon.

I realised that I needed music to comfort me because I was feeling sick and isolated.

"When I go out I feel really cold. I’d be out, it’d be spring but I’d be freezing. I feel freezing because the skin would peel off that I would not have that much of skin barrier to protect me."

Madelaine once left music and pursued a different path, but when she went through one of the most difficult times of isolation, it was music she turned to. Source: Supplied by Madelaine De Leon

Madelaine was 15 when she started writing her own songs. After High School, she initially did music, but the western Sydney local turned away when she was finding limited opportunity to produce her own music.

She left her music degree and did marketing and media.

But when she went through one of the most difficult times of isolation battling her skin condition, it is music that kept her company.

"It was very hard to go outside and do all the things that young people would normally do. I was having my own isolation even before the pandemic," Madelaines shares.

"Music was my constant," points the Marketing and Media graduate.

Madelaine De Leon, with her ukelele, in one of the Bayanihan Sydney meetups. Source: Bayanihan Sydney

Community of artists

Apart from expressing herself, Madelaine also works with other young Filipino-Australian leaders and artists in creating a community to empower each other. She is part of the Bayanihan Sydney where young people like her regularly gather to share their culture and advocacies

"Music is just a great way to express something that I can’t really put into words properly. It conveys emotions that I kind of feeling that I haven’t topped into before."

Madelaine hopes to write more songs and be able to share her music to others and inspire anyone who's going through challenging times to just hold on as things will get better.

Madelaine De Leon Source: SBS Filipino

The young lass from western Sydney is busy with her marketing career but aims to be more active in the Filipino-Australian community through her music.