Interview: Madeline Dalton Brings THE ROARIN' 2020s to Chelsea Table + Stage

Step into the glitz and glamour of The Roarin’ 2020s at Chelsea Table + Stage on Monday May 5, 2025! At the show, jazz singer & arranger Madeline Dalton transforms hits by your favorite pop princesses — Sabrina Carpenter, Billie Eilish, Lizzy McAlpine, Reneé Rapp, Chappell Roan, and Olivia Rodrigo — into hip jazz tunes with co-arranger Adam Dorfman (The Outsiders, Real Women Have Curves). Backed by a sizzling five-piece jazz band, Dalton is joined by Broadway stars Juliette Ojeda (The Notebook, Season 24 of The Voice), Benji Santiago (The Notebook, In the Heights at The MUNY), and powerhouse vocalists Marisa Budnick and Alexis Gardiner. 

BroadwayWorld's Lydia Rose raved about one of Dalton's previous shows, a Carole King tribute show with a jazzy twist, that "Dalton herself does a spectacular job of adapting Carole King’s soulful delivery to fit with the jazzier instrumental palette."

Read a conversation with Dalton about the upcoming show.

Where did the idea for this show come from?

A little over a year ago, I put on a concert called Swingin’ with Sara, which featured Sara Bareilles hits re-arranged in various vintage music styles. Since the success of that set, I’ve been inspired to continue creating jazz concerts centered around a specific female singer-songwriter. I wanted to do something that would speak to audience members of my own age, so I started delving into the music of rising female pop stars in their 20s. Their careers are still burgeoning, as opposed to Sara Bareilles’ established musical canon, so it felt odd to dedicate an entire concert to one of them when they have so much time ahead to define their artistry. It’s been a fun challenge to capture the music of a specific era rather than the music of a specific person. 

What are some of the things you look for in deciding which modern-day songs to give the 1920s treatment?

For us, The Roarin’ 2020s is more about celebrating jazz as a whole through 2020s music rather than a direct comparison of the 1920s vs. the 2020s. We are exploring sub-genres of jazz that span many decades. Our influences range from Louis Armstrong to John Coltrane to Norah Jones. 

When selecting songs for each set list I create, the first thing I look for is a song I genuinely really like. In my opinion, honoring the source material will always create better art than “fixing” a song I don’t like. I spent a lot of time figuring out which songs I love the most by the artists I’m covering: Sabrina Carpenter, Billie Eilish, Lizzy McAlpine, Reneé Rapp, Chappell Roan, and Olivia Rodrigo. That in and of itself significantly narrowed down my list. 

With this set in particular, it has been fun to find topics that aren’t sung about in jazz music, like intrusive thoughts in relationships and intense jealousy towards a female friend, and give them the jazz treatment. In certain cases, I chose jazz stylings that juxtapose the lyrics to shine a new light on the original intention. For example, “L’AMOUR DE MA VIE” by Billie Eilish examines the nuances of a turbulent breakup, but our arrangement is inspired by Louis Armstrong’s “La Vie en Rose”, one of the most classic love songs of all time. 

I also look for dynamic melodies with a lot of motion, which can be somewhat difficult to find in today’s pop music. They feel more authentic to jazz and give us more room to play when we reharmonize the chord progression – that is, when we change the chords to more accurately honor the jazz tradition. For example, “Pretty Girls” by Reneé Rapp is pretty limited melodically, so we chose to arrange “Talk Too Much” instead. 

What draws you to the sound and style of jazz?

I often say I “fell backwards” into jazz; I didn’t grow up listening to jazz music or even realize I liked it until I was an adult, but I have always been drawn to more soulful sounds. Soul, funk, and RnB only exist because jazz came first. I found my love of jazz in my adulthood, and I am still learning so much about jazz history and the jazz canon. It’s been a really thrilling process creatively. 

Who do you think would enjoy seeing the Roaring 2020s?

I think The Roarin’ 2020s will appeal to a broad group of people. Whether you are a huge fan of the pop girlies we are covering or a jazz fan who doesn’t know a single one of their songs, there’s a space for you at our show. 

I also hope that my work can introduce more young people to jazz. My theory is that many Gen Z listeners struggle to connect with jazz because they yearn for relatable lyrics. This is the defining feature of 2020s pop; the specificity in Chappell Roan’s writing is such a far cry from the songs I danced to in my middle school gymnasium in 2011. While there are many gorgeous lyrics in the jazz canon, the vast majority of standards were written by men and use early-to-mid 20th Century language. Young listeners, especially female and LGBTQ+ listeners, may struggle to see themselves in these stories. However, the sounds of jazz are clearly appealing to listeners my age. Look at Laufey! She has leapt to stardom by combining jazz and orchestral sounds with vulnerable lyrics about navigating today’s world as a young woman. In merging the writing of today’s women in pop with the sounds of jazz, I aim to help people feel seen in the genre. And who knows? Maybe after my show, they’ll go home and listen to contemporary jazz artists like Samara Joy or Cécile McLorin Salvant. 

Aside from the set list for this show, what have you been listening to lately?

My favorite artists who I always have on repeat are Sara Bareilles, Lawrence, Lake Street Dive, Earth Wind & Fire, and Allen Stone. Recently, I’ve been on a pretty big Trousdale kick. My guilty pleasure listen as of late has been yacht rock.

When it comes to jazz, I prioritize discovering albums that are new to me so that I can broaden my knowledge. That said, I will always return to Portrait by Samara Joy and Ella and Basie! by Ella Fitzgerald and Count Basie. 

What else is coming up next for you?

My bossa nova version of “Poetry by Dead Men” will be available on all streaming platforms on May 22nd. We recorded this track live and have a fun studio video coming out on YouTube to accompany the song. A few more singles and my debut album are also in the works.

Learn more about Madeline Dalton on her website at www.madelinedalton.com