The Californer - An Entirely New Kind of Musical

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Rise Up Babylon reimagines the musical as an immersive audiobook, weaving cinematic storytelling and original songs into an unforgettable story of family, forgiveness, our connection to the natural world, and the healing power of music.

LOS ANGELES - Californer -- Imagine experiencing a musical the way you experience a novel—with your eyes closed and your imagination wide open. That's the vision behind Rise Up Babylon, Madam Snowflake's new audiobook musical, an immersive listening experience unlike anything you've heard before.

Distributed by Blackstone Publishing and now available on Audible, Rise Up Babylon follows the journey of Maeley, a young pianist whose life is forever changed by loss. As she navigates grief and family conflict, she finds refuge in the forest and music becomes her purpose. Her growing connection to inner stillness—and to people whose lives are very different from her own—guides her toward forgiveness and hope.

Seven years in the making, Rise Up Babylon was born during one of the most difficult chapters of Madam Snowflake's life. After a devastating hip injury left her unable to walk for nearly three years, she turned inward through long meditation sessions—and that's where the story and songs for this unique audiobook musical first emerged.

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"Rise Up Babylon has pushed my creativity to new boundaries," says Madam Snowflake. "In many ways, it became the story I needed to hear myself, taking me on a journey of deep discovery. My hope is that listeners come away feeling hopeful and more connected—to themselves, to one another, and to the healing that finds us when we learn to listen."

Originally envisioned by Madam Snowflake for the Broadway stage, Rise Up Babylon evolved into an audio-first experience during the pandemic—echoing one of the story's central themes: our greatest challenges can become the catalyst for innovation. Featuring fifteen original songs, the production was brought to life by producer and orchestral composer Steve Edwards, Grammy-winning producer John Jones, and legendary mastering engineer Bernie Grundman, who described it as "an album for audiophiles."

Crafted specifically for the audiobook format, Rise Up Babylon showcases Madam Snowflake as songwriter, vocalist, pianist, and co-producer. The recordings feature an accomplished team of musicians, including legendary drummer Steve Ferrone (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Average White Band), renowned drummer Randy Cooke (Five for Fighting, Smash Mouth, Eurythmics), guitarist Jason Brock (Emily Richards, Orange Hand), and percussionist Richard Martinez.

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Rise Up Babylon has already inspired intimate launch gatherings where people have come together to experience the story through music, meaningful conversation, connection, and hope—reflecting Madam Snowflake's vision of creating spaces where people remember what it feels like to belong to one another.

Learn more:
riseupbabylon.com

Listen on Amazon & Audible:
riseupbabylon.com/listen

Explore behind-the-scenes films, live performances, and the story of the musical's seven-year journey on Madam Snowflake's YouTube channel.

About Madam Snowflake

Madam Snowflake is a singer-songwriter, author, producer, and founder of a global music platform dedicated to creative collaboration. She has released nineteen albums, toured internationally, performed at major festivals throughout Europe, and became the most downloaded artist on MP3.com during the early years of digital music. Rise Up Babylon is her first audiobook musical, bringing together storytelling and original music in a new and immersive format.