COLE HADEN by MATTHEW JAMES-WILSON
Cole Haden is a performer and artist whose vast practice is unified by his deep love or creation
and observation. Cole has been making music and visual art since his adolescents, feeling enthralled by the endless possibilities of art revealed to him through the wisdom of his high school art teacher. As a teenager he was an active participant in his local community theater, learning the principals of DIY though the organizations passionate yet pragmatic productions. After deciding to attend Berklee College of Music, Cole became immersed in Boston’s underground music scene, seeing genre defying acts in unconventional spaces. After a handful of encounters with Jack Wetmore and Ruben Radlauer at local shows and around school, the pair approached Cole about fronting a new project they had been developing. Shortly after the three formed Model/Actriz, an undefinable band whose songs are as abrasive as they are tender.
In the few years that they have been active, Model/Actriz have played a couple dozen
electrifying sets across the US and in Europe, leaving a lasting impression on audiences everywhere they perform. Cole, Jack, and Ruben have carefully crafted an abstract yet concise sound, incorporating noise, live instruments, and powerful lyrics. With both Model/Actriz’s shows and his own solo performances, audiences have been held captive by Cole’s visceral and engaged stage presence. As he navigates and traverses every inch of the stage at his disposal, Cole belts thought provoking and often graphic lyrics, with a delivery that feels like he’s speaking to each person in the room directly.
After seeing Model/Actriz for the first time this summer, I was eager to learn more about Cole
and his other creative outlets. After speaking for a couple hours, I was totally enamored by his articulate examination of his work and the truly genuine intentions behind his craft. His reserved but bewitching demeanor mirrors the complex perspective he channels through his work, and his way of talking about his process suggests a wisdom beyond his years. I learned so much through talking to Cole, and I left our conversation with a greater appreciation for his work and the creative process as a whole.
Where are you from and where do you live currently? I’m from… I knew you were going to ask this question, and I hate that I have such a long winded answer for it. I just want to set the record straight because I have assumed this lie about where I’m from. I’m from Southern Delaware. I would tell people that I’m from Rehoboth because that is very close to where I lived and it’s a pretty well known town regionally. But my address was actually to the town of Dagsboro. I just never want to
live that lie ever again, so this is where I’m going to set the record straight. If I keep it up I know that the real heads from Delaware are going to be like, “Umm, you’re not from there. Why are you saying that?” So I’m from Dagsboro… but my creed is Rehoboth. Right now I live in Boston. What was your experience like while growing up in Delaware? My town was much more rural than Rehoboth, and even though it’s just 20 minutes away,
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