Maddie & Tae

Maddie & Tae are a country and country pop duo based in Nashville, United States. The group is active from 2014 and consists of Madison Font and Taylor Kerr. Both members are singers, songwriters and guitarists.

Formation and early years

The pair meet at 15 through a vocal coach and later move to Nashville after taking part in a summer-camp publishing deal. They begin working in the city after being told they need to relocate there to pursue their career, with one member finishing high school early and the other turning down college. They relocate in 2013 and sign with a revived Dot Records in 2014.

Recordings and releases

The duo’s debut album, Start Here, is released in 2015. It includes the singles “Girl in a Country Song”, “Fly”, “Shut Up and Fish” and “Sierra”. After Dot Records closes, they sign to Mercury Nashville in 2018. Their second album, The Way It Feels, is announced for release in 2020.

Songwriting and style

Maddie & Tae write songs that draw on their own point of view, and their breakthrough single “Girl in a Country Song” is written with Aaron Scherz. The song responds to what they see as reductive bro-country stereotypes and brings them wide attention. Their work is also described through their harmonies, acoustic guitar and country instrumentation, including steel guitar, banjo and fiddle, alongside stronger drums and electric guitars.

Reception

Early attention for the duo includes praise from NPR’s All Things Considered, which notes that they turn heads with their first single. Rolling Stone names them among “10 New Artists You Need to Know”, and The Atlantic comments on their use of modern country sounds and familiar bro-country references. David Letterman also books them on his show soon after their breakthrough.

Associated themes

Their songs often present the perspective of young women and emphasise honesty, self-definition and resilience. “Fly” is framed as a song about uncertainty, perseverance and learning to move forward without having everything figured out. “Sierra” is a high-school revenge song inspired by a bullying experience, while “Your Side of Town” is a warning to a no-good man.