Maddie Poppe has shared “One that Got Away”, her first new single in three years, since the release of her debut album, Whirlwind. Listen to the song now below.
Unless you’ve experienced it firsthand, there’s no way to understand just how dramatically instant fame can mess with your head. Maddie went through all kinds of emotions — from elation to self-doubt — after winning American Idol in 2018, releasing her debut album Whirlwind the following year, and then ultimately watching in amazement as many of the people in her creative orbit dropped away.
“There were so many times I felt I had the rug pulled out from under me. Like the minute any momentum had built up, it came crumbling back down. From losing team members to seeing crucial opportunities fall through, I found myself feeling so helpless and thinking, ‘How am I going to do this on my own?’ It felt like I was standing at the bottom of a mountain I was too afraid to climb,” Maddie says. “It took some time, but I finally realized I didn’t have a choice, my fate was in my own hands. I had to face my fears, rise above.”
The Iowa native, who captured the attention of fans with her folksy singer-songwriter style, did exactly that by giving herself the grace to evolve. While Maddie, now 24, can still very much bowl over a crowd with only her honeyed voice and acoustic guitar, she’s upped her game by tapping into a modern sound that blends R&B, pop, and Americana, and by committing herself to writing her own songs.
“I’m very proud of Whirlwind, but I feel like this new project speaks truer to me and my story,” she says. “When you’re just starting out like I was then, it can feel like 100 different people are trying to tell your story. Now, I’m finally telling it in my own voice.”
“I’m thrilled to be releasing new music, but I’m even more excited to play these songs live,” she continues “Almost everything I’m writing is upbeat and will be so much fun to perform with the energy of a live audience.”
“It’s so important to be true to yourself and in doing so, the right audience will find you. For a long time, I simply thought of myself as the singer-songwriter, hometown girl from Iowa. But along the way I learned to spread my wings and branch out. I truly feel I’ve become the artist I was meant to be.”
Maddie Poppe Tour Dates (Tickets HERE)
June 1 @ Eddie’s Attic | Atlanta, GA
June 2 @ Visulite Theatre | Charlotte, NC
June 3 @ Roasting Room Lounge and Listening Room | Bluffton, SC
June 4 @ USO Experience Weekend | Virginia Beach, VA *supporting Edwin McCain
June 6 @ City Winery | Washington DC
June 7 @ City Winery | Philadelphia, PA
June 8 @ Rockwood Music Hall Stage 2 | New York, NY
June 9 @ Darryl’s House | Pawling, NY
June 10 @ Infinity Hall | Hartford, CT
June 11 @ The Park Theatre | Jaffrey, NH
June 12 @ Jonathon’s | Ogunquit, ME
June 15 @ 20 Front Street | Lake Orion, MI