I was recently introduced to Madison Malone’s EP I & II. I love discovering a new-to-me singer-songwriter diva but the fact she’s a queer singer-songwriter interested me even more. I think many singer-songwriters phone it in and pander to the mainstream but not Madison, in my gay opinion, she just sings her truth honestly and simply in a modern folk / pop way. Her songs are based in the universal language of love but sung through her non-straight scope. For Madison, love really is just love.
I & II is interesting because it’s the same five songs sung two different ways. Side I is very stripped down and instrumentally raw, while side II is more produced and amped-up. “Fragile Heart” starts the EP with critical self-reflection, her childhood memories on “Home” get relived, she discovers love on “Quiet Down” which is the sweetest coming out love song ever, within “Simple Love” that relationship lives a lifetime in just over three and a half minutes, and the EP ends with “Treehouse” that’s a time machine trip back through each song to the little girl who still has this whole EP to live.
With Madison’s autobiographical style being so emotional and heartfelt, it’s hard to not fall in love with her sound. Hopefully she’ll be embraced by the music world and have a long and prosperous career because I want to hear more of what she has to sing.
