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Madelyn Rose knows a thing or two about Teenage Heartache—her first EP (released when she was just 16!) could also be called Most Relatable Heartbreak Songs Ever. One year later and she's ready to deepen her country roots, with her new single "Cowboys" streaming on June 21 and a second EP in September.

We sat down with the brand new high school grad to chat about her upcoming music, songwriting process (she's a lyrics-first girl) and her summer plans. (Meanwhile, streaming "Cowboys" on repeat is at the top of our summer bucket list.)

Girls' Life: What first drew you to country music?

Madelyn: I've always been interested in music in general. I played piano for about 10 years. I started when I was 4 and I just kind of grew up with music being a part of my life. It was a hobby—it was what I did when I was bored. I've always listened to country, so that was the stuff I knew. But I slowly transitioned into doing karaoke with my family, and from there I just got really comfortable in front of a microphone, singing in front of other people, and I started writing and performing my own stuff.

GL: You have a new single, "Cowboys," coming out on June 21. Tell us more about what we can expect from the release.

Madelyn: I'm really excited because this is more of a traditional country song. It fits right into today's radio and country hits, influenced a little by Megan Moroney, Hailey Whitters, any of the women on today's radio like Lainey Wilson, Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood. When I wrote this song, I thought, "We need a song out there for the girls that just tells it how it is, you know, 'I'm attracted to this and no one else wants to say it, so I'm going to.'"

GL: Who are you hoping will listen to your song and say, "Omg! That's so relatable"?

Madelyn: I would say girls like me. You know, any girl who, just listening to the radio, is like, "I like cowboys too," listening to the lyrics and the descriptions of Wrangler boots and Wrangler jeans and what these particular guys do to win your heart over.

GL: You also have a new EP coming out in September. How are these new songs similar to or different from the music you've already released?

Madelyn: It's different because I didn't write these songs. I co-wrote "Cowboys" myself, but the remaining two singles on the EP I cut, which was a first for me. [Psst: In songwriting lingo, cutting means recording a song that someone else has already written.] I was just looking for a great song that had a really catchy melody. No matter what, I wanted to have fun performing these songs, have fun with the fans. Really the theme of the EP is having fun, letting loose and learning from your mistakes.

GL: When you do write songs, what is your process like? Do you like to start with lyrics? Or music?

Madelyn: I like to start with my emotions or a particular topic. I write ideas down on my phone and either I'll write something right there or I'll save it for later when I'm on a Zoom call with another writer from Nashville. I usually always do lyrics first because that's what comes to me. But if I come up with a melody, I'll record that in a voice memo on my phone.

GL: I love that. Meanwhile, you just graduated from high school—congratulations! What's coming next for you and what are your goals and dreams for the next few years?

Madelyn: It's a little bit of a scary situation because it's like, "Okay, I'm doing this, we're in the real world now." But the one thing I'm positive of is putting my all into my music. The absolute goal would be doing ticketed tours around the US, going from every different state every day and just cranking out a show every night and having it be my original music.

GL: What's your best advice for GL girls reading this right now?

Madelyn: Always be yourself—it pays off in the end. When you're young, you fall into these standards or cliques or whatever it might be in school, work, whatever, but it always pays off when you're actually yourself and you don't follow the crowd.

Check out Madelyn's website and Instagram for more news on her latest music!

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by Ava Slocum | 6/21/2024