West Virginia’s Rett Madison knows how to tell a story. The 26-year-old is now based in Los Angeles, where she painstakingly crafts her heartfelt, somber acoustic tracks. All of her songs pulse with the sting of grief, turning her difficult experiences into gut-wrenching yet touching lyrics.
Grief and Grace
Both of Rett Madison’s albums delicately balance heartache and beauty. She sings of life’s hardships on both her 2021 album, Pin-Up Daddy, and 2023’s One for Jackie. Her raw voice seamlessly flows among the beautifully scaffolding instrumentation highlighting each of her tracks.
The debut album, Pin-Up Daddy, is an incredible first step into the music world. It is impressively layered with a tone and powerful acoustic sound reminiscent of boygenius’ the record. Rett Madison establishes her own space with the comforting, country tracks “Twenty Five” and “Skeptic’s Angels.”
One for Jackie places Madison’s country twang against stirring strings and punchy drums. Her sound seems to, in some ways, mirror Mazzy Star, Fleetwood Mac, Sade and The Cardigans while still being entirely unique to her. The way Madison uses sorrow as her canvas is completely entrancing. Even the more stripped-back tracks like “St. Luke’s” and “Ballet” are entirely enrapturing. “Flea Market” and “Lipstick” bring more energy to the album, helping balance it out and make a cohesive journey through grief.
Her YouTube channel gives a spotlight to her powerful lyricism with official lyric videos, some of which deal with the loss of her mother, like in “One for Jackie, One for Crystal.”
Next Steps
Her incredible talent hasn’t gone unrecognized—she’s opened for some huge names, including Elle King and Sheryl Crow. Recently, she has also performed as an opener for Grace Potter and Bailen. And now, Rett Madison has announced her own headlining tour following the release of One for Jackie. Tickets are available on her website, and she’ll be performing in Los Angeles, New York, Boulder, Denver, Santa Fe, Dallas, Austin and Houston.
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