Madison Grace – An Evolution of Songs & Style
Madison Grace, a singer/songwriter from Mobile, Alabama, first came to my attention a little more than two years ago following the release of her 2017 debut album, Equilibrium of Contradiction. I met her at The Listening Room of Mobile (now known as The Peoples Room of Mobile) on an evening when she was not performing and I enjoyed visiting with her, though I had zero knowledge of her music. One thing that did impress me was her enthusiasm.
I eventually received a CD and listened to it. I was impressed with her gift for songwriting and stylistic vocals. In early 2018, Madison performed at a Stories & Songs songwriters’ round at The Listening Room which provided an opportunity to hear her live. What I observed was incredible potential that reminded me of Della Memoria’s Emily Sholes Smith.
The Peoples Room of Mobile has provided Madison with a great platform to grow as an artist and performer. The owner, Jim Pennington, has been a big supporter of her musical journey. She has evolved into a more seasoned performer in search of her own identity as an artist – a perfect example of how experience pays off.
In the past couple years, I’ve attended a number of Madison’s shows and have had the opportunity to get to know her and her family. She has gratefully accepted my suggestions and has even included me in some of her decision making which, for me is an honor.
Since the release of her debut album, Madison has performed at The Mississippi Songwriting Songwriters’ Festival, MOBFest and SouthSounds Music Festival. She has also branched out beyond the piano and performed with other musicians such as Joshua Stephen Ward, who has accompanied her on guitar. Their holiday performances have become popular with audiences. In 2019, Madison put together a rock band project, AudioViolet, which received a good response. She has also proven to be quite the jazz singer – a direction that she obviously loves, reminiscent of the music performed elegantly by Michelle Pfeiffer’s character “Susie Diamond” in the 1989 film, “The Fabulous Baker Boys”.
Her debut album contained the song “Floodlight” which won Songwriter Universe’s Best Song of the Month in October of 2017. Music journalist, Dale Kawashima wrote, “This song provides a good showcase for Grace’s expressive, heartfelt vocal performance.” Bryon William of Indie Spoonful described her sound as “top-notch” with a “clean vocal tone” and “meaningful music”. Her music has also received frequent comparisons to some of today’s most acclaimed artists such as Lana Del Rey.
In late 2019, I attended a show featuring Madison when she was at her very best. I was impressed by her growth as a performer and her interaction with the audience. She continues to write new music and perform on the local live music circuit. The soon to be 21 year old Madison balances a music career and college education while working in her family’s business. She is a remarkable young woman with a bright future. It has been a rewarding experience following her promising career and I look forward to seeing her continued evolution in the years to come.
Madison Grace at the 2018 Mississippi Songwriters Festival in Ocean Springs, MS
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