EXCLUSIVE: Songstress Madeline Merlo Opens Up About Her Most Vulnerable Song To Date "I Knew Someone Else Needed To Hear This"

The NBC's Songland winner showcases her raw talent on her latest single "Makeup."

Credit: Jack Owens

For many, music is therapy. And that couldn't be more true for rising country songstress Madeline Merlo. Known for her ethereal vocals and relatable stories, today the Canadian shares the song that she said she needed the most. Inspired by a conversation with her therapist, Merlo's goal to shine a light on female voices comes in full force with "Makeup"

Looking for an outlet to deal with her own personal life, Merlo shared with All Country News that the song acutely wrote her, and its inception came from an unexpected place, the gym. "I wrote the first part of this song on the treadmill after a therapy session," Merlo admits. "I wrote this song after a therapy session where I had just really gotten my feels about a couple of things. I was about to get married, and I said to my therapist, "I'm so scared I'm going to fail at this. I don't know what a good marriage looks like." 

Penned by Merlo, Jerry Flowers, Josh Osborne, and Zach Kral,"Makeup" feels like a page ripped from a diary. Merlo's unapologetic search for answers offers up a more important question, challenging ours social structure around women and the heaviness it can carry. Madeline writes from her own experiences and hopes it connects with fans. Aiming to test the questions that young girls grow up with, Merlo's cheeky lyrics offer a welcomed solace to the often intrusive thoughts. Her innate ability to make fans feel at home is truly her superpower. 

Do I hate my body ‘cause my mother hated hers

Bet I can’t control my temper ‘cause my daddy never learned

Could I make love last forever if my parents never could

Will I ever know the difference between good enough and good

Can you change the way you’re made up

If you scrub it hard enough, can you ever wash off

What’s in your makeup, what’s in your makeup

"I always write and come from a place of, I need to hear this, or I need to know this. And if I'm struggling, I think other people are probably struggling with that. I just think women's voices are sometimes not projected as much. I think it's important to me as a writer to always write her point of view and her narrative."

Unafraid of stepping outside the box, Merlo demands attention. In a generation where it is all too easy to fall into the trap of self loathing, Madeline offers comfort and reminds us that we are all alike.