Madison Hughes may have gained national acclaim with the press of a big red button and a three-chair turn on NBC’s The Voice, but with her upcoming album, she’s ready to take her career to the next level.
Set to release April 11th, 2025, All That I Am is a gorgeous melting pot of genres from roots, to blues, to indie pop and more. Kicking the album off is the title track, which lures the listener in with somber-toned banjo licks and acoustic guitar accompaniment. “He lives for the night / And I am the sun,” she sings, maintaining the mysterious yet exciting tone as the song slowly builds up and hits a groove in the catchy chorus.
Following the opening track is “Losing the Grip,” which opens with a bluesy and brooding electric guitar riff, soon followed by Hughes’ notoriously delightful gritty vocals and mellow percussion. The introspective track touches on the relentless pursuit of validation and happiness from outside sources, when really we hold the key internally. “Fooled by illusions / And losing the grip on ourselves,” she sings.
Her latest sneak peek into the album is her January 10th single, “Nobody Knows Your Love.” The beautiful acoustic guitar-driven duet with Brent Cobb showcases Hughes’ gentle vocals as they float above atmospheric folksy arrangements. The single was an outside cut written in part by a late friend of one of her producers, giving the song a heavier feeling.
“The song felt deeply personal, resonating so much with my own love life at the time,” Hughes stated. “I’m so grateful to have this opportunity to sing this tune that feels so personal with another artist I respect so much!”
Regarding her enthusiasm on wrangling Cobb to sing with her, she said, “When we were working on the album, my producers suggested including a duet, which sent me on a mission to find the perfect partner. I’ve admired Brent for so long, so I took a chance and asked if he’d sing with me – and he said yes!
Hughes’ lead single from the album, “Mystery Highway,” hit streaming services in December, and again showcases her hypnotizing and haunting vocals over a smooth acoustic-driven arrangement. It’s reminiscent of contemporary sounds and artists such as Lizzy McAlpine or Kacey Musgraves.
Donned as a “fixture of Nashville’s perpetual roots-rock revival,” Hughes cites classics such as Bob Dylan, Jackson Browne and Bruce Springsteen as artists that have shaped her. All That I Am was produced with Todd Lombardo and Lera Lynn in East Nashville. Their collaboration created an organic sounding record that compliments her songwriting and vocals, while still exploring different sonic landscapes.
The Florida-native is ready to see her star rise with this exciting second album, which follows her 2022 debut record, Renditions. She will be performing several shows this spring, including performances here in Nashville as well as Texas and Florida, as she gears up for the grand release of All That I Am on April 11th.
Note: Paul Howard contributed to this article.
