Madilyn Mei
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Madilyn Mei | |
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| Born | 2002 (age 22–23) [1] |
| Origin | San Tan Valley, Arizona, U.S. |
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| Years active | 2020–present |
| Website | madilynmei |
Madilyn Mei is an American indie-folk and indie-pop singer-songwriter from San Tan Valley, Arizona, whose whimsical, fantasy-themed music first gained traction on TikTok and YouTube in the early 2020s.
Early life and education
[edit]Born and raised in Queen Creek, AZ, just outside Phoenix, Madilyn Mei went to high school at Heritage Academy Gateway. Mei began writing songs in fifth grade and played coffee-shop gigs by seventh grade while growing up in the Phoenix area.[1] Before pursuing music full-time, she worked retail and built an online audience of more than 160k followers across platforms.
Career
[edit]2020–2022: Online breakout
[edit]Mei released early demo projects and the EP Where No One Knows My Name (2022)[2] while appearing on the lineup of ZONA Music Festival 2022 in Phoenix.[3]
2023: To Exist With You
[edit]She self-released her debut LP on 23 June 2023 featuring the Addison Grace duet "Sleeping in the Kitchen"[4] and launched her first headlining club dates.[1]
Late 2023: Promise You Won't Scream EP
[edit]A six-track Halloween-season EP issued 27 October 2023.[5]
2024: The Bard era and Side Quest Tour
[edit]Concept EP The Bard (6 September 2024) drew praise for its fantasy storytelling ("Call Me The Bard",[6] "Never the Muse",[7] "Side Quest Song"[8]). The 23-date Side Quest Tour featured immersive cosplay and theatrical staging, documented in a Santa Ana concert review.[9] A Music Connection live review lauded her "gorgeous vocals" and "emotionally intelligent" material.[10]
2025–present
[edit]She issued the stand-alone singles "Poppin Skittles" and "What's Going On?!" in January and May 2025[11] respectively, ahead of work on a second LP. Mei is set to open selected dates on AJR's Somewhere In the Sky U.S. tour (July–October 2025).[12] The release of their album "1000 Songs About It All" is set for 2025.
Musical style and influences
[edit]Critics describe Mei's music as "delicately crafted indie-pop" that blends acoustic instrumentation with bedroom-pop production.[2] Her lyrics draw on classic fantasy tropes while maintaining introspective themes of yearning and self-discovery.[7] Live reviews compare her clear soprano to a young Linda Ronstadt and praise her minimalist duo stage setup.[10]
Collaborations
[edit]- Addison Grace – duet "Sleeping in the Kitchen" (2023) and shared U.S. tour dates.[1]
- Scrawny (Jesse Dill) – co-writer/producer and co-headliner on the whimsical single "Six Legs (Tippy Tappy Toes)" spotlighted by B-Sides & Badlands.
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d TAYLOR, DAN (2023-01-19). "Promising songwriters Madilyn Mei, M.J. Ward unite at the Phoenix in Petaluma". The Press Democrat. Retrieved 2025-05-02.
- ^ a b Campbell, Caleb. "Madilyn Mei Shares New EP 'The Bard'". Under the Radar Magazine. Retrieved 2025-05-02.
- ^ "ZONA Music Festival 2022 Lineup - Dec 3 - 4, 2022". JamBase. Retrieved 2025-05-02.
- ^ "To Exist With You, by Madilyn Mei". Madilyn Mei. Retrieved 2025-05-02.
- ^ Promise You Won't Scream - EP by Madilyn Mei on Apple Music, 2023-10-27, retrieved 2025-05-02
- ^ Campbell, Caleb. "Madilyn Mei Shares New EP 'The Bard'". Under the Radar Magazine. Retrieved 2025-05-02.
- ^ a b "Madilyn Mei is inspired by bards for her latest single "Never the Muse" [Video] – EARMILK". Retrieved 2025-05-02.
- ^ Radic, Randy (2024-05-08). "Madilyn Mei – "Side Quest Song" [Song Review]". V13.net. Retrieved 2025-05-02.
- ^ "Madilyn Mei goes on a side quest at the Observatory!". riversidescene.com. Retrieved 2025-05-02.
- ^ a b Sommer, Eric (2024-08-26). "Live Review of Madilyn Mei in Raleigh, North Carolina". www.musicconnection.com. Retrieved 2025-05-02.
- ^ Poppin Skittles, 2025-01-23, retrieved 2025-05-02
- ^ Denning, Reagan (2025-03-15). "AJR presents the Somewhere In The Sky Tour »". www.melodicmag.com. Retrieved 2025-05-02.