Madalyn Martin released a new single, “Runaway,” on February 28th, 2020. Martin has become one of our favorite pop writers in town, and this song is one of our favorite songs of hers. “Runaway” is the follow up to her single, “Dangerous.” We were able to sit down with West Virginia native to talk about music, life, and her experiences in Nashville.
Madalyn Martin’s Love of Music
Interestingly, Martin is the only one in her family who has any musical talent. The singer/songwriter said, “Nobody else in my family plays an instrument or can carry a tune. Her 4th-grade teacher fostered Martin’s love of music. Madalyn said, ” At the end of the day if my class was good, my 4th-grade teacher play us a song on his guitar. He was the coolest teacher. We were all so interested in playing an instrument that he offered lessons after school.
Martin said, “I got my first guitar in 4th grade to go to the class to learn how to play “Leaving On a Jet Plane.” My teacher had us play, “we are leaving off to 5th grade. He had a class once a week, where we would all try to strum chords. However, after that, I didn’t play my guitar for a long time. I began picking it up again as an outlet to express myself, and that is when I started writing songs.”
Although Madalyn played guitar and wrote songs to cope with loss and struggles in her life, she had her detractors. Martin said, “There were many who made fun of me for playing guitar and writing songs. My 8th-grade teacher played a video of me playing one of my songs, and at the time, I thought she was mean. The other kids made fun of me because I was singing so hard, my face turned red. Over time, my perspective changed. Even though I thought they were making fun of me, they were still watching the video. Now they are some of my biggest supporters.
An Improbable Journey to Nashville
Unlike many songwriters who move to Nashville, Madalyn Martin never really thought it was a possibility. Martin said, “I was born in West Virginia, raised in West Virginia, and never thought I would I would leave West Virginia. I loved living there. There was nothing to do there except outside sports like hiking, kayaking, and snowboarding. We were always outside, but we also would hang out and play music. The singer/songwriter continued, “Everyone in my town knew me because I played the guitar. There were other artists where I come from, but I stood out a lot.
For someone who never thought they would leave West Virginia, Madalyn Martin has made her home in Nashville for the past two years. She decided she wanted to move here after visiting Nashville after visiting Music City during college. Martin said, “I was playing a writer’s night in West Virginia hosted by a guy whose girlfriend lived in Nashville. After I finished my set, he told me that I had to move to Nashville. His girlfriend booked me to play at Belcourt Taps on my first visit to Nashville. I showed up to play an hour set, not realizing I needed to have other people to play in the round with me. Even if I had known that I didn’t know anyone here.”
While she knew she wanted to move to Nashville, she was so close to graduating from college. She decided to finish school. The singer/songwriter said, “I loaded up my schedule with as many hours as I could so I could graduate sooner. The faster I finished school, the faster I could move to Nashville.”
The Nashville Experience
Many songwriters move to town with a dream and a hometown full of people supporting them. They have heard how good they are, but when they get to Nashville, its easy to wonder if you are good enough. Martin said, “When I first started playing music, I didn’t think music could be a career. Once I got to Nashville, I was afraid to play music. When I played on my visit during college, it wasn’t as difficult. After I moved here, I felt as if the expectations were higher.
Every songwriter who moves here approaches their first year differently, for Madalyn, she dove in headfirst with her songwriting. Martin said, “When I first moved here, I was binge writing with everyone. However, I learned to be more selective. I had some experiences with guys wanting to write with me only to ask me out.” The singer/songwriter continued, “When I co-write with someone, I need to know them a little before we write. My emotions and what I am feeling are what inspire my songwriting.”
Madalyn Martin Releases “Runaway”
“Runaway” is one of our favorite songs that Madalyn Martin plays at her shows. We were excited when we learned she was releasing the song. “Martin said, “when I was writing Runaway, I was sitting on my bed playing guitar. It is these moments when I feel inspired.
“Runaway” is, in a way, a love song, according to Martin. The singer/songwriter said, “I was trying to write a PG sexy song. I wrote the first verse, and I didn’t come back to it for a while. The relationship I was in at the time fell apart. So I wrote some breakup songs before I came back to “Runaway” with some fresh ideas.”
“Runaway” is a story about someone who tends to run from love but is willing to commit to the right person. The lyrics are creative, and the production with the instrumentation is excellent. The song has a nice groove and killer melody. We are already anxious for Martin’s next single, “Carry on.” While you wait for the next one, check out “Dangerous” and our favorite, “Runaway.”
Madalyn Martin is a Beautiful Soul
The West Virginia native is one of the kindest and most genuine people I have met since launching Undiscovered Nashville. I would argue the vast majority of songwriters genuinely have a heart for people. They want their music to matter to the lives of the fans who hear it, and this is also true of Madalyn Martin. Martin said, “I want to travel and tell my story. Many of the songs I have written were a coping mechanism, and it was through writing them, I was able to see tragic situations in a different light. Through all the struggles I have faced, I have found a way to be grateful. It would be cool to share those songs and help others cope with life too.
Undiscovered Nashville is grateful to Madalyn Martin for making Music City her home. Otherwise, we would never have discovered this beautiful soul. We hope that you will follow Madalyn’s journey on social media and support her music by downloading or streaming it. You can find her on Instagram @madalynmartin_
