Biography
A Canadian country singer and songwriter from Vancouver whose commanding vocals and catchy pop sensibilities evoke the '90s era of Martina McBride and Shania Twain, Madeline Merlo emerged in the middle of the 2010s. After issuing her first full-length project, Free Soul, in 2016, she scored multiple successful tracks before relocating to Nashville and concentrating exclusively on individual releases through the rest of the decade. Tracks such as "Kiss Kiss" and "It Didn't" reached the Canadian country Top 20, momentum she carried forward with the 2022 EP Slide. Her 2023 single "Tim + Faith" paid tribute to longtime idols Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, while 2024 brought the Dustin Lynch collaboration "Broken Heart Thing."
Raised in the Vancouver suburbs, Merlo pursued the same path as her father, a working musician, by performing with area groups and, during her late teenage years, partnering with producer Dan Swinimer. That connection led to a recording agreement with RGK Entertainment, an imprint distributed by Universal. Her first single, the 2014 release "Sinking Like a Stone," peaked at number 32 on the Canadian country chart. The following year "Honey Jack" improved on that position, climbing to number 25, and her profile rose further when the Canadian Country Music Association presented her with its 2015 Rising Star Award. Upon arrival in 2016, Free Soul entered the Top 100 of Canada's pop album chart on the strength of additional singles including "War Paint" and "Whatcha Wanna Do About It." The 2017 song "Motel Flamingo" became her initial entry inside the country Top Ten, after which she issued a series of well-received standalone releases such as "Neon Love," "Kiss Kiss," and "It Didn't."
Having moved to Nashville, Merlo secured an American contract with BBR Music Group. Its Wheelhouse label issued the 2022 EP Slide, whose title track reached number six in Canada. The 2023 homage "Tim + Faith" performed even stronger on the same tally, and in 2024 she delivered the EP One House Down (From the Girl Next Door), which featured the Dustin Lynch duet "Broken Heart Thing."
Raised in the Vancouver suburbs, Merlo pursued the same path as her father, a working musician, by performing with area groups and, during her late teenage years, partnering with producer Dan Swinimer. That connection led to a recording agreement with RGK Entertainment, an imprint distributed by Universal. Her first single, the 2014 release "Sinking Like a Stone," peaked at number 32 on the Canadian country chart. The following year "Honey Jack" improved on that position, climbing to number 25, and her profile rose further when the Canadian Country Music Association presented her with its 2015 Rising Star Award. Upon arrival in 2016, Free Soul entered the Top 100 of Canada's pop album chart on the strength of additional singles including "War Paint" and "Whatcha Wanna Do About It." The 2017 song "Motel Flamingo" became her initial entry inside the country Top Ten, after which she issued a series of well-received standalone releases such as "Neon Love," "Kiss Kiss," and "It Didn't."
Having moved to Nashville, Merlo secured an American contract with BBR Music Group. Its Wheelhouse label issued the 2022 EP Slide, whose title track reached number six in Canada. The 2023 homage "Tim + Faith" performed even stronger on the same tally, and in 2024 she delivered the EP One House Down (From the Girl Next Door), which featured the Dustin Lynch duet "Broken Heart Thing."
Singles
