‘American Idol’ Alum Haven Madison Makes Major Career Move
“I’ve been dreaming of this day since I was a kid,” Madison shares.
Haven Madison; Photo by ABC/Eric McCandless
American Idol alum Haven Madison made a major career move and has signed a record deal with 19 Recordings and BMG.
Madison appeared on season 21 of American Idol and wowed the judges with an original song dubbed “Fifteen.” The tune allowed her to showcase her vocal skills and songwriting abilities.
Who Is Haven Madison’s Dad?
For her audition, the young contestant was accompanied by her father, Jason Roy, who is the lead singer of GRAMMY-nominated Christian contemporary music group, Building 429.
The Clarksville, Tennesse native left the Idol judges, Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan, in awe.
“You can have it. You can have it right now,” they told Madison, who was just 16 years old at the time of her audition.
“Absolutely,” Richie added. “In fact, let’s go to the studio right now. Let’s cut that song right now. Can we cut that song?”
Her father was overcome with emotions when he witnessed the way the judges reacted to her performance.
“The vocal decision you made, they were just like so on another level. And they’re so you and authentic and coming from your heart, that song has a lot of opportunity to be something,” Perry told her.
Bryan who had declared, “We’re starting this day off good,” went on to praise her performance.
“I mean, I think when a 16-year-old can really speak the 16-year-old language that all the other 16-year-olds want to hear, it’s really special. I mean, whatever y’all are doing is what,” the country superstar said. “Let Dad just hit the record button.”
Earned A Golden Ticket To Hollywood
It was then revealed that Haven Madison would be going to Hollywood as she earned a “yes” from each member of the judges’ panel.
Madison made her way into the Top 8 on American Idol, performing songs such as “Livin’ on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi, “You Learn” by Alanis Morissette, and “The Middle” by Zedd, Maren Morris, and Grey.
When Did Haven Madison Go Home On American Idol?
She exited the competition after the Top 8 round, following her performance of the Morisstte hit. At the time, Luke Bryan told her, “I love that when we first met you, you were sitting at a piano playing original songs and now you’re up here… You’re real free with it, you’re smiling, you’re having fun, you’re making everybody comfortable in the moment and just what growth you’ve had. I kept waiting for the falsetto, but you gave us the full voice, it was great. Great performance, love seeing it!”
When bidding farewell to the competition, Madison thanked fans for their support.
“My @AmericanIdol journey has come to an end. It has been such an honor to perform on that stage and to have bonded with the people that have turned into extended family along the way,” she wrote in a heartfelt Instagram post. “I am so happy to have shared my music with all of you and I hope you keep listening because there’s more where that came from. 🥰 Thank you for helping me live this dream of a lifetime!”
Signs With 19 Recordings and BMG
Through her new label deal, Haven Madison will pursue a career as a pop artist, however, BMG Nashville President Jon Loba says he sees some of the same qualities in her that he once saw in superstars like Faith Hill and Taylor Swift.
“I had the privilege of working at companies where Faith Hill and Taylor Swift began their careers. While Haven Madison is not a Country artist, she has the same spirit and clarity Faith and Taylor had about what their vision was for their careers, along with a razor-sharpness about who they were and what they wanted to say to the world. We can’t wait for everyone to hear Haven’s music and see her evolution over the last year,” Loba shared in a statement.
Madison, who has released music independently since 2020, stated, “I’ve been dreaming of this day since I was a kid, and I couldn’t be more excited to have 19 Recordings / BMG beside me as I continue to share my art and passion with the world.
19 Recordings’ Senior Vice President of Music Elissa Felman added, “Haven Madison is an artist with not only an immense amount of raw talent as a songwriter and a vocalist; but, she is also an artist with true artistic vision. Watching her grow from the young singer who auditioned for Idol into such a powerful artist ready for her big moment has been so exciting. I can’t wait for her fans to hear what she’s been creating since the show.”
Haven Madison’s label debut tracks will be released soon.
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
You may also like
Country Next
Playlist
On Repeat
Get the latest country music news delivered straight to your inbox.
