Maddie Marlow Font And Husband Jonah Expecting Baby No. 2

Maddie Marlow Font has a lot to be excited for in this new chapter of her life. The singer announced on Wednesday, September 16, that she and her husband, Jonah Font, are expecting their second child, a baby girl. This news means that their 3-year-old son, Forrest, will take on the role of big brother early next year.  

The pregnancy comes just months after Font stepped away from the platinum-selling country music duo, Maddie & Tae, to begin pursuing music as a solo artist. She’s now preparing to release her first solo record and to welcome another baby into the world.

“I’m going to be popping out a baby and popping out my first solo record,” Font told PEOPLE. “I guess I’m just trying to do all the things.”

The happy news also came after an incredibly difficult few months for Font and her family as she revealed that she experienced an early miscarriage in March.

“It just really made me trust God’s timing and His ways and what He had in store for us.”

Not surprisingly, the loss proved difficult for the otherwise upbeat Font. “It took me a while to snap out of that sadness, because you’re just so excited and you’re dreaming up all the things,” she says. 

Font gave herself the space to grieve but ultimately knew she had to keep moving forward. At the same time, she was navigating the emotional experience of beginning to establish herself as a solo artist for the first time in years. She turned to her faith and her music as a way to get through the hard chapter.

“My faith has been strengthened to a different level. I’m in this new chapter of my life where I’m really having to trust my gut for the first time in my career and really fight for what I want and not settle, even if it’s going to take longer or make some people mad.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by People Country (@people.country)

In May, she and Jonah learned they were expecting again and this time, it was a girl.

“We did like a little cake and cut into it, and it was a girl, and I swear my husband’s life flashed before his eyes,” Font joked. “He was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m going to have a daughter,’ which is so exciting, but just, like, different.”

One of the first people Font told about her pregnancy was her longtime friend and former Maddie & Tae bandmate, Tae Dye Kerr. The two happened to be together for a playdate with their kids on the same day Font found out she was pregnant, and Font says Kerr somehow knew before she even said a word.

“I just gave her this look, and she looked at me, and she’s like, ‘You’re pregnant.’ I was like, ‘Huh? I didn’t even say anything,’ and she was like, ‘I just know.’ It’s that soul sister connection, I guess,” Font recalled.

Amid all the excitement of the pregnancy, she released her debut solo single, “Drive Me Around,” and even filmed the music video while dealing with morning sickness and trying to keep her growing baby bump hidden.

Luckily, the Texas native says she has had incredible support from Kerr and her “rock solid” husband, who have both helped her navigate the ups and downs that she has faced this past year. The pair of artists might not be sharing the stage anymore, but Kerr still plays a big role in Font’s career as she has co-written a handful of songs on the upcoming solo record. 

“I have so many of Leighton’s clothes in my baby girl’s closet,” Font said of Kerr’s daughter. “I remember holding Leighton in so many of these outfits on tour. And now my baby girl’s going to be wearing [them]. It’s just such a magical, sweet time.”

Now that she is finally able to be open with the world about this next chapter, Font hopes her experience will encourage other female artists who want to pursue their careers while also building a family.

“I feel like in this business, especially with women, there’s this misconception that you can’t have a family and do this,” she admits. “I think there’s sacrifices on both ends, but I would just hope that newer artists or younger artists or just any female artist that has that dream of being a mom and doing this would just feel encouraged by my story in some way.”