Rising Stars: Meet Maddy Hicks

Today we’d like to introduce you to Maddy Hicks. 

Hi Maddy, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
I’ve been writing songs since I was little, and I’ve always loved to sing. I learned piano from a young age, then the violin in 5th grade, but it all came together when I picked up the guitar in 6th grade. My songs started to take on more of a structure and I doubled down on my dream to be a singer-songwriter. After graduating high school, I came to Nashville to pursue a Songwriting and Music Business degree at Belmont University. I released my first album The Bliss You Missed in 2019, which had a fairly acoustic, singer-songwriter vibe to it. At the beginning of 2021, I started recording my next project. I released it in waves over the summer; first an EP called Nightlife and then an EP called Daylight. The full-length album Reclaiming dropped on September 24th. Since then, I have been playing shows and writer’s rounds to promote it. 

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
I have a lot of anxiety which can turn into stage fright, self-doubt, and overthinking. My first album was a huge learning process, and I made lots of mistakes along the way that felt like the end of the world. Of course, none of those mistakes were as big of a deal as I thought, and I learned what I needed to learn in order to make the next album process go smoother. Another struggle has been the financial aspect since it takes a lot of money to record, produce, release, and promote my music independently. 

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am an artist and a songwriter based in Nashville. I primarily write my own songs but I also love to cowrite, and I love collaborating with others to record and produce music. At this point, I am the most known for my recent album Reclaiming. I believe that my songwriting sets me apart from others, and it’s what I’m most proud of. I love playing with the flow of a song using interesting rhyme schemes, connecting to listeners through powerful lyrics, and writing catchy melodies that are fun to sing and listen to. 

Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
Luck has played an interesting role in who I’ve met during my time in Nashville and how those connections have led to opportunities. Sometimes it feels like being in the right place at the right time can lead to more progress than actually putting in the work, which is frustrating but wonderful. I’ll take any opportunities at this point; it doesn’t matter if they come from hard work or happenstance. 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.maddyhicks.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maddyhicks13
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXUkPeORXQ62AKc_-_xOl_Q
• Other: https://linktr.ee/maddyhicks13

Image Credits
Benjamin Dufresne
Mykalin Gordon
Gabriel King