Madison McWilliams

Like so many girls her age, 16-year-old Madison McWilliams is in love with friends, fashion, and — most of all — music.

Unlike most girls her age, Madison’s passion for music has led the teen phenom from Austin, Texas to be named "2018's It Girl" by Girls Life Magazine and to achieve her dream: the 2017 release of her debut EP, “MADISON.” This March, she is excited to perform for a second time at her hometown's SXSW Music Festival and will begin her newest adventure with the release her latest single "Livin' For The Weekend"...watch for the music video!!
Last year, she was honored to sing the national anthem live on NBC Sports for NASCAR and to share her music worldwide broadcast on Voice of America. Even Justine Magazine has its eye on Madison too naming her "One to Watch" in 2018.

As one of Musical.ly’s Top 15 “NextWave” emerging artists worldwide and a writer on all of her songs, Madison gushes, “My whole life is surrounded by music. Starting with her first audition as a child, which landed her the lead role in a local production of “Annie,” and fueled by her mom’s Beatles records, Madison has had a crush on music as long as she can remember. “It’s a piece of who I am.” Austin Monthly agreed naming her "Artist of the Month."
Now, with songs like her Top 40-ready "Melodramatic" that was featured on VEVO's dscvr playlist, “We’ve Got Today” and “End of the Tunnel,” Madison — “Dream Teen’s” latest cover girl — is about to prove that music loves her back. Named "Pop Music's Latest Darling" by Tribeza Magazine, it also gives her a powerful way to communicate with other girls, allowing her to express the importance of self-esteem, a value missing from some of today’s pop hits.
“Learn how to read me,” she sings saucily in her summer hit “Easy,” a girl power anthem encouraging confidence and independence. In “End of the Tunnel” - which premiered on The Huffington Post and likened her voice to Adele's - she offers hope: “Monsters underneath your bed / Only real inside your head / Find your way around the dark / All you need’s a little spark.”

As an official Ambassador for Make-A-Wish Central & South Texas, Madison performed “End of the Tunnel” as a special guest at Make-A-Wish World Wish Day, a national fundraiser celebrating over 270,000 wishes already granted. And her song “Fighter," written for the courageous Make-A-Wish kids, debuted this summer to help raise awareness and support for the organization’s Over the Edge effort. This 2018, she is thrilled to be headlining the Wish Night Gala for Make-A-Wish in Dallas.

Watch for Madison as the new official spokesperson for The Art of Kindness that is a proud partner of Lady Gaga's Born This Way Foundation! She will spread The Kindness Campaign mission in 2018 - to encourage students to share kindness through art.
Her antidote for mean girls? “My message is girl power,” she told “Tiger Beat” in her first feature on the iconic site. “As a girl, you need to know that you can do whatever you want, and you’re not limited by anything.”

She took that message to her debut SXSW performance and an appearance at Univision’s “KindnessPalooza.”

Artistry and a sincere message… plus, it doesn’t hurt that it’s impossible not to dance when you hear Madison’s songs!

Though blown away by Céline Dion in Las Vegas as a child — “I was in awe of her voice, her stage presence… it was really good for me for her to be the first person I ever saw in concert!” — Madison’s own show is going to have one additional element: Tons of dancing.
Showing she means business, Madison is currently working on her stage show with renowned choreographer Tina Landon (Janet Jackson, Rihanna, Prince, Britney Spears).

“When I first started dancing,” Madison admits with a laugh, “I was: Not. Good. At. All. For a whole year, I just practiced all the time. I worked really hard, and I got good at it.” Knowing fans would expect dancing, she refused to let them down.

The lesson she learned? “I can do anything if I put my mind to it. If you have confidence in what you’re doing and are not afraid to make mistakes, I feel like you can accomplish anything.”

Madison is juggling preparing her show with online schooling (“I don’t have to sacrifice my education to achieve my dreams!”) and a normal social life. “It gets a little overwhelming at times, but I love music so much that it’s what I love to do with my free time.”
She is even prepping to do more acting, signing with the legendary Randy James and his team, which she calls a true honor.

All of that doesn’t leave a lot of room for boys. “I don’t really have a crush,” Madison says with a secret smile, “because I’m not focused on boys right now.” She does have fond memories of summer camp, where “we got all the teen magazines and filled our cabin with posters, covering the walls and ceilings with the Jonas Brothers, Taylor Swift, of course, ‘High School Musical’ all over.”

Her career goals also interfere with her fashion goals, but she makes it work! “I love fashion. Ooh, Zara — my weakness. They have these flash sales, and I’m not allowed to buy anything that isn’t on sale. Ooh, and Target is amazing.”

Madison describes her style as “fun, young and edgy” — like her music.
She trained with Tony winners in the prestigious Broadway Artists Alliance program, is soaring on social media and has everything it takes to be the "new powerhouse vocalist in town" according to Justine Magazine who said "Watch out, Beyonce!"… except her biggest pet peeve is, “Do you wanna be the next blank?”

Madison says, “I’d rather tell someone — or sing to someone — about who I really am. I can really become someone’s friend that way.”