Full name – Madden James Metcalf
Birthdate – 11/14/2005
Hometown – Panacea, Florida
Current city – Panama City Beach, Florida
Musical influences – Ella Langley, Parker McCollum, Jimmy Buffett
Label – Wexler Records / MCA

Current Single – “Sound Of The Summer”  (as of date of article: 08/10/2026)

Today’s spotlight artist has found a way to bring where he comes from into every part of his artistry. Florida native, Madden Metcalf is a true entertainer at heart. We chatted with the singer-songwriter about his upbringing, his music, and where he’s headed. Keep reading to learn more.

Growing up in Panacea, Florida, as a fourth-generation commercial fisherman, music was just as much a part of his childhood as life on the water. “My dad always had music playing, and I never understood why we loved music more than everybody else,” he shared.

It wasn’t until he was around ten years old that he started to understand just how much music meant to his family. After asking his dad why he loved country music so much, his answer changed the way the budding singer-songwriter listened to music from that point forward. “If a song can’t tell you a story, then you don’t need to listen to it,” he recalled his dad telling him.

From then on, he began paying closer attention to the lyrics and stories behind the songs he loved, unknowingly laying the foundation for the songwriter he would eventually become. His musical influences ran the gamut. His family listened to everything from Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, and Keith Whitley to Jimmy Buffett, Bob Marley, and Zac Brown. As he got older, Parker McCollum also became a major influence, particularly when it came to his appreciation for songwriting.

“It’s not really my sound, but just my love of songwriting,” he shared of McCollum’s influence. “It has to sound like a good song, songwriting-wise, for me to be in love with it.” Still, music wasn’t just something he loved listening to. From banging drumsticks on the bottom of laundry baskets and playing an out-of-tune guitar to singing karaoke in the living room, he always wanted to be the one putting on the show. “I wanted to be the entertainer,” he shared.

Now, getting to write songs, release music, and watch people connect with them feels like a full-circle realization of a dream he’s had since he was a kid.

The Turning Point:

While the Metcalf always loved entertaining, his path to becoming an artist happened rather unexpectedly. About a year and a half ago, he started sharing simple cover videos on TikTok. With only a few hundred followers, there was no elaborate strategy behind the posts, no editing, lyrics on the screen or fancy production. Metcalf was simply singing in his room.

As fate would have it, his now-manager happened to come across one of those videos while scrolling TikTok. Her husband, who would eventually become his producer, heard him singing from another room. “That kid, I like that,” he recalled him saying. From there, everything began to move quickly. He found a team that believed in both his music and who he wanted to be as an artist. About a year later, he met with MCA and eventually signed his record deal.

Having the right people around him has made the whirlwind even more special. “They’re more in it for the artist than the artistry,” he shared of his team. “A lot of people in this business just really, really care about the music and the artist.”

Soon after, he officially introduced himself to country music fans, releasing his debut single on his 20th birthday. Since then, it’s been full steam ahead.

Today:

Flash forward to today, the rising artist is showcasing exactly who he is with his debut EP, Saltwater Southern. The project’s title comes directly from his North Florida upbringing and the unique place he calls home. While many people picture cities like Miami or Orlando when they think of Florida, Panacea looks entirely different.

“Where the trees meet the water,” he shared, describing his hometown. “You put South Georgia and the Gulf Coast together. It’s like sandy, white beaches, and then a mile from the beach, it’s just straight woods.” That juxtaposition ultimately became the heart of Saltwater Southern.

Although he and his team already had a collection of songs ready for the project, he realized that if he was going to use a title that represented where he came from, the music needed to do the same. He ultimately swapped out three songs for newer ones that better showcased his artistry. “If we’re gonna title it Saltwater Southern, it’s got to be Saltwater Southern,” shared Metcalf.

The finished project allows fans to hear several sides of his sound, from the bluesy “Young Loretta” and beachy “Paradise” to the rock-driven “Long John Silver.” “It really got to showcase who I am as an artist and what I’m capable of,” he shared.

Most recently, the singer-songwriter shared “Sound of the Summer,” a nostalgic track inspired by summers spent on St. George Island. “I made a lot of bad decisions in high school,” he joked. “It was all just at that time, this sound of the summer, chasing friends, girls all around St. George Island, and just trying to do what everybody else is doing, have fun.”

After holding onto the song for nearly a year, finally getting to share it with listeners has made the track even more special. Looking ahead, fans can expect plenty more from the rising artist, including another new single, more writing, and plenty of time on the road.

Connect:

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about future Madden Metcalf releases.

To keep up with Madden Metcalf, follow him on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok.

Madden Metcalf’s music is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.