ABOUT MADDEN
Nineteen-year-old country artist Madden Metcalf comes from Panacea, Florida — a part of the country locals call the Forgotten Coast — a fishing town with fewer than a thousand residents, where his family has lived for four generations. His childhood was split between early mornings on the crab boat and afternoons working shifts at his family friend’s restaurant, Tropical Trader. By the time he was fourteen, he was juggling both, hauling in traps by day and washing dishes by night. Those rhythms of small-town grit, family tradition, and Gulf Coast living are the foundation of his music.
Madden’s upcoming EP, Saltwater Southern (spring 2026), captures both the world he grew up in and the one he’s carving out for himself. Songs like “IDWK” and “I Don’t Wanna Cry” showcase his knack for contemporary country hooks, while “Heart Is a House” and “Like My Hometown” carry the warmth and storytelling tradition that run through country’s roots. The project is as much Florida as it is Nashville, shaped by Gulf Coast sunsets, southern pride, and the kind of perspective that comes from growing up in a place most people overlook.
Though he grew up on football fields and in deer stands like plenty of country kids, Madden’s upbringing had its own saltwater twist. He didn’t just hunt deer—he also hunts gators. He doesn’t just fish in the river—he fishes in the ocean. And when he’s on the boat, he’s sailing through salt water. Madden’s pole barn doubled as the best sound system in Wakulla County, blasting everything from Johnny Cash to Jimmy Buffett, Hank Jr to Kenny Chesney. It was there that Madden first picked up a guitar—an out-of-tune Taylor passed around the family—and started writing songs. By high school, he was filling notebooks with lyrics and teaching himself to play, eventually surpassing the chords his dad had shown him.
For Madden, country music isn’t about chasing a trend
—it’s about honoring where you come from, being grateful for what you’ve got, and telling stories that make people feel less alone.
With saltwater in his veins and a guitar never far from reach, he’s quickly emerging as one of the most promising young voices in country music.
