After independently releasing her long-awaited full-length album, I Hope You Can Forgive Me, last year, singer-songwriter Madison McFerrin has dropped a deluxe version with new remixes to her debut, including a Honey Dijon remix of her song “Run.” In addition, she also played at the Joshua Tree Music Festival on May 18 and at LA’s Paramount on May 19.
As the daughter of “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” singer Bobby McFerrin, Madison found her own brand of acapella about as quickly as she arrived, with her You + I EP putting her on the map in 2019, a year after her debut. “TRY,” the lead single from You + I and her most popular track to date, happens to be co-written and produced by McFerrin’s brother Taylor, whose production blends R&B with hypnotic electronic elements. But it’s McFerrin who stuns, singing softly alongside herself during the fluttering harmonizing.
Her first full-length project, I Hope You Can Forgive Me, is a showcase for McFerrin, who knew her sound early on yet continues to push herself out of what’s expected of R&B and soul music.
“OMW” bears similarities to her early work but instead prominently features hi-hats and bass pulses that come together to give the track an extra bounce. Despite the runtime clocking in a little over a minute long, the seemingly perfect loop interconnecting the ending and beginning of the song compliments the subject matter. In the lyrics, McFerrin ponders whether or not she’s losing her mind now that every day feels the same, a relatable predicament captured through a catchy melody.
Among the singles and standouts on the album is “Stay Away (From Me),” which McFerrin played as part of Stephen Colbert’s #LateShowMeMusic series. At first, much like a number of songs from her short but impressive catalog, the relaxed instrumental effortlessly evolves into an all-out dance track. Still hitting high notes with no problem, McFerrin ties the new sound under her banner and shows off her chops as a vocalist.
In a full circle moment, McFerrin invites her father, Bobby, into her realm of R&B on the haunting, yet ethereal “Run.” While Bobby took to jazz for his music, Madison gets him to step outside his comfort zone and finds pockets for him amid the predominantly electronic production. The Honey Dijon remix veers away from the dread prevalent in the original, taking to traditional house hallmarks and stretching the song to an over five-minute bounce odyssey.
Repeating “I need you to trust me” throughout “Run,” McFerrin, in some ways, speaks to her father and the audience, proving her talents as a songwriter who does not compromise their sound in the slightest.
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Words: David Sosa
I Hope You Can Forgive Me by Madison McFerrin, as well as the deluxe edition, is out now on all streaming services. For more on her latest album and potential shows, follow her on Instagram and her website.
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