Madison McFerrin has us caught up in her rapture as we anticipate the release of her debut album I Hope You Can Forgive Me next month. The set’s initial singles — “Stay Away (From Me)” and “(Please Don’t) Leave Me Now” — got us open and then she blew our minds with the ethereal “God Herself.” Now the singer-songwriter delves into the complexities of relationship turmoil with the set’s fourth single “Utah.”
Written, produced and performed by Madison herself, “Utah” is perhaps the most pop-leaning song we’ve heard from the album thus far. She opts for a more fully-realized sound on the track, with guitar, drums and backing vocals rounding out the song’s sound bed. Meanwhile, the lyrics tell the story of a couple at odds as she wonders where to go from where they are.
The verses describe bickering that might seemingly end the good thing that she and her partner have going. Reeling, she comes to a decision about what to do on the chorus, singing, “Gotta get out of Utah / Gotta get back home / But is Brooklyn any better? / Or should we be alone?”
“After having two separate cross-country road trips that involved a blowout fight in Utah, I was overcome with emotion and curiosity,” Madison shared with FLOOD about the single’s inspiration. “What was it about that particular desert state that made it the case that my fiancé and I would butt heads?”
Though everyone else might not have taken a trip through Utah, we’re willing to bet that a lot of people can relate to Madison McFerrin as she navigates just how overwhelming turmoil and conflict in a relationship can be. Take a listen to “Utah” right here and stick around to watch the song’s beautiful lyric video.
