It’s shaping up to be a hot summer for singer-songwriter and all-around badass Madison McFerrin. The talented indie artist is readying her sophomore effort SCORPIO for the masses this coming June. So far, we’ve received two singles — the sly and seductive “Ain’t It Nice” and the reflective “I Don’t” — and our anticipation for the set is quite high. It’s going through the roof now, however, with the performer previewing the set and taking us down memory lane with her recent appearance on NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Concert Series.
Madison is a very unique performer, and she brought that vibe to Tiny Desk quite easily. She began with the vocal loops that helped make her name at the beginning of her first song “No Time To Lose,” taken from her EP Finding Foundations: Vol. I. The rest of the sound was soon filled in by the performance’s band leader Kameron Lowe and his band (which includes his sisters The Lovely Lowe Sisters) on backing vocals. That cut quickly transitioned to “OMW” from her debut album I Hope You Forgive Me.
From there, Madison and company took us into SCORPIO with “Ain’t It Nice” and “I Don’t.” Each one sounded just as good as the studio versions, though the live renditions brought out some improvisation and fun that only enriched the experience. The singer took us back one more time with “TRY,” taking advantage of the live performance by having the band add in an unexpected jazziness to the affair.
She closed the set by debuting brand new SCORPIO track “Run It Back,” asking the Tiny Desk audience if they want to take it to church. “Run It Back” definitely had some gospel influence baked into its DNA — including bluesy piano, hand claps and a call-and-response section. The subject matter of the song, however, was anything but as it focused on running it back in the sheets with an ex-flame minus those pesky feelings. It was quite the rousing way for her to leave things that undoubtedly earned the praise from the crowd.
If this Tiny Desk appearance was any indication, then SCORPIO could be one of the best albums to arrive this year. Check out Madison McFerrin doing the damn thing when you catch her performance below.
