History
Madison Beer: From YouTube Covers to Chart-Topping Success
Madison Elle Beer (born March 5, 1999) is an American singer, songwriter, and social media influencer hailing from Jericho, New York. Currently signed to Epic Records, Beer's musical journey began in early 2012 when she started posting cover songs on YouTube. Her rendition of Etta James' "At Last" caught the attention of Justin Bieber, who shared it with his followers. This exposure propelled Beer into global trending status on Twitter and garnered significant media interest. Bieber subsequently signed her to Island Records, and she was managed by Scooter Braun.
Early Career and Debut Releases
Beer's early career saw collaborations and single releases that built her initial fanbase. She partnered with Monster High, recording the franchise's theme song, "We Are Monster High." In February 2013, a duet with Cody Simpson on his song "Valentine" was played on Radio Disney. Her official debut single and music video, "Melodies," featuring a guest appearance by Bieber, was released on September 12, 2013. Following this, she released "Unbreakable" on June 17, 2014. Beer was also featured on the 2015 Mako single "I Won't Let You Walk Away," which charted on US dance and electronic charts. Her first EP, As She Pleases, was released on February 2, 2018, after being recorded over three years. The EP included singles "Dead" and "Say It to My Face," with the latter's music video released in November 2017. The final single from the EP, "Home with You," was released in March 2018 and peaked at number 21 on the Billboard Mainstream Top 40 chart, making her the only solo female artist without a major label to chart there at the time. Beer also made her festival debut at Lollapalooza in August 2018.
Expanding Horizons: Features, Virtual Groups, and Debut Album
Beer's career expanded through various collaborations and projects. She was featured on David Guetta's 2018 album 7 with the song "Blame It On Love." In late 2018, she joined forces with Miyeon and Soyeon from (G)I-DLE and Jaira Burns to form the virtual K-pop group K/DA, releasing the popular song "Pop/Stars" for the online game League of Legends. Beer also collaborated with rapper Offset on "Hurts Like Hell" (November 2018) and with DJs Jax Jones and Martin Solveig (as Europa) on "All Day and Night" (March 2019).
The lead single from her anticipated debut album, "Dear Society," was released on May 17, 2019. In August 2019, Beer signed with Epic Records. Her debut studio album, Life Support, was released in 2021, supported by singles like "Selfish," which gained significant popularity on TikTok and earned RIAA Gold certification. Beyond her solo work, Beer continued to voice the virtual character Evelynn in K/DA, releasing the charting singles "Pop/Stars" and "More." She also made television appearances on shows like Todrick and RuPaul's Drag Race.
Life Support and Beyond
Released on February 26, 2021, Life Support was entirely co-written by Beer and largely co-produced by her. The album received mixed to positive reviews, with critics noting its ambition. It debuted at number sixty-five on the US Billboard 200 and charted within the top thirty in Canada and the UK. Beer confirmed she was already working on her second album, with several songs completed. In support of Life Support, she embarked on "The Life Support Tour," which spanned North America and Europe in late 2021 and early 2022.
Her second studio album began to take shape with the release of the single "Reckless" on June 3, 2021, which was praised for its lyrical depth and vulnerability and reached the top forty on the Billboard US Mainstream Top 40. In addition to her music career, Beer co-founded the skincare brand Know Beauty with Vanessa Hudgens in June 2021 and launched a 90s-inspired clothing collection with Boohoo in August 2021. She also contributed the song "Room For You" to the soundtrack of the film Clifford the Big Red Dog in November 2021.
Beer made a cameo in Bella Poarch's 2022 music video for "Dolls" and released the soundtrack song "I Have Never Felt More Alive" for the film Fall in July 2022. Her second studio album continued to be previewed with the release of the lead single "Dangerous" on August 26, 2022, followed by "Showed Me (How I Fell in Love with You)" on October 14, 2022.
Musical Influences
Beer cites Lana Del Rey, Daft Punk, Melanie Martinez, and Ariana Grande as key influences on her music and songwriting. Regarding Grande, Beer has expressed admiration, stating, "Ariana's been one of my favorite people ever for like, so much of my career and like, even just prior to my career, so I'm sure she's definitely influenced me, a lot." She has also expressed a desire to move past narratives that frame her relationship with Grande as a competition.