Sony Music Publishing Nashville Signs Madeline Merlo

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Pictured (L-R, back row): Chelsey Block, Molly Shehan, Josh Van Valkenburg, Tom Luteran, Cam Caldwell, Dale Bobo, Anna Weisband, Synnovea Halsel, Brad Belanger, and Aubrey Rupe; (L-R, front row): Rusty Gaston, Madeline Merlo, Kenley Flynn, and Zach Crowell.

Sony Music Publishing Nashville has signed rising country singer-songwriter Madeline Merlo to a global publishing deal.

Originally from Canada, the Songland season two winner first captivated listeners with her hit “Champagne Night” performed by Lady A, which spent three weeks at No. 1 on U.S. country radio and earned her the 2021 Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) Songwriter of the Year award.

Merlo recently released her four-track EP Slide, produced by Zach Crowell, which saw Merlo as a co-writer on each song. The collection tells a series of dynamic stories, from budding romances in “Slide” and hit “I Need A Drink,” co-written by Sony Music Publishing songwriter Ashley Gorley, to growing up with “Young-ish,” and lessons learned in “Girl Where He Grew Up.”

She was also featured as the female voice on Cole Swindell’s latest No. 1 “She Had Me At Heads Carolina,” and unveiled a new music video for “Slide” last month.

“I am so excited and honored to join Sony’s incredible roster of songwriters and continue to work closely with Zach Crowell. I am looking forward to working with this world class team that makes you feel like family every time you walk in the door! This is a huge next step for my career and truly is a dream come true,” shares Merlo.

“From the moment I heard Madeline’s song ‘Young-ish’ I knew I wanted to be a part of her career. She and Zach have perfectly threaded the needle of writing and finding big pop country hits that still make you feel something. Madeline is a phenomenal songwriter and artist with a big, bright future and I am thrilled to welcome her to SMP,” says Sony Music Publishing Nashville’s Senior Director, Creative, Kenley Flynn.

Liza Anderson
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