Madeline The person | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Madeline Estelle Holste |
| Born | September 14, 2001 Houston, TX, United States |
| Labels | Warner Records 2021-2023 |
Madeline Estelle Holste performs as MadelineThe Person. She is an American singer and songwriter. Holste hails from Houston, Texas. [1] She was born on September 14, 2001. Her songs explore deep feelings. They are honest and personal. Her music is bright and tells stories and she often writes about grief, identity and mental well-being. [2]
Madeline the Person began her musical journey in early childhood, learning piano at age four and starting vocal lessons at seven. [3] Raised in Bellaire, Texas, she grew up in a musical household [4] her mother was a classical pianist, her brother played flamenco guitar and jazz piano, and her father was an audiophile and CD collector. She began writing songs at age 11 and discovered early on that music was her most natural form of self-expression. [3]
In middle school, Madeline began posting song covers on Instagram, [3] but it was during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 that she gained wider recognition. At the suggestion of her manager, she joined TikTok [3] and quickly built a following thanks to her heartfelt lyrics, soft vocals, and colorful visual identity. [4] A May 2020 video featuring a preview of her single “As a Child,” a song about the loss of her father, garnered over a million views, leading to a record deal with Warner Records later that year. [5] Madeline officially signed with Warner Records in late 2020, with the entire process meetings, auditions, and signing taking place virtually. The label praised her as a standout talent on TikTok, citing her “unrivaled vocals, genius-level songwriting, and clear vision” [5]
In March 2021, she released her debut single "As A Child." In a Billboard interview, Madeline described how songwriting helped her cope with grief, calling the song a safe space for others dealing with loss. Warner Records executives praised her songwriting, charisma, and emotional depth, calling her “the future” of the label. [5] Later that year, she released her debut EP, Chapter 1: The Longing, a collection of introspective tracks exploring sadness, isolation, and personal healing [4]
Madeline’s next EP would come later that year as Chapter 2: The Shedding, tackling identity and personal evolution. [6] The single “Unrecognizable” reflected on depression and the struggle to reconnect with her younger self. [6] Critics praised her lyrical candor, and Billboard called the EP’s standout “Haunted” a “raw reflection of pain.” [5] [6]
In 2022, she released Chapter 3: The Burning, a more assertive and cathartic project. [7] Songs like "Step on Flowers", "Why I Broke Up With You", and the viral "Mean!" explored rage, heartbreak, and empowerment. [8] "Mean!" became a TikTok sensation with over 910,000 video creations and a popular remix featuring Noah Kahan. That same year, she performed live for the first time touring with The Aces and appearing at festivals like OUTLOUD Music Fest and Wonderbus. [9] [7] [8]
After parting ways with Warner Records in 2023, Madeline became an independent artist and teamed up with Petro AP (known for work with René Rapp and Alexander 23) as her executive producer. [10] Together, they began shaping a new sonic direction for her debut album. In February 2025, she released its lead single, “Rabbit Hole,” a whimsical and introspective track about daydreaming, imagination, and mental spiraling. Madeline described it as “an ode to all of my fellow daydreamers out there,” embracing both the light and dark sides of her inner world. [10] In May 2025, Madeline debuted her single, “Closest Thing,” a song she began writing in high school as a way to cope with her intense, mixed emotions. [11]
Madeline the Person made her live performance debut in fall 2021 as the opening act on The Aces' North American headline tour. Her second-ever live show took place at the Wonder Ballroom in Portland, Oregon, on November 13, where she performed songs from her first two EPs and shared stories about her personal growth and identity. [9] She also completed her first small headlining run that same year, closing with a solo show in Denver, Colorado. [12]
According to Holste, she "grew up with music all around her"; her mother was a classical pianist, and her brother played Flamenco guitar and jazz piano. [4] She wrote her first song at 11 years old. Her father passed away unexpectedly when she was 15 years old. [13]