{{Short description|American singer-songwriter (born 1996)}} {{Use American English|date=April 2020}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Madison Cunningham | image = Madison Cunningham.jpg | caption = Cunningham performing in 2017 | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1996|10|14}} | birth_place = Escondido, California, U.S.<ref name=podcast-musiciansbrain /> | origin = Costa Mesa, California, U.S. | spouse = | genre = {{hlist|Americana|folk-rock|alternative rock|jazz}}| | occupation = {{hlist|Singer|songwriter|guitarist}} | instrument = {{hlist|Vocals|guitar|piano}} | years_active = 2014–present | label = Verve Forecast | website = {{URL|madisoncunningham.com}} }} '''Madison Cunningham''' (born October 14, 1996)<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2020-04-27|title=Mini Masterclass Featuring: Madison Cunningham|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feln3Yx0cgw|access-date=|website=YouTube}}</ref> is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. ''Rolling Stone'' described her music as "a new spin on West Coast folk-rock, with classical tendencies, electric guitars, jazz-school chord changes and alt-rock strut all living under the same roof".<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/10-new-country-artists-you-need-to-know-july-2018-703148/|title=10 New Country Artists You Need to Know: July 2018|last1=Beaugez|first1=Jim|last2=McKenna|first2=Brittney|date=2018-07-25|magazine=Rolling Stone|language=en-US|access-date=2020-04-13|last3=Gage|first3=Jeff|last4=Moss|first4=Marissa R.|last5=Menconi|first5=David|last6=Crawford|first6=Robert|last7=Parton|first7=Chris}}</ref> Her second studio album, ''Who Are You Now'' (2019), was nominated for the best Americana album in the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Winners & Nominees|url=https://www.grammy.com/grammys/awards/winners-nominees/273|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181103093007/https://www.grammy.com/grammys/awards/winners-nominees/273|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 3, 2018|access-date=2020-04-13|website=GRAMMY.com|language=en}}</ref> Her third studio album ''Revealer'' (2022) won the Grammy for Best Folk Album in 2023.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-11-23|title=2022 GRAMMYs Awards: Complete Nominations List|url=https://www.grammy.com/news/2022-grammys-complete-winners-nominees-nominations-list|access-date=2021-11-26|website=GRAMMY.com|language=en}}</ref>

== Life and career == Madison Cunningham was born in Escondido, California, and later moved to Costa Mesa, where she grew up.<ref name="podcast-musiciansbrain">{{Cite web |title=Inside the Musician's Brain: Episode 29: Madison Cunningham on Apple Podcasts |url=https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-29-madison-cunningham/id1484483431?i=1000566486986 |access-date=2022-06-15 |website=Apple Podcasts |language=en-US}}</ref> She is the daughter of a pastor at a local church, and she has four sisters.<ref name="biography-allmusic">{{cite web|title=Madison Cunningham ‒ Biography & History|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/madison-cunningham-mn0003444916/biography|website=AllMusic|accessdate=2020-04-13}}</ref> Influenced by her father and grandmother, Cunningham started playing guitar when she was seven years old, performing in the church.<ref name="tidal.com2">{{Cite web |last=Scherman |first=Tony |date=9 September 2022 |title=Madison Cunningham Interview: "To Feel Irreplaceable" |url=https://tidal.com/magazine/article/madison-cunningham/1-86629 |access-date=17 November 2023 |website=Tidal}}</ref> As a teenager, she met producer Tyler Chester, with whom she made the self-released studio album ''Authenticity'' (2014).

She removed ''Authenticity'' from streaming services in 2021 because she felt it was no longer relatable.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Fechik |first1=Mariel |title=SINGING TO YOURSELF: AN INTERVIEW WITH MADISON CUNNINGHAM |url=https://atwoodmagazine.com/mcwayn-madison-cunningham-feature-2019/ |access-date=8 July 2022 |website=Atwood Magazine|date=27 August 2019 }}</ref> Cunningham has said of her faith that "Christianity looks different to me all the time. The phrase that I use with my husband is 'I’m becoming more and more of an agnostic every day.'"<ref name="tidal.com2"/>

After graduating from high school, Cunningham discovered many influences, such as the Beatles, Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan.<ref name="podcast-plusone">{{cite podcast |url=https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/madison-cunningham/id1506817736?i=1000519837059 |title=Madison Cunningham |work=Plus One |publisher= |host=Eric Krasno |date=3 May 2021 |time= |access-date=3 May 2021}}</ref> Other inspirations include Radiohead, Fiona Apple, Juana Molina and Jeff Buckley.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=Borders|first=Lindsey|date=2019-08-21|title=Madison Cunningham talks about falling in love with guitar, her latest album 'Who Are You Now,' collaborating with the Punch Brothers, and heading out on the road|url=https://guitargirlmag.com/featured/madison-cunningham-talks-about-falling-in-love-with-guitar-her-latest-album-who-are-you-now-collaborating-with-the-punch-brothers-and-heading-out-on-the-road/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201107225901/https://guitargirlmag.com/featured/madison-cunningham-talks-about-falling-in-love-with-guitar-her-latest-album-who-are-you-now-collaborating-with-the-punch-brothers-and-heading-out-on-the-road/|archive-date=2020-11-07|url-status=live|access-date=2021-05-04|website=Guitar Girl Magazine}}</ref><ref name="tidal.com2"/>

In 2017, Cunningham joined the cast of American Public Media's show ''Live from Here'', presented by Chris Thile, of whom she became a frequent collaborator.<ref name=":1" /> She also toured with multi-instrumentalist Andrew Bird, being credited for vocals in his twelfth solo studio album, ''My Finest Work Yet'' (2019).

''Who Are You Now'', released on August 16, 2019, earned her a Grammy nomination in the following year for best Americana album.<ref name=":0" /> In 2020, Cunningham released her third extended play (EP), ''Wednesday'', covering songs by Tom Waits, Radiohead, John Mayer and the Beatles. She is currently based in Los Angeles.<ref name="biography-allmusic" />

On August 3, 2022, the artist made an appearance at NPR's Tiny Desk, playing four songs from her upcoming studio album ''Revealer''. NPR music contributor Jewly Hight states that Madison was an "audacious guide, steering us toward exploration with the shrewd parts she played on three different guitars over the course of four songs".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hight |first=Jewly |date=2022-08-03 |title=Madison Cunningham: Tiny Desk Concert |language=en |work=NPR |url=https://www.npr.org/2022/08/03/1113524273/madison-cunningham-tiny-desk-concert |access-date=2022-10-19}}</ref>

On September 9, 2022, Cunningham released ''Revealer'', her third studio album. ''Consequence'''s editorial coordinator Paolo Ragusa writes about it: "With each song on ''Revealer'', Cunningham is proving that she can satisfy and surprise her audience all at once, and it’s one of the most delightful albums released so far in 2022."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ragusa |first=Paolo |date=2022-09-07 |title=No One Is Holding Madison Cunningham Back |url=https://consequence.net/2022/09/madison-cunningham-interview-revealer-album/ |access-date=2022-10-19 |website=Consequence |language=en-US}}</ref>

On October 18, 2024, Cunningham and Andrew Bird released a new studio album, titled ''Cunningham Bird'', which features covers of the entirety of ''Buckingham Nicks'' (1973), the only studio album by the duo of American rock guitarist Lindsey Buckingham and singer Stevie Nicks, both of whom later joined Fleetwood Mac.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cunningham Bird, by Andrew Bird |url=https://andrewbird.bandcamp.com/album/cunningham-bird |access-date=2024-11-01 |website=Andrew Bird |language=en}}</ref>

On August 15, 2025, Cunningham released the single "My Full Name", alongside the announcement of her fourth studio album, ''Ace'', which was released on October 10, 2025.<ref name=mfn>{{cite web |url=https://consequence.net/2025/08/best-songs-of-the-week-august-9th-august-15th/ |website=Consequence |title=Staff Picks: Best Songs of the Week August 9th – August 15th |date=August 15, 2025 |access-date=August 15, 2025 |author=Consequence Staff}}</ref>

== Discography == thumb|Cunningham performing at the Winnetka Music Festival, 2023 [[File:MadisonCunninghamManchester.jpg|thumb|Cunningham performing at the Deaf Institute in Manchester, England, 2022]]

=== Studio albums === * ''Authenticity'' (2014) * ''Who Are You Now'' (2019) * ''Revealer'' (2022) * ''Ace'' (2025)<ref name=mfn/>

=== Collaborative albums ===

* ''Cunningham Bird'' (2024) with Andrew Bird

=== Extended plays === * ''Love, Lose, Remember'' (2017) * ''For the Sake of the Rhyme'' (2019) * ''Wednesday'' (2020)

=== Singles === {|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:18em;" | Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Year ! scope="col" colspan="1" | Peak chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Album |- ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"|{{small|Adult Alternative Airplay}} |- !scope="row" |"Beauty into Clichés" |rowspan="4" |2018 | — |rowspan="4" | ''For the Sake of the Rhyme'' |- !scope="row" |"All at Once" | — |- !scope="row" |"Last Boat to Freedom" | — |- !scope="row" |"Location" | — |- !scope="row" |"Pin It Down" |rowspan="3" |2019 | — |rowspan="3" |''Who Are You Now'' |- !scope="row" |"Something to Believe In" | — |- !scope="row" |"Trouble Found Me" | — |- !scope="row" |"No One Else to Blame" |rowspan="6" |2020 | — |rowspan="3" {{Non-album singles}} |- !scope="row" |"Giraffe" | — |- !scope="row" |"Coming Back" | — |- !scope="row" |"In My Life" | — |rowspan="3" |''Wednesday'' |- !scope="row" |"No Surprises" | — |- !scope="row" |"The Age of Worry" | — |- !scope="row" |"Broken Harvest" |rowspan="2" |2021 | — |{{Non-album single}} |- !scope="row" |"Poses" | — |''Wednesday (Extended Edition)'' |- !scope="row" |"Anywhere" |rowspan="4" |2022 | — |rowspan="4" |''Revealer'' |- !scope="row" |"Hospital" | — |- !scope="row" |"In From Japan" | — |- !scope="row" |"Life According to Raechel" | — |- !scope="row" |"Hospital (One Man Down)"<br/>{{small|(featuring Remi Wolf)}} |rowspan="3" |2023 | — |rowspan="2" | ''Revealer (Deluxe Edition)'' |- !scope="row" |"Inventing the Wheel" | — |- !scope="row" |"Subtitles" | — |{{Non-album single}} |- !scope="row" |"Crying in the Night" / "Crystal"<br/>{{small|(with Andrew Bird)}} |rowspan="3" |2024 | — |rowspan="3" |''Cunningham Bird'' |- !scope="row" |"Without a Leg to Stand On"<br/>{{small|(with Andrew Bird)}} | — |- !scope="row" |"Don't Let Me Down Again"<br/>{{small|(with Andrew Bird)}} | — |- !scope="row" |"My Full Name" |rowspan="3" | 2025 | — |rowspan="3" |''Ace'' |- !scope="row" |"Wake"<br/>{{small|(featuring Fleet Foxes)}} | — |- !scope="row" |"Break the Jaw" | 25 |- |}

== Awards and nominations == {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |- ! Year ! Organization ! Award ! Work ! Result |- | rowspan="1"| 2020 | Grammy Awards<ref name=":0" /> | Best Americana Album | ''Who Are You Now'' | {{nom}} |- | 2022 | Grammy Awards<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-11-23 |title=Grammys 2022 Nominees: See the Full List Here |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/grammy-nominations-2022-see-the-full-list/ |access-date=2022-11-15 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US}}</ref> | rowspan="2"| Best Folk Album | ''Wednesday (Extended Version)'' | {{nom}} |- | rowspan=2 | 2023 | rowspan=2 | Grammy Awards<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-11-15 |title=Grammy Nominations 2023: See the Full List Here |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/grammy-nominations-2023-see-the-full-list-here/ |access-date=2022-11-15 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US}}</ref> | ''Revealer'' | {{won}} |- | rowspan=2 | Best American Roots Performance | "Life According to Raechel" | {{nom}} |- |2024 |Grammy Awards<ref>{{Cite web |title=2024 GRAMMYs: Meet The Nominees For Songwriter Of The Year {{!}} GRAMMY.com |url=https://www.grammy.com/news/2024-grammys-nominees-songwriter-of-the-year |access-date=2023-11-10 |website=www.grammy.com}}</ref> | "Inventing The Wheel" | {{nom}} |}

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == {{commons category}} * [http://www.madisoncunningham.com Official website] * {{AllMusic|class=artist|id=mn0003444916}} * {{discogs artist}} * {{IMDb name|id=10884323}}

{{Madison Cunningham}} {{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cunningham, Madison}} Category:1996 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century American singer-songwriters Category:21st-century American women guitarists Category:21st-century American guitarists Category:21st-century American women singers Category:American folk singers Category:Americana musicians Category:Singer-songwriters from California Category:Musicians from Orange County, California Category:People from Costa Mesa, California Category:People from Escondido, California Category:Grammy Award winners