{{Short description|American singer (born 1995)}} {{notability|1=Music|date=August 2025}} {{Infobox person | name = Madison Ryann Ward | image = | caption = Ward in 2024 | birth_name = Madison Ryann Ward | birth_date = | birth_place = Lawton, Oklahoma, U.S. | education = | alma_mater = University of Oklahoma | occupation = {{hlist|singer|songwriter}} | years_active = 2017–present | spouse = | children = | awards = | website = | module = | genre = | label = | current_member_of = }}
'''Madison Ryann Ward''' (born 1995) is an American singer-songwriter from Lawton, Oklahoma. She writes contemporary Christian music songs blending pop, R&B, gospel, blues, and folk influences.<ref name="crossrhythms">{{cite web | url=https://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/articles/music/Madison_Ryann_Ward_Her_power_ballad_hit_of_love_and_loss/67529/p1/ | title=Cross Rhythms – "Madison Ryann Ward: Her power ballad hit of love and loss" | date=2020-01-01 }}</ref> A former Division I volleyball player at the University of Oklahoma, she gained recognition after a viral video of her singing Aretha Franklin's ''Chain of Fools'' in a campus cafeteria.<ref name="crossrhythms"/> She later signed with Rick Rubin's American Recordings in partnership with Republic Records and released her debut single, ''Mirror'' (2018).<ref name="holyculture">{{cite web | url=https://holyculture.net/directory/artists/madison-ryann-ward/ | title=Holy Culture – "Madison Ryann Ward – Artist Directory" | date=2023-01-01 }}</ref>
==Early life== Ward was born in Lawton, Oklahoma, to a church pianist mother and a father who owned a barbecue restaurant that hosted blues and soul musicians, exposing her to church music alongside secular soul and folk traditions.<ref name="crossrhythms"/> She excelled in volleyball and attended the University of Oklahoma on an athletic scholarship, where a viral performance video led her toward a music career.<ref name="crossrhythms"/>
==Career== Ward signed with American Recordings/Republic Records, working with producer Rick Rubin.<ref name="holyculture"/> When with David Letterman interviewed Rubin at his recording studio for a 2018 episode of the series ''My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman'', regarding Rubin's work with Jay-Z, Rubin brought Letterman into the studio to meet Ward while she was recording her single "Mirror".
Ward and Rubin parted ways by 2023, and she founded the independent imprint Zelda House Records. She issued a series of devotional-leaning singles, included on her first full-length album, ''A New Thing'' (2023).<ref name="holyculture"/> She released her next album, ''Purified Love'', in 2024, featuring gospel songs blending elements of folk, soul, and pop.<ref name="miamibeachbandshell">{{cite web | url=https://miamibeachbandshell.com/event/madison-ryann-ward/ | title=Miami Beach Bandshell – "Madison Ryann Ward" (event bio) | date=2024-01-01 }}</ref>
==Discography==
===Albums===
*''A New Thing'' (2023, Zelda House Records)<ref name="miamibeachbandshell"/> *''Purified Love'' (2024, Zelda House Records)<ref name="miamibeachbandshell"/>
===Selected singles===
*''Mirror'' (2018)<ref name="holyculture"/> *''Anchor'' (2020)<ref name="holyculture"/> *''Love & Adoration'' (2021)<ref name="holyculture"/> *''Familiar'' (2022)<ref name="holyculture"/>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Ward, Madison Ryann}} Category:Living people Category:Singer-songwriters from Oklahoma Category:Performers of contemporary Christian music Category:University of Oklahoma alumni Category:People from Lawton, Oklahoma Category:1995 births