Madison Hughes at The Attic at The State Theatre, State College, PA (December 4th, 2025)
By the time she had pulled into State College, Pennsylvania on the afternoon of December 4th, Madison Hughes was over a thousand miles — and six days — into her first solo tour. She arrived to find a college town shuffling between classes, hands jammed in pockets, heads bowed against the arctic wind, everyone distracted and locked in a slow march toward finals week. By 8:00 p.m., on a night that might otherwise thrum with pre-weekend energy, only a weary handful of students drifted through the streets. But for those willing to forget looming academic deadlines, there was refuge upstairs at the Attic — the intimate, fifty-seat venue nested inside The State Theatre. There, the stage looked like home: cozy throw rug, candles perched atop the Fender Princeton Reverb amplifier, the thrift-store lampshade. And then, with an unpretentious and warm “hello everyone,” up-and-coming Nashville artist, social media force, and “The Voice” alum Madison Hughes took the stage like she was welcoming the near-sellout crowd into her own living room.
Over the next 90 minutes those gathered around Madison Hughes’ comfortable stage witnessed an artist in motion — someone in the process of finding her place, her own voice, separate from the social media artist who garnered nearly 8 million views of her fireside cover of Springsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark”; separate from the contestant selected by Blake Shelton on NBC’s The Voice; separate from the industry newcomer who was convinced to sing songs about whiskey when, she says, “coffee is my drink.” Over the course of the evening, between songs, Hughes shared the personal side of her songwriting, her desire (perhaps) to play more often with a full band, while still loving the intimacy of the solo performances. She shared her indecision on certain new songs, exposing her vulnerability as she sang a song still in “workshop mode.” She admitted to discomfort with some co-writing pairings, saying she wishes she could “speak up” more when she’s not feeling authentic. The young artist who stepped on the stage with a shy “hello everyone” left the stage with a roomful of friends, supporters who understand the person behind the art, behind the industry, and fans looking forward to what’s coming next.
And then, between the stories, conversations, and musings, was the music — the reminder of the art out in front of the artist. Accompanying herself on acoustic guitar, Hughes kicked off the night with “Tomorrow’s Problem,” a somewhat rebellious and sly modern country rocker. This was followed by the haunting and melancholy “If I Was a Dove,” perhaps one of her most vulnerable songs of the evening, leaning into the tension between hope and heartbreak. Next, when Hughes introduced the title track to her recently released EP Desperate Man, she noted the song was her favorite. At the end, the room agreed. Above all the other songs that cold winter night in the Attic, “Desperate Man” felt the most authentic, the most moving. When she sang “you know that I’d suffer, walk through the fire…” it felt true. The song was authentic to her voice — the perfect balance of warmth, gentle sincerity, and emotional declaration: “even though I shouldn’t miss you, give in, or give you a second chance…”
The room felt that, too.
Hughes lifted the spirits by switching from the acoustic guitar to her familiar sunburst Stratocaster to play “Dancing in the Dark,” the cover song that gained her millions of social media views. Then, another highlight of the evening: “Someday Song,” a blue-eyed soul, reflective, moody tune that forces you to close your eyes and just feel what is unfolding before your ears. After a few more songs on the electric guitar, Hughes switched back to her more comfortable Gibson acoustic and finished the night with some unreleased songs, “Every Next Woman,” and “Baptism by Fire,” another strong number from the Desperate Man EP.
And then, the end of the story. Time to return to the wind, snow, and the deadlines put on pause for a few moments on a December evening. But not before Hughes wrapped the night with the emotionally raw “Breaking My Back,” a song about being stretched too thin, pushing through pain, finding one’s way. It was the perfect full-circle theme for an artist pushing forward, finding her way, finding her voice, finding where she fits, and — after another 1000 miles — finding her way back home.
Find more information her eon her website: https://www.madisonhughes.com