Sipping on Honey Jack for the first time a few months back, a light bulb went off in singer-songwriter Madeline Merlo鈥檚 head when someone she was with commented on the drink, describing it as 鈥渟trong鈥� but 鈥渟weet.鈥�
鈥淎s a person, I feel like you should be strong but you should also be sweet. It鈥檚 OK to stand up for yourself but you can also be kind about it,鈥� says the rising country music artist.
Merlo continually finds herself drawing on personal experiences for her songs, and that exchange went on to inspire her new single, 鈥淗oney Jack,鈥� released last week.
Merlo penned the song while in Nashville, Tenn., with the help of 鈥渢wo amazing women,鈥� Jesse Walker and Stephony Smith.
鈥淲e just had a blast writing the song and laughed the whole time. When we were picking songs for the new round of music, 鈥淗oney Jack鈥� always was at the top of my list. I just felt like I鈥檓 21 and I鈥檓 young and I really wanted to show a fun side of me,鈥� she says.
These days the Maple Ridge-based artist has been spending more time in Nashville, which is home to her label, Open Road Recordings.
鈥淚 do most of my writing and recording over there. It鈥檚 just where country music lives, so it鈥檚 a really inspiring place to be. I鈥檇 love to move there if I could. I鈥檓 trying to make that happen sooner rather than later. It鈥檚 amazing. But there鈥檚 also a lot of talented people in Canada as well so when it comes to writing or recording... I kind of like to have a bit of variety,鈥� she says.
Merlo is currently back in the Lower Mainland to perform at the PNE Sept. 4. She鈥檚 also been busy with a project entitled Decades, a Throwback Thursday (#TBT) video cover series on . Over the course of two months, the artist will be releasing a weekly video on the site. Each video will see her perform a well-known song by an artist from the 1940s and beyond who has inspired her.
鈥淥ld music is such a staple of what I do and I鈥檓 such an old soul and love it so much 鈥� I have a young fanbase and I鈥檇 love to show them some of the songs that I grew up listening to. I think your playlist on your iPod or whatever really explains who you are and the type of music that you love to listen to, and for me I love to make, so I take inspiration from old artists and new artists and all genres,鈥� she says.
As of this week, Merlo has released four covers: Dolly Parton鈥檚 鈥淛olene,鈥� Shania Twain鈥檚 鈥淲hose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under?鈥� Magic!鈥檚 鈥淩ude鈥� and Patsy Cline鈥檚 鈥淲alkin鈥� After Midnight鈥� included.
She also just wrapped up filming Country Crush, a country movie-musical. She plays aspiring singer Nancy and saw a lot of herself in the character, even though her onscreen character was a tad 鈥渃ooler.鈥�
鈥淪he can fix cars,鈥� says Merlo with a laugh. 鈥淪he really, really loves music and is willing to work really hard and do anything she can to do it. I get that desperation,鈥� she says.
Madeline Merlo performs at the PNE on聽Friday, Sept. 4 at 7 p.m.聽as part of the Mosaic Music Series. For details go to .
