Maddie & Tae know firsthand what the facility of music can do. So, the award-winning nation duo jumped on the alternative to assist with a redesign for Operation Tune on Nashville’s Music Row for an episode of Hometown Heroes. The Design Community collection sees celebs from all walks of life giving again to their roots by spotlighting unsung native heroes and neighborhood initiatives which are making an influence.
For Maddie Font and Tae Kerr, that was collaborating with designer Julie Sofa to remodel the house the place veterans and their households come collectively to share their tales by means of songwriting. We sat down with Font to mirror on her expertise filming, in addition to Maddie & Tae’s evolution and future.
Earlier than we get into Hometown Heroes, I’ve to ask you about what it was like assembly Brenda Lee, which you shared in a put up in your Instagram.
Maddie Font: It was so cool. Our file label was throwing a Christmas get together and celebrating Brenda Lee’s eightieth birthday. Me and my husband are large vinyl collectors, and so he was like, “Would it not be bizarre should you introduced our Brenda Lee vinyl, and acquired it signed?” I used to be strolling across the get together with a bag to get her to signal it. She was so fantastic! She was simply so excited that we had an unique. God forbid something occurs, I’m working out of the home with my husband, my child, and my Brenda Lee vinyl.
Maddie & Tae (The Design Community)
Find it irresistible. How did your alternative with Hometown Heroes come about?
We had been knowledgeable about the entire concept behind it. I’d say this was in all probability late summer season, We’re actually actually passionate concerning the navy and and their households. So when Hometown Heroes got here to us with the thought of working with Operation Tune, it simply felt actually pure for us. It’s such a cool strategy to deliver so many various worlds collectively. We simply felt honored to get to be within the first episode, too. Tae and I are very large design nerds, too. Tae’s much more conventional design. I’m extra DIY, build-it-yourself sort of gal. That’s how me and my husband function. So it was sort of enjoyable to get to collaborate with our two completely different approaches, after which additionally as songwriters sort of deliver that component into the combination.
How was it working with Julie on this with all her expertise?
We’re undoubtedly conversant in her and her work, and simply how gifted she is. This was the primary time that we set to work along with her. We had very comparable visions for all the things. We leaned on her extra on the aesthetic facet. Then she leaned on us for the performance of the house as a result of the room that we had been working with was smaller. However you already know Tae and I’ve written a few of our greatest hit songs in like a crusty attic, you already know, on Music Row. There’s magic and fantastic songs that may be written in any house, but it surely undoubtedly helps when the house feels inspiring and secure.
What did you consider the ultimate product product? What sort of suggestions have you ever gotten since then from the folks utilizing the house to create?
Julie made all of it come collectively. The storage scenario labored out so completely. The truth that they’re capable of have a desk for the enterprise facet of it. There they’ve the house for that, however all the things feels actually cozy and cohesive. It felt crowded in there. The Feng Shui of all the things seemed superb. I have to learn the way many songs have been written in that house, and if everybody’s loving it, so who is aware of? I would make a bit cease on Music Row quickly, and simply see what’s happening in there.
Do you watch a number of these kind of reveals?
I imply I really like all the networks. There are simply so many reveals. There’s probably not one present that I received’t watch, however my husband will get nervous once I’m watching. It signifies that I’m like, “All proper, let’s do a mission.” Meaning, “I would like you to do a mission.” He’s the one who brings my visions to life. It’s a harmful recreation once I’m watching The Design Community or something like that.
What are among the initiatives that you simply guys have accomplished collectively in your own home?
In our first house, we painted and redid our entire complete kitchen just like the cabinetry and all the things. We did all the things ourselves. We constructed a fireplace pit and backyard packing containers, and all that sort of stuff. Then with this present home, we’ve been doing a number of portray and trim work. My husband constructed our eating room desk. We wished a customized size. I picked a flowery desk out of {a magazine} and was like, “Are you able to make this?” And he did as a result of he’s simply ridiculously gifted. It’s enjoyable, however you already know after we are out of the touring seasons, and it’s sluggish and it’s wintertime, I’m itching to do a mission. So I feel we’re truly gonna begin on our backyard out right here quickly.
Have you ever and your husband and your musical accomplice in crime talked about doing a present like past this? Have you ever caught the bug now?
Oh, completely. I’m placing it on my imaginative and prescient board. Tae and I are very big-vision folks. We make imaginative and prescient boards collectively yearly, and after this, we predict it might be such enjoyable. Jonah, my husband, he’s a builder. He did a number of contract work along with his dad rising up. His background is with all of the constructing. He was like placing up sheet rock when he was 10 years outdated. With Josh and Tae, they’re extra design and a bit extra of the inventive facet of issues. Then Jonah and I can sort of be those which are like, “Hey, this is able to be actually practical. Hey, this doesn’t match the house.”
I feel it might be enjoyable and a bit dream concept. I’m placing it on the imaginative and prescient board that we get to have a present the place all of us work collectively. It might be extraordinarily hilarious as a result of all of us have means an excessive amount of enjoyable collectively. Being dad and mom, we even have data of what areas are kid-friendly. Child-proofing a home is a complete endeavor, too.
Talking of kids, how are Tae and the brand new child doing? How has it been having children over these current years whereas managing parenthood?
We truly went and introduced lunch over yesterday, and I acquired to carry child Chapel, and he’s so large and fantastic. He’s already six kilos, and rising like a weed. Now along with his large sister Leighton. It was simply the sweetest second as a result of my son Forrest is strolling now, however he’s not speaking. Leighton’s actually confused. She asks Forrest, “Would you prefer to play with me? Wait, I’m confused. Aren’t you supposed to love speak again to me?” It’s so candy. Tae’s adjusting so effectively, they’re doing nice.
However I’d say balancing being mothers and careers is tough. I feel folks actually underestimate it, particularly ladies. It’s wild. We will develop and beginning people and run corporations, and we’re exhausted. We do want naps, however we’re doing it, you already know? Tae and I all the time say, “Every thing in life is tough. So, you simply decide your head up.” We’ve all the time wished to be mothers. For us, no less than for me, even writing songs is the place I feel my perspective is a lot wider. I simply see issues a lot clearer, which actually opens up much more inspiration for me, writing-wise, too. We live all of our goals. The issues that we wished after we had been 15 and began this band, we live it proper now. It’s wild.
If you discuss songwriting, you possibly can undoubtedly hear what you describe as “What A Lady Can Do.” It’s onerous to consider this comes a decade after your first album dropped. How is it exhibiting this maturation to individuals who have primarily watched you two develop up within the enterprise?
For Tae and I, we have now all the time written our lives. We had been by no means afraid to place our enterprise on the market by means of tune. That’s essentially the most lovely strategy to join with folks. It’s a really weak artwork kind. We simply liked writing precisely the place we’re in our lives. The artists that we love do that very same factor. I feel that’s sort of the place it comes from. “What A Lady Can Do,” seeing, particularly on tour after we would play that tune, you’ll simply see so many various generations and ages nonetheless hook up with that tune. That appears like such a win as a songwriter.
That’s your objective, to have the ability to write one thing that you already know everybody can see themselves in. It’s cool to get to point out our followers what our lives are wanting like proper now, and what a lady can do. We’re blown away typically by ourselves, the place we glance up, and we’re like, “Oh my gosh, we’re doing the dang factor! Some days are tougher than others, however we simply really feel so blessed and so fulfilled in all elements of life.
Subsequent 12 months you’re again on the street for the “Love & Mild Tour.” I feel again to once I noticed you two open for Carrie Underwood a couple of years in the past. You’ve come a great distance. What have you ever taken from these previous excursions the place you’re supporting these large names?
From Carrie, we noticed what it appears to be like prefer to have children on the street and go be a celebrity on stage. It’s like Mother by day, a celebrity at night time. We actually acquired to see that firsthand. She was simply so gracious. Each alternative there was she would come with us. It was means past what we may have imagined. Opening for certainly one of your heroes, I imply Tae, and I’ve so many movies of expertise reveals protecting her songs. Transferring to city, we’d simply dissect the writing on Carrie’s albums. So simply to open up for her was actually, pinch me. There had been so many moments the place I used to be like, “There’s no means that is actual.”
Maddie Font at 58th CMA Awards. (Disney/Scott Kirkland)
Anybody else who you discovered from?
I’d say one second that actually caught with Tae and me perpetually was through the very first tour that we went out on, which was with Dierks Bentley. This was after “Woman in a Nation Tune” went to primary. We had been simply on this rocket ship, and we had one of the best time on tour with him that summer season. Tae and I bear in mind he had written one thing in Sharpie on his forearm. It mentioned, “Rejoice others.” He advised us it was simply what he was feeling. I feel he was having a second in his profession the place a single they thought was going to do higher, wasn’t. He possibly was getting caught in that comparability lure, like all of us do. You understand whenever you’re artists, it’s very easy to match, even at that stage. He was like, “I simply wanted to remind myself to have a good time others and to not get caught up in my very own disappointments and simply proceed to carry house for different folks to have large moments.” T nd I’ve carried that with us for the final 10 years. Proper now all these ladies and women which are breaking by means of in nation music proper now, which are kicking a lot butt. That’s one thing that we nonetheless carry with us at present. We simply love watching so many different ladies simply shine.
What sort of choose do you assume Carrie will likely be on American Idol?
I really feel like she’s going to be a harder cookie than folks assume. She is a perfectionist. I feel that’s a part of what makes her so nice. I do know she’s going to be as candy and gracious as she is. On the similar time, I feel she goes to present them the instruments and the suggestions the contestants have to succeed. I don’t assume she’s going to carry again, or no less than that’s the Carrie I hope that everyone will get to see.
You talked about having a imaginative and prescient board. What’s to return in 2025? Maybe some extra new music?
Sure, we’re sitting on gold proper now. I want I may say extra, however I’ll say we have now written a few of our favourite music we have now ever written. We’re placing it out subsequent 12 months. We’ve been doing this for 15 years collectively now the place we’re simply so dialed into what we wish to say, what we would like our music to really feel like. We’re chomping on the bit able to get this music out. On my imaginative and prescient board in 2020 I had the Ryman Auditorium. We’re headlining there on Could 1 subsequent 12 months. I feel it’s going to be extra of these objectives being completed. Extra of these goals I by no means felt like they might be actual have gotten actuality. It’s reminding Tae and me to maintain dreaming large.
Catch Hometown Heroes on any of The Design Community platform companions: Samsung TV Plus, Amazon Prime TV, DIRECTV, DISH, Sling, Xumo, Philo, Amazon Fireplace TV, and many others. It’s also obtainable through TDN’s YouTube channel.