Madisyn Gifford's latest single, "21," has a disarmingly genuine quality to it. It beckons you in quietly, with arms open and an honest heart. It plays like a letter to herself, written in retrospect, set against gentle melodies and a contemplative glaze. There is a certain raw purity in the way she tells her story, unpacking the most defining year of her adult life, one that was defined not only by folding the page into a new decade but also by an upended world. The global trauma of a pandemic shadows the album, and "21" contains a quiet weight, tempered by an undercurrent of resilience.
Gifford leans into the devastation, letting her effortlessly engaging sound be her guide through the emotional landscape. Her voice conveys a warm sort of sadness, it's the sound of long drives and conversations that captures the surreal blend of hope, loss, and growth that defined the year for so many. What distinguishes the track is its endearing honesty. There's no overproduction, just an authentic effort to figure out what it all means. There's a lift in the production, creating a buoyancy that reflects the emotional war between confusion and clarity.
"21" feels like a picture of a young woman standing in the middle of a storm, and finally learning to dance in the rain. It's personal for anyone who has tried to reconcile themselves with the world rapidly changing around them. Madisyn Gifford exhibits a maturity that could only arise from going deeper, not only as a singer-songwriter but also as a storyteller. "21" may be a tip of the hat to her past, but it's also a promise of what's to come. If this is what coming of age sounds like, we are here for every damned note.