Maddie & Tae Hot on Luke Bryan’s Heels With Debut Album

Maddie & Tae have had a whirlwind rise to fame after the release of their unique anti-damsel-in-distress tune, “Girl in a Country Song,” and from the looks of it, they’re just getting started.

The duo proved to their fans that good things do come to those who wait with the release of Start Here on Aug. 28, after they pushed their debut full-length album release back from June. The delay didn’t seem to hurt sales, though, as the record debuted as the No. 2 top-selling record, behind only mega-star Luke Bryan.

The record was one of only two country albums to make the Billboard all-genre Top 200 Albums chart, and earned more than 28,000 copies sold and streamed during its first week.

"To think that the songs Maddie and I write about our lives reflect what is happening in so many other people’s lives,” Tae Dye comments, “it makes you feel connected to the fans even more! We are pretty regular girls with a very special job — and to know our music means enough for people to want to buy it the very first week it comes out? That’s an incredible feeling."

Maddie Marlow has been equally blown away by the duo’s success, and the overwhelming support of their fans.

“It’s been like a bobsled this year,” she gushes. “Every time we turned around, there was some incredible piece of good news! What happened with the single. What happened with the video…the ACM Vocal Duo of the Year nomination… touring with Dierks! You never want to take things lightly, because they’re exactly what we’d hoped for."

Their songs clearly resonate with a wide audience, as the band’s follow-up single “Fly” has recently become a Top 10 hit for the ladies, and “Girl in a Country Song” was also certified Platinum.

“The idea someone else understands this stuff too makes you feel like you’re not the only one! If we can give that to someone else in these songs, that’s awesome. Now if we can just catch Luke Bryan,” Marlow joked.

The duo recently stopped by the Today Show to perform “Girl in a Country Song” and talk about the new record, which Marlow says follows the chronology of their journey and their feelings along the way, almost like journal entries.

“It starts with a song called ‘Waiting on a Plane’ and taking that leap of faith and following your dreams,” she shares, “And it ends with a song called ‘Downside of Growing Up.’ It’s about how you can’t grow in comfort … It truly is a beautiful thing when you get pushed out of your comfort zone.”

Start Here, which features 11 original songs from the duo, is available now on iTunes.

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