Maddie & Tae Reflect on Empowering ‘Cry Pretty’ Tour: ‘We’ve Grown in Every Way’
Opening for Carrie Underwood on the Cry Pretty Tour 360 has been a growing experience for Maddie & Tae.
The duo of Maddie Marlow and Taylor Dye say they've grown in "every way" on the arena-sized tour, not only coming into their own as entertainers, but gaining a new sense of self-fulfillment.
"For me, just as a woman, I feel like my confidence in myself, in my abilities, in my talents has just totally grown," Marlow tells Taste of Country, calling such a massive tour a "huge reward." "I used to kind of be shy about my talents or my strength, and now I just showcase that and try to inspire other people to feel that way."
Through growth comes empowerment, and for Marlow and Dye, they've been empowered in different, but meaningful ways across the multi-month trek. Marlow says she felt a boost getting to perform on a stage she always dreamed of playing: the Toyota Center in her hometown of Houston, Texas. She attended shows there growing up, and when the Cry Pretty Tour made a stop at the venue in September, she made it a point to share with Underwood during soundcheck how grateful she was to see one of her lifelong dreams come true.
"That was just a moment that I'm going to take forever with my career, knowing I can do anything," Marlow says. "You work hard and you put yourself out there and make art and crazy things can happen like that."
Dye says they overcame behind-the-scenes obstacles, such as microphone packs falling off during the middle of a set or working around a failed PA system. But it's because of these moments they've learned to focus on entertaining the audience — the most important thing. Dye realizes just how capable they are.
"I've just learned I can handle anything,” she says, echoing Marlow’s sentiment.
Throughout their young career, the duo has collected several accolades, including their first No. 1 song and CMA Award for Video of the Year with “Girl in a Country Song” in 2015. Though they admit they didn’t have a chance to revel in such accomplishments at the time, they're intentional about relishing their experiences now.
"Now I feel like if I just tell myself before every single show just have fun — I feel like I soak it in and I'm really present," Marlow reflects. "I just don't want to miss these beautiful moments."
The Cry Pretty Tour 360 continues through Oct. 31, when it wraps in Detroit.
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