Maddie Poppe

Maddie Pop is a singer and songwriter who hit the USA's national stage when her earnest performance on 'American Idol' saw her win its 16th season in 2018.

Born Madeline Mae Poppe in in Clarksville, Iowa on December 5, 1997, Maddie Poppe was immersed in music from her early years. Her dad played guitar in bands and soon recruited her to perform with him. Poppe and her sister would also play in local talent shows and were even known to join their father in recording Christmas albums for the family.

Poppe continued to pursue her musical aspirations into college, auditioning for 'The Voice' in 2015 but failing to make it onto the show. Not put off, she recorded an independent debut album and released it the following year.

Poppe's perseverance paid off when she made it through the first round of 'American Idol' with a cover of 'The Rainbow Connection'. She became a fan favourite and performed well, even braving the judges' critique with one of her own songs in the final. She ultimately beat Gabby Barrett and Caleb Lee Hutchinson to win the series, releasing 'Going Going Gone' immediately and climbing to number 13 on Billboard's digital songs chart. Her full-length major label debut, 'Whirlwind', followed in May 2019.