The Nashville country singer success stories are often one in a million. Finding young, talented, dedicated singers who can truly make it in the business is a rough journey, but country artists Maddie and Tae have found a way to break through the swarm of singers and create a unique and young sound for younger country listeners with their new album Start Here.

The two singers got started separately, singing, writing and performing solo. By a stroke of luck the two ladies were connected through a mutual voice coach and the duo formed. They were picked up to record their first album by Dot Records and began to fly from there incorporating a classic, catchy country tune with their girl power-esque lyrics geared toward relatable teen subjects.

The album overall was nothing to stop traffic. The duo has room to grow. The entire piece as a whole was dynamic, and incorporated some strong pieces, but other songs lacked originality, which is hard to come by in country music.

I do have to tip my cowboy hat to the girls in respect that they absolutely nailed down their target audience. The songs were perfectly suited to country chicks with their recurring themes of bullying and boys. They certainly have an exceptional skill at marketing their style and sound to their intended audience.

The track listing for this album has some variation from slow songs like “Fly”, featuring the fiddle, acoustic and seamless harmonies, to “Girl In a Country Song” a super satirical tune poking fun at the objectification of women in new male lead country songs. Both “Fly” and “Girl In a Country Song” were released as singles prior to the release of the album. Another strong track, that wasn’t released as a single, is “Sierra” a country twist on a teen girl’s rant about mean girls.

Though some of the songs were catchy and strong centerpieces on the album’s, others lack style. “After the Storm Blows Through” and “Downside of Growing Up” lacked originality and flair of which the other songs exude so much of.

Maddie and Tae are filling the early era Taylor Swift-sized hole in the country music industry. Though they still have room to grow, these ladies have designed a great path for their music style and their careers.