Silence of the Songs: The history of Madison Beer

The release of Madison Beer’s sophomore album, Silence Between the Songs, on Sept. 15, 2023, was one I was oblivious to. Unfortunately, before this album, my perception of Beer was minimal. I only knew three things: She has many Instagram followers, she is exceptionally pretty, and was “supposed to be in the video” (in reference to Ariana Grande’s hit “Thank U, Next” music video). As I fervently asked friends if they heard of the launch of her album, their head shakes made it apparent that everyone else had similar ideas of her.  

On paper, Madison Beer has everything one would need to be a successful musician: A beautiful voice, a pop star image, and thought-provoking lyricism. This axiom makes me question why I wasn’t aware of Silence Between the Songs until two days after its release (from a low-performing Tik-Tok). Beer has 37.6 million followers on Instagram; the marketing should have fallen into her hands. It’s as if she’s cursed with this persona of a bratty influencer, not a musician. 

Unbeknownst to me, Madison Beer has been making music for over a decade. At 12, Justin Bieber scouted Beer and signed her to Island Records. From there, she was made to sing bubblegum pop, her image designed to mimic an off-brand Disney or Nickelodeon star. 

It’s reasonable not to take a young adolescent in a skirt seriously, but 24-year-old Beer still fights for respect for her craft. Though she was on track to a successful music career before I reached the 7th grade, something changed. 

At 15-years-old, explicit photos of Beer leaked across the internet. For this, she was the victim of intense online backlash. The hate continued for Beer as she began to enter relationships and gained popularity. By the time Beer was 16, she was dropped from Island Records, prompting her to sign Epic Records the following year. There, she was given more creative freedom to write and co-produce her songs—the energy was finally shifting in her favor! 

The release of Life Support, Madison Beer’s debut album in 2021, should have brought her music into the mainstream. Along with being a great introduction to her new sound and the quality of her voice and writing, the album had a song go viral on different platforms. Yet, strangely, the album wasn’t enough for her to break the mold of her “influencer” label. 

So, what went wrong? It’s an enigma I can’t answer. Whether her lack of success is a product of failed marketing, unproven rumors of “intense plastic surgery,” or a paradoxical effect of being memed, it’s fair to say any hindrance to her career is rooted in unnecessary online hate. 

With a grain of speculation, I think Beer’s appearance may factor in the distinction of her music career. It’s rare to discuss the reverse of “pretty privilege,” but people may think that because Beer is “too perfect” and possesses “no flaws.” Therefore, she can’t write and produce music that will be relatable and hold emotional weight: Her career was stigmatized from the start. 

Like many social media users, my conception of Beer was linked to “spoiled” and “bratty.” Seeing viral, out-of-context clips of cringeworthy moments of the young star fed this notion. It was only when I gave her album a chance that I took the time to hear Madison Beer. 

If one examined her songs, watched her interviews, and listened to her on podcasts, they would actually recognize the articulate, passionate, and kind-hearted artist before them. 

While the melodic melancholy embedded throughout Silence of the Songs initially caught me off guard, it’s an allure that keeps bringing me back to hit play. As someone who loves fall, the ballads on this album put me in the mood to stare out the window and watch as the leaves decay. I highly recommend it. 

With 15 million monthly listeners on Spotify, Beer has achieved significant accomplishments with her music, and it feels anomalous not to see Madison Beer in the conversation with other famous artists like Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Elish, and Sabrina Carpenter; I can’t understand why it’s this way for this intelligent, famous, and talented artist, who has done nothing to warrant this unbridled hatred. 

I can confidently say that the internet has unfairly treated Madison Beer, and she deserves recognition for her work. Give Silence of the Songs a listen, and I promise your perception of this worthwhile artist will change.

Thumbnail Photo by Glenn Francis/Pacific Pro Digital Photography