Arizona based singer-songwriter Madilyn Mei is a gifted storyteller, and it’s time to unwrap her new single “At Least I’d Be A Cowboy!”
Often using her music as a channel to explore feelings of anxiety, loneliness, love and her own identity, Madilyn Mei is devoted to giving listeners a raw and honest experience each and every time. Many of her songs have a whimsical feel to them, and “At Least I’d Be A Cowboy” fits the description quite well.
The song tells the story of a rodeo clown who wishes they could be a cowboy, but on a deeper level, symbolizes someone coping with feelings of abandonment and trying to find a sense of independence.
Madilyn says, “I was particularly inspired by Dean Martin’s ‘My Rifle My Pony and Me.’ I wanted to write a song about cowboys, and I also really wanted to attempt that old western call and response style of vocals. Growing up in Arizona, I’ve always loved anything having to do with the old west, and it felt about time I wrote a song using that inspiration.
Madilyn says, “To me, cowboys represent independence and self-reliance. I was going through a really hard time when I wrote this song, and I wanted to be so independent that my trials couldn’t even phase me. But instead I felt like a lost puppy and a fool. I felt shaken up, afraid and truly alone for the first time ever. The idea of writing a song about being a cowboy felt ridiculous! I couldn’t be any further from the tough lone rangers I’d seen in the movies. So I wrote about a clown who had the same longing as me: to be able to cope with the hard times alone, to be a cowboy. It’s a very personal song, though I hope others are able to see themselves in the lyrics and interpret it in whatever way fits them!”
Listen to “At Least I’d Be A Cowboy!” on Spotify below, and keep up with Madilyn Mei on Instagram @madilynmei.
Article featured image: Madilyn Mei | Photo Credit: Emily Minerowicz