Title: “Brutal Love”
Artist: Madison
Release Date: December 31, 2020
Length: 4:06
Format: CD Single, Digital Download, Weekly Airplay
Recorded: November 2020 - Studio 60, West Hollywood, California
Genre(s): Electro-pop, Synth-pop, Pop
Label: Studio60 Records
Written: May 2020
Writer(s): Madison Urie, Cara Zayn
Producer(s): Cara Zayn
Previous Single: “If Only They Could See You Now” (April 20, 2019) [#01]“Brutal Love” is the second single from American popstar ‘Madison’s’ upcoming still untitled third studio album. It marks her first single to be released under ‘Studio60 Records’ with the previous track “If Only They Could See You Now” being released independently back in 2019 and being a hit at the time, peaking at number one in the singles charts. With the release of “Brutal Love” this signals a change of gears in terms of the progress of her career which has stalled in recent years as post-production on the upcoming album nears it’s final conclusion and we’ve arrived at the promotional stage with tasters in the form of the albums primary singles. It was confirmed in a press release from Studio60 that this will be the first of a string of singles to be released from the upcoming album in the coming weeks and months with the album release date set to be confirmed very soon alongside tour dates expected around the summer season that will likely include festival dates as the industry begins to find it’s footing again after a challenging year.
In a recent Instagram live, Maddie discussed the upcoming single and her intentions for the album, “Like, this next single {Brutal Love) is definitely one of the stronger indications of the sound and ideas that will be littered throughout the record. I think I’ve had a chance to really polish my song writing style and learnt how to structure my music in order to get that maximum impact. It’s all very linear and a lot more easily accessible than some of my previous stuff. I think I had hang ups back in the day where I wanted to be a certain kind of popstar, but I feel like those naïve views and ideas of myself have gone now and I’ve sort of thrown everything to the fuckin’ wall with this record, it feels like it’s me standing tall and saying ‘fuck it’, I wanna be the biggest god damn pop superstar that I can actually be and actually going for it in the most animalistic way possible. It feels so truly liberating.”
The track was written by Madison Urie alongside friend and frequent collaborator Cara Zayn back in May 2020 and the track was produced by Cara Zayn along with the majority of the upcoming studio album. The song was recorded at ‘Record Plant Studios’ in Los Angeles, California in November 2020 and was one of the final songs recorded for the album despite being one of the first songs written for the record. The single is set to be released on December 31, 2020 and will be distributed as a CD Single, Digital Download, 7” Single, Weekly Airplay and will be made available on all major streaming services through Studio60 Records.
Song Description;The song begins with a scene setting dreamy but upbeat keyboard intro which explains exactly what you’re going to get in the next four minutes which is unashamed electro-pop and the tone of the song and lyrical content become even more evident as she produces it’s opening lines with a crisp and clear vocal delivery with just the right minimal tinge of echo effect to enhance the clarity of the vocal slightly, “I don’t like them good girls/I don’t want them sweet and humble/I like them complicated/I like the ones that always stumble/Tattoos on their bodies/Their mind’s like fucked up crazy/Addicted to the bad things/I like em’ fucking dirty.” Which as an opening verse is actually more catchy than it’s chorus. It’s lyrical content attempting to grab the young adults that feel drawn to similarly flawed and complicated people, it’s not breaking any new ground but is likely to appeal to Madison’s primary fanbase of late teens and early twentysomethings.
The electro driven music builds throughout the opening verse with the inclusion of a faint guitar and drums in the form of a computerised drum track that is faint during the opening verse but rises as the music picks up throughout to the point where it almost drives the song forward as we arrive to the pre-chorus, it’s movement from quiet to prominent is subtle enough that it almost feels like a beat drop and the music takes on the feeling of a club anthem as Madison delivers her vocals on the songs pre-chorus, “You say this will end in tears some day/But we both know neither of us can walk away/Addicted to the thrill we love so much/You always leave me wanting more …” which adds to the lyrical direction shown in the opening verse and the songs emphasis on love being very much like a drug. Wanting something that’s clearly not the best thing for you, but something that you crave and can’t resist.
As the song reaches the chorus, the energy of the track softens slightly as it becomes a chance to highlight the vocals amidst the dreamy electronic backdrop of the song as Madison sings, “Brutal love/Will this end in tears for us?/I just want your body laying next to me/Brutal love/Will this end in tears for us/Addicted to your ways just like ecstasy.” As she pushes the more melancholic aspects of the songs theme having highlighted the thrill of journey in the opening verse, the chorus serves as a brutal reminder of the darkness that can ensure in this sort of unhealthy love affair.
The music rises in energy once the chorus ends as she highlights the more thrilling aspects once more, the side of things that keep you holding on to something that may not be the healthiest for you, the beat comes back in furiously alongside the faint guitar and the energy infused keyboards that continue to set the scene, again Madison delivers a crisp vocal delivery with a beautiful tone that finds the balance between sweet and sultry, “Smoking so much weed/Running on no sleep/Telling pretty little lies/Making promises we can’t keep/Always with the bottle and pills/If we don’t fuck with each other/Then some other chick will.” Which see’s the tone shift as she focuses on the excitement of a wild and untameable love and by the end of the verse see’s her throwing her cards on the table and putting it all out there, suggesting that there’ll always be someone else to take each other’s place, but the interpretation of the song indicates that although someone else may come along, it’s unlikely to be as exciting as this unhealthy but thrilling love.
“Brutal Love”(Written by Madison Urie, Cara Zayn)“I don't like them good girls
I don't want them sweet and humble
I like them complicated
I like the ones that always stumble
Tattoos on their bodies
Their mind's like fucked up crazy
Addicted to the bad things
I like em' fucking dirty
You say this will end in tears some day
But we both know neither of us can walk away
Addicted to the thrill we love so much
You always leave me wanting more...
Brutal love
Will this end in tears for us?
I just want your body laying next to me
Brutal love
Will this end in tears for us?
Addicted to your ways just like ecstasySmoking so much weed
Running on no sleep
Telling pretty little lies
Making promises we can't keep
Always with the bottle and pills
If we don't fuck with each other
Then some other chick will
You say this will end in tears some day
But we both know neither of us can walk away
Addicted to the thrill we love so much
You always leave me wanting more...
Brutal love
Will this end in tears for us?
I just want your body laying next to me
Brutal love
Will this end in tears for us?
Addicted to your ways just like ecstasyA love like this is killing me, love like yours is thrilling me
Brutal love
Will this end in tears for us?
I just want your body laying next to me
Brutal love
Will this end in tears for us?
Addicted to your ways just like ecstasy”
Credits & PersonnelCREDITSProduced by Cara Zayn
Engineered by Sara Brie-Loren
Mixed by Aaron Forbes, Cara Zayn
Recorded at Studio 60 Recording Studios, West Hollywood, California, USA
PERSONNELMadison Urie – vocals, keyboards, lyrics, composition
Sara Brie-Loren – guitar, programming, mastering, engineering
Aaron Forbes – bass, mixing
Charlie Hawks – drum machine, programming
