Full Review

Madison Beer, Reckless Review

Madison Beer is a singer and songwriter who captured the listener’s attention when posting covers to her YouTube channel in early 2012. In 2018, Beer released her debut EP, As She Pleases, which had two singles certified Gold by RIAA; “Dead” and “Home with You.” Beer is the first independent female solo artist to break into the top 20 radio charts. That success led to Beer signing with Epic Records and releasing her debut studio album, Life Support, in 2021. The album was supported by several singles, including “Selfish,” which gained traction on TikTok and gained another RIAA Gold certification for Beer’s list of accomplishments and “BOYSHIT.”. For the album, Beer wrote her own songs, crated her visuals, and produced it too. Beer has two billion streams across her music catalog and still growing. Life Support has accumulated over 700 million streams to date after debuting at no. 1 on US iTunes, no. 1 on Spotify US’s Album Chart, no. 2 on Spotify Global’s Album Chart, and in the Top 30 of the UK Official Album Chart. She is now releasing her single “Reckless.”

Bottom Line: “Reckless” is a gem of a melody from the rising pop star and the first single to come from her next project. The soaring theme was co-written and co-produced by Madison and is in support of her US and Canada leg of her Life Support Tour. “‘ Reckless’ was written about how easy it is for some people in relationships to hurt others and move on without any guilt,” says Beer. “People have so much power over their partner’s feelings, yet many still choose to treat each other carelessly. I believe there is a balance to putting ourselves and our feelings first while knowing we have the responsibility of treating people with respect, kindness, and consideration. It’s so important to find that balance in every relationship and knowing when to move on if you can’t.” Starting with a music box rendition of the melody. Beer’s dreamy vocals float in with a hip 50’s rock overtone paired with a strong pop sound. Beer has a wide vocal range throughout the melody, which keeps things fresh and exciting. Her timbre is sexy, warm, and easy to hear all the lyrics. Also, Beer has a firm grasp of vibrato and varies each phrase to have different degrees, especially on her held ending notes, which are outstanding. The second time through the form, Beer incorporates backing vocals and strings sounds to add new colors and interest. The song builds nicely, and Beer has a gem of a melody with this one. Her penchant for gorgeous ascending melody writing is a strong point throughout her catalog. “Reckless” has solid sounds; that’s the short of it!