Alt-pop singer Madeline Holste, better known by her stage name Madeline The Person, released her EP “Chapter 4: The End,” on Sept. 22. This marks the fourth installment of her series of EP releases.
Holste found her fame through social media. She began by posting covers of other artists’ songs on TikTok, where she has garnered nearly 920,000 followers over the past three years.
After a few of her videos started to go viral, Holste began posting music she wrote herself. Beyond her rainbow aesthetic and the ethereal beauty of her voice, it was her original songs that truly captivated me.
When Holste was just 15 years old, she experienced the loss of her father. His death inspired much of her songwriting, provoking her to create melodies that touch upon themes of grief and healing — themes that resonate with my own journey.
In August 2019, my best friend died in a car crash. I was 16 years old – only a year older than Holste at the time of her father’s passing. My ticket to the train of grief had been punched, and I was thrust onto a ride I was completely unprepared for.
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Despite the support from my family and friends, enduring emptiness and loneliness engulfed my being. Nothing seemed to shake the isolation I felt.
When every other coping mechanism failed, music was my lifeline. Holste’s music spoke to me like no other.
She released her debut EP “Chapter 1: The Longing” in 2021, leading with the track, “As A Child.” On May 22, 2020, Holste posted an acoustic version of the song to TikTok, well before its official release. I cried when I first came across the video.
For the first since my friend had passed away, I had found someone who could articulate exactly how I felt. Not only could I hear the raw emotion in her voice, but I could see the vulnerability etched across her face as she sang the lyrics, “And it hurts all the more / When you carry the world as a child.”
Ever since her first EP, I have followed Holste along on her musical journey. But her most recent release is my favorite.
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The first track of “Chapter 4: The End,” is “Watercolor Flowers.” Whimsical bells and synths are paired with acoustic guitar as Holste sings about the intoxicating desire when encountering a crush. While many tracks within the series delve into darker themes, this song offers a refreshing tenderness, showcasing the diverse array of emotions within the human experience.
“This EP is extremely special to me,” Holste said in an Instagram post. “Most of the time, THE END is just the beginning. The grief lingers, the love is bright and aches. I struggle and I cry and I laugh and I sing and I do it all over again.”
In tracks “Things I Carry,” “Broken Insides” and “Before It Gets Bad,” Holste explores the pain of navigating mental health battles while trying to maintain a facade of strength. I relate to the inner turmoil of each of these songs, as I believe anyone who grapples with mental health can as well.
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Holste's “Just For The Day” is from the point of view of her 15-year-old self when her father died. The song opens with light piano and guitar, as Holste sings of the disbelief and denial she felt when she received the tragic news.
As I immersed myself in this song, it prompted me to reflect on my own journey through grief. I thought of how young I was to have experienced so much pain. “Just For The Day” serves as a heavy reminder of that time, but also a comfort. Grief is an experience we all share in, and I am not alone in my story.
Concluding her EP series is “Tantrum.” The song’s upbeat production creates an energetic anthem of rebellion against life’s greatest constraint – our own mortality. As Holste reaches the end of the bridge, the music cuts out, and Holste delivers my favorite line, “But I won’t lie, I’ve never felt more alive.”
