Sixteen-year-old songwriter, Haven Madison, who wowed American Idol judges with her audition, has done it again.
Videos by American Songwriter
The Clarksville, Tennessee native took on Hollywood Week, Sunday night (April 2), showcasing a tearjerking original song, “Still Need You.” The song was penned in honor of her brother who she explained struggled with depression throughout their childhood.
“I convinced myself I didn’t have anybody to talk to,” she explained of the song’s beginnings, “so I talked to my piano.” Ahead of her performance, the young songsmith received coaching from Season 11 Idol winner Phillip Phillips. On camera, the two talked about songwriting being a form of therapy for them.
“It was pretty scary trying to go to school each day and not knowing if he was going to be home,” she said of her brother, calling the song her “last hope of convincing him to stick around.” She explained her brother is now healing and the siblings could be seen speaking on the phone before her performance.
“Still Need You” left few dry eyes in the crowd as Madison poured her heart out. There’s so much more outside this town / There’s more to see than what you found / Hold on another day, I can prove it to you / And if you left without goodbye / You woulda missed the tears I cried / Then you would never know how I needed you, she sang along with the piano.
With that stunning display, Madison advanced through the first round of Hollywood Week.
Watch her perform her original song below.
Madison auditioned for the judges–artists Luke Bryan, Katy Perry, and Lionel Richie—with another self-penned song, “Fifteen.” Accompanied on guitar by her father, Jason Roy, who fronts the Christian rock band Building 429, the singer-songwriter wowed the room with her performance.
“You can be anything you want to be right now,” Richie assured the Idol hopeful then. “It’s believable. Artist, voice, songwriting. Check. Check. Check. I don’t see anything wrong now, except the world doesn’t know anything about you, but they will. That was incredible and I’m so happy you came to American Idol.”
Bryan joined in on the praise, adding, “I think when a 16-year-old can really speak the 16-year-old language that all the other 16-year-olds want to hear, it’s really special.”
Photo: ABC/Eric McCandless
