An Honest Masterpiece Posted June 04, 2025 By BraddenFord_NRT, Staff Reviewer
What You Need To Know Maddie Harding is an upcoming singer-songwriter from Minnesota. Maddie began releasing music on YouTube for years, featuring two deep songs that gave her a first look at discovering her sound and style. In 2024, she began releasing music on all platforms, leading up to the debut of her now-album, The Things Jesus Put To Bed.
What It Sounds Like Pop? Yes. Contemporary? Yes. Rock? Yes. Acoustic? Yes. Folk? Yes.
This album is single-handedly one of the most unique albums I've ever heard in the best way possible. The album mirrors the raw styles and songwriting depth of mainstream chart-toppers like Lizzy McAlpine, Avery Anna, Jenna Raine, and Benson Boone, with its blend of bedroom pop and acoustic singer-songwriter styles that fit perfectly with the growing popularity of music that goes beyond the surface in both lyrics and styling. The album is produced with so many clever switch-ups and musical choices that create a cinematic masterpiece of a project. Though the vocals and instruments sound raw at times, the album remains a very intimate and professionally done project that I continue to be blown away by with every listen.
Spiritual Highlights Matching the depth and uniqueness of its sound, this album is a beautifully deep prayer of surrender to Jesus. As Maddie shared during our NRT interview (you can watch it here), this project contains some of the rawest and most honest songwriting I've ever heard, in a gorgeous way that navigates life while learning to let go and follow Jesus above all else. The song "You Can Leave" talks about the desire for a real relationship without the purpose of it being sexual. "Like A Father Should" is about letting go of an absent and abusive father and finding comfort in God as a father to us.
"Line-Crossed" and "The Scary Feeling" tackle the stages of broken relationships and friendships. "In The Middle Of The Night" switches things with audio of featured speaker Gabriel Zamora praying over Maddie. Others, like "I Trust You," "Close2You," "It's So Good!," and "More Than A Feeling," are about following Jesus with passion and knowing His heart in new and breakthrough ways. Even the incredible highlight of a song, "It Was Never Really About Me," closes with the chorus of the landmark Christian music veteran Matt Redman's song "Heart of Worship" to wrap up the theme of truly making our lives about Jesus.
Best Song Again, this album is a masterpiece. There are so many songs I want to list, but my personal favorite has to be "MyWay/TheirWay/YourWay." This song is a folk/country/singer-songwriter ballad that serves as a desperate prayer for God to reveal His way to us through the choices and people in our lives that we can't decide on our own. The song has been an anthem that I've cried to and sung out to while needing God's help for direction, to forgive, to follow Him, and to surrender. Other highlights include the alternative rock anthem "Close2You," which has been my most-played song of the year, according to my Spotify account at the time of writing this. One last highlight is the debut single for Maddie's album, "Bad(Real)Side." This song begins the album with the honesty of feeling broken and lost, yet knowing that God sees us and is there with a love to heal and walk with us.
Bottom Line Maddie Harding may be a name you're not familiar with yet, but it's a name you'll want to remember. I'll say it one last time, The Things Jesus Put To Bed is a masterpiece. Like striking gold, this album was a surprise blend of so many styles, paired with Maddie's beautiful voice and lyrics that are heart-stirring prayers we all need. The sincerity of these songs and the authentic portrayal of who Jesus is, regardless of the season we face, have helped draw me nearer to the Lord through their message. It's truly an album of laying down our lives and taking up a heart after Jesus and Him alone. It takes jumping into the rough, messy, and real honesty to find what real healing, breakthrough, and peace look like with God. The Things Jesus Put To Bed is one of my all-time favorite albums, meant to be listened to in its entirety and absorbed into your heart, offering a vulnerability and healing found in Jesus.
