Podcrushed - Madison Beer

Episode Date: January 21, 2026

Madison Beer -- the inimitable, twice-Grammy-nommed pop superstar -- joins the gang to talk about her first experiences on social media, being discovered by Justin Bieber (who, apropos of nothing, was also her first celebrity crush), and the challenges and insights gained from her years in the spotlight. Madison shares the pressures of teenage celebrity, her explosive career growth, and the inspiration behind her new album 'Locket,'  out now on Epic Records & Sing It Loud.   To learn more about therapy with NOCD, go to nocd.com and schedule a free 15-minute call with their team.   David is offering our listeners a special deal: buy 4 cartons and get the 5th free when you go to davidprotein.com/PODCRUSHED.    🎧 Want more from Podcrushed? 📸 Instagram 🎵 TikTok 🐦 X / Twitter ✨ Follow Penn, Sophie & Nava Instagram Penn Sophie Nava TikTok Penn Sophie Nava  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lemonada. Social media was so different. Like when I got on Instagram at 12, it was just your friends. You followed. It was not, there wasn't like an influencer thing. There wasn't anything. And I just was having fun posting on social media. So it's crazy to look at it now how different it is.

And yeah, I think it is important that we all are able to assess situations because things are changing so rapidly now. Every year something is different. It is wild. I remember when Instagram came out, I thought it was just an album, like on your, phone. I would take pictures and post them. Totally. Thinking it was just saving to my phone. No, there's, it's on the internet. Because you didn't have any followers, sweetie. Yeah.

No, I wouldn't interact. Welcome to Pod Crushed. We're hosts. I'm Penn. I'm Nava. And I'm Sophie. And I think we would have been your middle school besties. Hatching plans to sneak into R-rated. Okay, who am I kidding? PG-13 rated movies. All right, crushies. I'm doing it. I'm just jumping in and calling your crushies. Since we are all together here in person for the first time in many months,

We want to give something special. An absolute banger of an episode. Today we are joined by Madison Beer. She's a platinum-selling two-time Grammy-nominated artist, singer, songwriter, producer. The list goes on and on and on. Madison is only 26 years old, but she has lived a remarkable life. Her career began just since she was 12,

which is right in the zone of our show. Madison's new album, Lockett, is out now. Every song has been co-written and co-produced by Madison herself. We are obsessed. You'll be obsessed. Let's be obsessed together. Don't go anywhere. We'll be right back. I'm Bobby Finger. And I'm Lindsay Weber. Our podcast, Who Weekly, is everything you need to know about the celebrities you don't. Think of us as your cheat code to People Magazine. Your glossary for Hollywood. A shortcut to understanding pop culture at large. For the past eight years, Who Weekly has been telling listeners everything they need to know about the celebrities they don't. Who Weekly airs twice weekly with brand new episodes on Tuesdays and Fridays. Listen and follow Who Weekly and Odyssey Podcasts available now for free. on the Odyssey app and wherever you get your podcasts.

Hey there, it's Julia Louis Dreyfus. I'm back with a new season of Wiser Than Me, the show where I sit down with remarkable older women and soak up their stories, their humor, and their hard-earned wisdom. Every conversation leaves me a little smarter and definitely more inspired. And yes, I'm still calling my 91-year-old mom, Judy,

to get her take on it all. Wiser than me from Lemonade and Media premieres November 12th wherever you get your podcast. We start at 12 with every interview. We mean noon, okay? We actually had now like, I think two or three guests. I've said that and they think, oh shit, I'm late.

Yeah, it's a valid question. And I'm realizing now I have to say, we started 12 years old. There you go. Now your album, your most recent album. Lockett. Inspired by your album name Lockett. Who might have been at 12 years old in a locket

for you? Wow. Interesting question. Hmm. Transparently, Justin Bieber. Okay. Really? Yeah, is the true answer. Yeah, for sure.

How did you feel then when we... Right, so that's tweeted your video. It is the truth, and I have proof of this as well. So it's not something that I'm like making... If you scroll all the way down on my Instagram, one of my first posts was literally a cardboard cut out of him in my room. Do you still have Instagram from being 12th? Yeah, I got Instagram in 2011, which is a disturbing. And you were 12.

Yeah. Frighting me. But yeah, I had a cardboard cut out of him in my room. I would make video. He was definitely my obsession. So then getting signed by him was quite insane. But he probably would have been in my locket. Right. That's the truth. And that is the same year that you then, he found you. Yeah. Yeah. So what was up until that moment, up until that moment where obviously is a bit of a threat. threshold. Yeah. What was daily life like for Madison at 12? Like, you know, because we're obviously going to get into your career and so much of your career is examining what is abnormal about a youth spent in the limelight. Something I'm a bit familiar with. Not to your degree,

but I'm a bit familiar with it. Oh, please. What was like the normal day-to-day? Pre-being signed. Yeah. So it's kind of freaky when I think about it now because I've been if you do the math, I've been assigned artist. I've been alive as assigned artist longer than I had been prior, which is very scary and honestly yeah, kind of. I'm like, oh wow, interesting. Daily life was

summer camp was my everything. I lived to go to summer camp. Truly it was my favorite thing in the world and when I got signed it was the most devastating part of it because they were like, can't do summer camp, you got to work now. And I was like, not even summer camp. It was like, you got to work now.

Yeah, and I didn't realize how crazy that was then, but now looking back, I actually had this experience that I've spoken about a lot where I did a meet and greet last tour and this little, little girl comes walking in. I'm like, wanting to hold her, basically. I was like, can I pick you up? And then I was like, how old are you? And she was like, 12. And I kind of had this moment where I was like, oh, wow.

Oh, geez. So yeah, it's crazy to think back to what life was like before. It was just a lot of, I was going to school, had a really big group of girlfriends, friends would just normal kid from Long Island, honestly, and would literally just wait my whole year to go to summer camp. I went for two months, and I loved camp was my everything. So that's really what I'm fond of when I think back to like my childhood pre all of this. A girl from Long Island who just wants to go to summer camp. That's all I want.

That's so down to earth. Simple. Simple person. It's all I want is so water skiing cook food at summer camp. Oh, that's nice. Yeah. What's your dynamic like with your brother before you sign? My brother was so young. He was like nine years old when this all began, which is also incredibly disturbing because, well, we're really, really close and he's still one of my best friends.

I hang out with him honestly more than anybody. We're only a three-year difference. So we spent a lot of time together. But it was definitely difficult. I mean, not to immediately just get sad, but I feel like it's hard when I think back to so much of that because when I realize how much of my life was out of my control and there were so many adults that were kind of not necessarily being. very protective of me and whatnot. I think about him and I'm like, you were three years younger than me and you were being bounced around like a ping pong ball and going to L.A.

and then he was just kind of, it was like a, he just was dealing with the byproduct of what I was dealing with. So it kind of, now that we're older, I guess I feel like a bit guilty of just uprooting his childhood because I have these moments where I look back and I'm like, I didn't really have much of a real normal childhood at all. And I'm like, if I didn't, then you really didn't. So it's kind of a bummer.

But hey, we've made it through and we're both happy and we're really close. So it's all good things. And I try not to be too negative when I talk about it. But it is, I think it's important to look back on and be like too young. Yeah. I mean, as you say in the preface of your book, you spend a lot of time addressing, I think, pretty delicately, this matter of there is kind of the obvious privilege of celebrity and fame. For sure. And then there's in some sense of responsibility to examine the shadow.

side of it or the underbelly or just the you know the all the stuff that comes along with it because it's all the forces of our culture operating and if you aren't honest about it then it actually keeps this sort of this sort of beast alive i have always said that and i learned that very young like there was a conversation i had with my old manager and he was like ignore the haters and when people ask you about how it feels to be hated on just say you don't care it doesn't affect you and i was like but isn't that going to make people be able to continue hating on people without any repercussions because they feel like it doesn't affect us and if all if every celebrity just kind of goes about life and is like, oh, no, it doesn't, I don't care.

Then people are just going to continue this. Whereas, no, like, I want you to see that I'm human and that your words hurt me and affect me. And I think that it's always been a bit bizarre to me that we have to play this sort of like don't care game because we're human beings that it's okay if people's words affect us. And I think it actually would create a very weird society if we pretended like people's words didn't matter. And, yeah, I mean, I think that it's also interesting to look back. I mean, what 2012 looked like versus what 2025 looks like.

There's so much different things that are happening in our world. Social media was so different. Like when I got on Instagram at 12, it was just your friends. You followed. It was not, there wasn't like an influencer thing. There wasn't anything. And I just was having fun posting on social media. So it's crazy to look at it now how different it is.

And yeah, I think it is important that we all are able to assess situations because things are changing so rapidly now. Every year something is different. It is wild. I remember. when Instagram came out, I thought it was just an album, like on your phone. I would take pictures and post them. Totally. Thinking it was just saving

to my phone. No, there's, it's on the internet. It's because you didn't have any followers, sweetie. You didn't have followers. I wasn't interacting. But it really was just your friends. And it's all you'd see is people, like, their food, their dinner, their dog, their vacation, that was it. Yeah. It wasn't, there wasn't this, like, performative thing to it at all.

Totally. I had a, like, a private account that I loved. I was on Gossip Girl, but I remember a few friends had it, and I, you know, just, I had a private account and I would like. A Finster. Yeah. Yes, that's what it's called. Yeah.

And it was, it was a nice thing. Yeah, it was. You talked about having a cardboard cut out of Justin Bieber and that he would be the one in your locket, but I'm curious. So crazy. Maybe he was going to be like, really? It's totally crazy. I'm sure she's used to it.

But we ask every guest about their first experiences around love and heartbreak, which is slightly different than a celebrity fresh. Yeah, tell us about it. Oh, my goodness. Yeah, so I had my, oh gosh, I had my first relationship when I was 15, also incredibly young. And I was with him for like four years-ish, three years. So it was my, yeah, my first relationship was a long one and definitely taught me so much things I'm honestly still learning from to this day. It's like it was super, it was a very intense relationship. It was also a very public relationship.

And again, like that was the thing looking back. I thought I was grown and I was in this like adult relationship. We were 15 and 17 years old. Like, it's crazy to, it's just crazy to look back on. And, yeah. Your career, it seems like your kind of artistic arc is something of peeling that onion. Sure. So before, because we're going to get into that.

And we're going to get into that in a moment. The one thing I would like to do is because of the heaviness and the headiness that I think is not just characteristic of your experience of, like, coming of age, it's all people. So let's just like scale the clock back to a moment I just want to like in the spirit of our show I just want to like was there a time when you remember having a crush that was light Like maybe it's just Justin Bieber Maybe it's just that

Right he was my last you know But like something that was You know I guess you weren't You know going to school with lockers in a backpack Or maybe you were Did you get that? I went to sixth grade I pulled out in the middle of seventh

But I went to sixth grade Seventh was the year I didn't finish as well. See, look at us. Wow. Yeah. For sure, I had a crush on a boy in school. I remember it very vividly, and it was fun and innocent. And yeah, that's probably the last time it felt like that, though.

It was like that little middle school sort of crush. Also, our schools had three elementary schools that then merged into one middle school. And just all the new faces and all the new people were, I remember being very excited by that. And yeah, it was, that's really all I remember. Like, I blocked everything out. I have another question about this time of life because you have a song called homesick where you talk about being homesick for another planet, like feeling like you belong on another planet. Which, you know, I've been trolled about this a lot.

Really? There was a video of me joking around. Like, I thought that it was clear that I was being funny, but apparently I'm too dry and not very clear when I'm trying to make a joke. And I was like, yeah, guys, I'm not from Earth. You don't know this? I was like, I'm from a different planet. And I was joking about it. And people to this day will use that video against me and be like, she literally thinks she's, I'm like, oh, oh, bless you.

Well, people need to touch. But yeah, that's not homesick. But I feel like that feeling. I feel like that feeling is something a lot of people probably could relate to. Yeah, just feeling like I didn't belong anywhere. Exactly. I'm curious, what was it? Did you feel that way in your earlier years, like before you got signed?

And if so, like, what was it that made you feel that way? I think I always felt different just because I feel like. I was very, I was much more into the arts than a lot of my friends that I went to school with were. I loved theater. I loved movies, cinema. Like, I was very early on into that. I would spend all of my free time making stop motion movies on my camera. Like, that was all I wanted to do is create things and make things.

And to be honest, like not a lot of my friends had the same interests, which is fine, loved all of them. But I kind of felt a little bit of a separation for that reason before anything happened. And then obviously once things really started to change for me, you know, kids are kids are kids. And I think when we were 13 and 14, I'm sure it was a lot of whatever it was. But I definitely was very bullied by the people that I grew up with in a sense. Like not everyone, but I would go to, I remember vividly I went to like a party and they played my first single I release. And they definitely were making fun of me. And it wasn't in like a supportive way.

And I then was like, oh, should I be embarrassed of this? and whatever, blah, blah, blah. Not to make everyone I grew up with sound bad because there were obviously a bunch of good people, but it was something that I would come home and kind of deal with. And then as the years went on, yeah, it just got more and more intense

and then I felt really isolated and just like I couldn't really relate to many people. I didn't feel like anyone truly would understand where I was coming from when I would say certain things. And, you know, if I was dealing with hate or whatever and try to talk to someone, they're like, oh, girl, you know, ignore it. I'm like, please, for one hour, like, read these comments if they were about you and see how you would feel. Like, it's so much easier said than done.

So, yeah, I think it just, yeah, I felt really, I felt really isolated for a long time for sure. I felt like I couldn't find my people. Which is something I like to talk about because I know that's like a normal human experience, especially in high school and middle school and college, even, whatever. I mean, throughout our whole lives, we deal with it. But I think there's so many people that feel like it's just them and that they're alone in that feeling. and I'm like, no, it's okay to take time to find your people. It's like we're all individually experiencing that.

Like, we're all thinking we belong on a different planet. If we were just like talk about it, we can be on this planet too. And we're all just doing this for the first time together. So it's just important to remember that. You know how I feel sometimes? I feel like people are going to find this so obnoxious. But sometimes I find myself thinking as though I were an anthropologist visiting Earth. And I'm like, it's so interesting that humans do that.

Right. And then I'll be like, oh, wait, I'm a human. No, but I like that mindset. I'm so into that. I love that. I think that's a good mindset. I do that too, probably. Don't go anywhere.

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effective learning program out there at the best price. Okay, let's talk about your career explicitly, even though we've been like weaving in and out. So let's go back to that moment where Justin Bieber discovers you. Yeah. Who is the first person you told? Oh my goodness. Do you remember like that day in your household?

Just like paint the picture for us. So it all happened very crazily. And I, so this is the rundown. So my mom, I posted this YouTube video. I always loved singing. I always loved making videos. I was like, I got my braces off time to film a cover for YouTube. Duh.

Of course. Yeah. So I did that. Wait, how long did you have braces for? A year and a half. Okay. That's a long time. It felt like an eternity.

It felt like an eternity. But I kind of liked my braces, honestly. I thought they were cute. Yeah, I did like that. I was into them. Sad to see them go. So I filmed my cover. I was in my math.

I'm really bad at math. I was in my math support class when it hit 100 views. I remember being like, oh, my goodness, this is so crazy. This is so awesome. But there was no intention behind posting this that was like, this is going to be my moment. It was just like, this is something I wanted to do. So after I posted the video, it just kind of got like sent around a bit, I guess. And there was talks of people that had heard it and had seen it that were related to Justin Bieber in some way that I was like, what's going on?

But I wasn't getting my hopes. I was kind of like this is just hearsay, whatever. And then he tweeted these, the videos about me. And I was with my friend Nicole. And, okay, wait, I actually get this part wrong. She says that we weren't together, but I think I remember us being together, but I think I might have just called her. I was in a candy store when it happened.

I run to the car. How amazing. I was, being 12, run 13. I run to the car. I call Nicole. Or she might have called me and been like Justin Bieber just fucking tweeted you. And I was like, what? And then my phone was just blowing up.

I was freaking out. I think I tweeted like keyboard smash. How long had Justin Bieber been a thing at this point? Oh my goodness. For probably, I don't know, actually. I'm going to speak at a turn. I think he was discovered on YouTube in like 2008. Yeah, yeah.

Right. But his like real pop, like baby was, I would guess, like, 2010, 2009. So it's like a year or two. If I had to guess, I'm maybe fully wrong. But, yeah, a couple years before. So biggest artist, though, like I, he was Justin Bieber. And is. And so, yeah, I was freaking out.

And then she came over to my house. We both were kind of freaking out, but we were kind of just like what happens now. And Good Morning America came to my house and was knocking at my door. That day? That night. And we were in my bed and my mom was like, stay in your room and she was at the door

and she was like, go away! She was so scared and freaked out by it. I didn't know they even still did that. It's like the 90s. I know. It really sounds like the same. It's the evening news. It basically was literally.

2012 is basically the 90s. No, so yeah, we were just very freaked out by that. And then I just kept on going with my normal life and it was just this big deal for a second. And then I ended up meeting him and I ended up signing with him

and it was a world. wind. How long from that moment to the signing? You know, again, I've really blocked these years out. But like, I'm going to guess. A couple weeks maybe. Yeah, not long. I'm going to say within two months, it was, it was on paper.

And it was very, very cool, but very intense, very quickly. And then I became really a part of his world. And I really was like around for so many of the things he was, it was insane. Yeah. For a girl who would have had him in her locket and a cardboard cut out in her room. It was nuts. It seems like there's this arc in your career where, And it makes sense, you know, as you're starting, maybe other artists are really guiding sort of your trajectory and now you're really like the pilot.

Can you talk to us a little bit about that transition and sort of maybe stuff we might not be aware of what that journey has been like for you? What's gotten you to where you are today? Sure. I think that now I just trust myself so much in the sense of like I, well, first of all, I don't feel this pressure anymore being have done this for so long. like damn near 15 years. Like I really, yeah, I feel like there was a lot of years that the whole, you're going to be the biggest artist in the world. When I got signed, the words you are going to be the female, Justin Bieber,

were like what was the pitch for Madison Beer? So crazy. But back then, it was so exciting. And so, oh my God, this is the coolest thing ever. And I'm being like shopped around at Nickelodeon. And I felt it was nothing but cool. But then as the years progressed, and I started to sort of peek behind that curtain,

I was like, this is a little dark. and this is feeling a little bit weird. And so that's when kind of like in the book, things started to get dark and heavy for me and crazy. And then obviously when I got dropped and blah, blah, blah, it took another turn. But with the pressure of all of that happening so soon and so early, and it was very like the pop space is so competitive and blah, blah, blah. And I really got to also witness like the rise of so many other female pop stars right in front of my eyes. And there was so much, again, self-hatred then put into me being like, why am I not able to do that? that? Why can't I be on that stage? Why am I not good enough? And the internet was only confirming

that for me as well. Like they were echoing all of that. So it was kind of now I look back and I really do think that it was a blessing in disguise because I was able to be thrown so deeply into all of that and then be like, okay, we'll make a choice. Do you want to continue feeling this way, looking at things like this, listening to these people, or do you want to look at things in a different lens and reframe this? And so I really started working on that a couple years ago. And truly, I just trust myself now and I don't feel that pressure and I don't look at that. at my other, especially female, like pop girlies with anything other than true support and love. And I want everyone to win and do great. And I think there's room for everyone. And if my 13-year-old self

met me, she would think I'm awesome and truly be so proud that I've sold out Radio City and I've sold out the Greek. And these are amazing achievements. And I think there's just so much pressure that comes with everything entertainment-wise. It's like if you're not number one, you're a failure. And I don't subscribe to that. And I think that that's not a fair thing to put on people. And I just, I'm, if I'm proud of where I'm at, and I truly can mean that and say that wholeheartedly. And if I can go to bed at night, then I think it's all okay. And that's also something I want my fans and the people who support me to feel the same way. Like, it's okay if you're not.

Yeah. Number one, like you can, there's so many other things you should be proud of. And I would hate to, you know, obviously I would love to have a number one album. I would love to sell out MSG. I would love to do these things that are like really those top of the list things for me. But I know that if I don't get those, I'll be okay and I'll still be proud of where I'm at. And yeah, I just think enjoy the journey on the way there, man. Like what's the point of getting there if you were miserable and hating everything you did up until then?

Because then MSG is probably only going to be one night. I'm going to get offstage and be like, I worked my whole life for this night and I was miserable all those years. Like I want to enjoy all the steps. I love seeing my crowds grow every year, even if it's by 1,000, 2,000 people. Like those are awesome moments. If I can relate for just a moment, I feel like probably for all people, who get into the professional business of being in show, being an artist, you know, what you realize about 10 years into the game is that you didn't get a chance to experiment.

You didn't get a chance to have, like, artistic autonomy. Yep. In fact, to maintain a career at all that where you can enjoy some of the stuff you've made is an enormous achievement. And it feels to me like, I mean, you started out with a completely self-written, like, you taking ownership, don't take anything away from that. you know you were really in that deeply reflective space same year i think you put out your memoir right so you were in this like all right i'm gonna kind of like step back and reflect profoundly you're probably

doing a lot of private sounds like therapy and all that kind of you know right and then so now you you've you've you've got done that yeah um just put that it went away just so brush to the side you've you've done i would actually love to talk more and more about sounds between songs but for now let's just focus on log it we can go back to her yeah what has in so if there's been a lot of introspection

leading up to silence between the songs what has led up to lock it honestly you literally couldn't have said it better I definitely approached silence between songs with kind of zero pressure on it doing well it felt very paired with the memoir

and it was just like I want to tell my story honestly that's all I really want to do here is I want to make music that feels like what I've been through in an album. I don't need it to appeal to everybody. I really want this to be my sort of baby. And, you know, I have a song about my brother. I have a song about... That song.

So cute, right? I know I love that song so much. The 12-year-old I told you about at the beginning who came to the meet and greet, her and her older sister were there and they were like holding each other during that song. It was so sweet. So sweet. But, you know, that album is very full of real true life experiences for me. and I feel like I did that.

I feel like I achieved it. It was so amazing to perform it on tour. My fans are going to have a hard attack when I say that. I'm not done performing. Not all those songs are going away. I will perform some of them still. But yeah, it was just, I felt like it was achieved. What I wanted to achieve felt achieved.

And so when I started writing this one, I was like, how can I bridge now this gap? Like my first album life support that I love so much is very, it was very experimental. It was my first body of work. I was like, let's have fun. I was writing all these things. pulling from so many different inspirations that I love and artists that I live for and whatever. So I was like, how can I take that and how can I take the honesty and the vulnerability of sounds between songs and how can I bridge them in some way? And also showcase, you know, some of my more expansive palette now and whatnot as an adult.

So I was like really putting myself up to the challenge. And I know I also wanted to make a fun pop album that I could perform on a tour and have it be something that is a fun show. Not that sounds between songs wasn't, but it was. There was, you know, like the sad, we kind of do this, like, act, too is usually, like, the sad, like lull of the show. And it's where all the emotional stuff goes. So that was the longest part of the show. And I kind of this time, I was like, I don't want that to be the longest part of the show. I want there to be a bit more fun, dancing, whatever, for whatever reason, I'm not sure.

So went into it with that. Did you want to have fun. Yeah, I was like, let's just go out there and have fun. Come on. And so we did that. And it was so exciting to make it. And when we really found this sound that felt like the perfect blend. And then.

Towards the end, you know, there's like two or three songs on there that are still that emotional, vulnerable lyrics and whatnot. But yeah, I just wanted to blend those worlds and push myself creatively and see what I could turn out. I also wrote this whole album coming right off of a seven-month-long tour. So I was just full of inspiration and excitement. And so I think that that's why it was able. I'm so bad at a time. I think it's been like, yeah, like over two years. Maybe it's been closer to three.

I'm out of it. But it's been a while since my last album. but this is very quick for me to turn another one around. Like, I really got into it super quickly. I was actually wondering, you know, some artists say, I think it's just different for different phases of life and different artists, but like sometimes they say, I mean, Lauren Hill is like a great example of somebody who's like, if I'm just going from studio to tour, back to studio, like I'm not living life to experience it.

Of course, she's never put out another album. Love you, but never put out another album. What was so inspiring? You said you came off a tour feeling really inspired. What do you think that was? I think a lot of it has to do with honestly everything we were talking about earlier with like the amount of self-hatred I had adopted into my life. I didn't even realize it. It really just bled into everything I did.

And I didn't realize I was carrying this weight with me, especially regarding cyberbullying, social media hate, whatever. I didn't really fully fathom how much it was affecting every single thing I was doing. And then when I did this last tour, I was very intentional about spending less time reading comments and, like, less time looking at videos and just living in the moment and really just existing. And I know that might sound stupid to some people, but you kind of get, especially with like TikTok and these days, you kind of get in this zone where you overthink every single word that's coming out of your mouth because you're like, how is this person going to take it? And is this person going to think I sound annoying?

And there's just so much that goes through your head. And I think I really programmed myself for years to be like that and act like that. And then on this tour, I don't know what changed or what clicked, but I was just able to let go, have fun. And I think a lot of that probably had to do with the fact that I was looking out at a sea of people. And I was like, this is real. This is what really matters to me. And in my soul. And like, I know that on my deathbed, this is what I'm going to be remembering, not the comments that I read when I was 16. And so I just was like, how can I work on really shifting that to be the focus? And I think what inspired this album was how can I give these people that have changed my life so much and have truly made me love

myself again? How can I give them the best album? You know, it's almost like it was a gift to them in some way. And that really is the truth. It sounds like all of the introspection that fueled silence between songs and your memoir, the half of it, it sounds like the reception sort of was, not that this is necessary. Because I think it's like for the person who isn't a celebrity kind of, or a professional artist like putting it out in the world, it sounds like the equivalent of I've, it sounds like acceptance. Yeah. Like I did all that work and then it kind of, oh, it's interesting. it worked. Yep.

And it's being received. And again, it shouldn't be predicated on that. Like, it shouldn't be dependent on that acceptance. But it's interesting that it was accepted. And it's like, oh, that's really validating. It is really validating. I think that that's also a really great point because I don't want it to seem like I'm only in this place because people were nice to me and kind to me.

Like, I've still been ripped apart. But it is true and it is part of it. But that's what helped me let go of the negativity. You know, it's like, it still is out there. It still exists. I just don't engage. I'm just like, nope, disengaging. instead of sitting and getting in this hole of just scrolling and scrolling and scrolling.

I'm like, I'm protecting my energy and I'm choosing to not see that. Yeah. Yeah. Stick around. We'll be right back. A new year is a fresh start, right? And what better goal than learning a new language, right? Right? Whether you're connecting with family or maybe you're boosting your career or preparing for an upcoming trip, Rose out of stone makes it easy to take the first step towards learning a new language and actually stick with it.

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What's in store for us in 2020s? I'm Chelsea Clinton, and we're back with season two of my podcast. That can't be true. Follow along and catch up on season one wherever you get your podcasts. Is there an aspect to the Madison Beer artist, pop artist, who is a personality, an icon, a kind of a, what's the word I'm looking for? It's like a persona. That's what I'm trying to say. because, you know, I was thinking that your canon, your catalog is all, you know, you're mining your own life and your experiences, which has been such a rich vein for you. And, I mean, it's almost like Sophie was saying in the beginning that you've already lived almost like twice a life of someone your age. I was thinking like, oh, I wonder if the next phase for her is like this sort of alter ego persona kind of vibe.

You know, I don't know, whatever. But at the same time, you can't just be yourself when you're out there. You know, you can't just, I mean, I don't know. Do you feel that that's what you do? You know, I feel like I'm getting better at that. But no, of course, there's still, like, if this was really me, I would have no makeup on and be in sweatpants. Like, I don't, you know, there is a thing to it all, which I think we can all admit.

But I think it's fun. And I think I've learned how to step into it and step out of it in a fun way. Like on tour, for example, my room in my bus is like, I swear I go, I usually will run off stage in my tour. costume still, you know, I've got my full face of makeup on, whatever, whatever. I will jump into the shower and I feel like by the time I get out, I'm like back to me and it's kind of this weird switch, but it's almost something that I've been able to use to protect myself in ways and be able to switch it on and off.

And there's been times where I actually did this, which I'm going to say it because it helped my friend recently as well. Like I did this really, again, forgive me if this sounds stupid to the viewers or you guys. But something that really helped me years ago in therapy was I was very, very confused as to why I felt so anxious and depressed all the time. And it's because I really realized that so much of what I as a human being, just being Madison, what I value and what I care the most about in this life are so many things that contradict what being like a celebrity and a famous person are.

And it was really fucking with me. And so I made a literal list that was things that Madison values and loves and things that like Madison beer values and loves and as like the persona sort of thing. And they were completely contradictory. Like, I value privacy and true connection and intimacy and like one on, and then like the other version, it's like fame and publicity and like no privacy. There's just, there was a lot of contradiction happening. And I think that it was really eye-opening for me to see. And I kind of was able to be like, okay, how do I coexist with these two? Because I do have, like, it's a Hannah Montana lifestyle what we all do.

And it is kind of crazy. You have to switch it on. And I feel like, obviously with roles and stuff, you can relate where like you really have to get in this different. mindset and I swear I do the same thing. Even like I know this is coming out after, but I'm performing at the Victoria Secret Fashion Show tomorrow and I know that if I were to get up there, I would be stumbling, falling, freaking out, having a panic attack, not able to get. I can barely get on airplanes.

I'm so scared of flying. Like I cannot get on stage at the Victoria Secret Fashion Show and strut confidently. That is not in my wheelhouse, but for some reason this persona that I've created, she can do it. And it's weird. It's a psychological thing, but it really works. And it's actually like I always envisioned this like switch. being turned on and turned off.

So it's interesting. Yeah, it is. It's quite strange, but it's working, so whatever. Madison. I just want to ask you two questions. I can be fast at my answers. One is which song off the album is currently your favorite, even if that changes? Oh, my God.

Okay. My current favorite is the interlude, which is called Healthy Habit. I've been listening to it all nonstop. I get a different favorite every week. I just, I really do love this album. Unbiasedly, I really do. Okay, we have a final question that we ask all of our guests. if you could go back to 12-year-old Madison and say or do anything, what would you do or say?

I've been asked this before, and I think it can... No, it's an original question. It's an original question. If we can just take that again, just take it back. This is the first time I've ever been asked this question. I cannot believe the questions you have to ask such. I never actually been asked that in my entire life. Thank you.

I don't know that I would say anything. I really think I've thought about this because I, you know, I hope someone would asked you this one time. Yeah, yeah, exactly. I was like, I hope someone one day asks me this question. So I, yeah, I've thought about it. And I'm just like, to me, I really do believe in the butterfly effect and all of those things. And I just think anything I would have said could have put me on a different course to not end up where I am now. And I really am proud of the person I am today. And I just, I wouldn't want to change anything truthfully. Yeah, I'd give her a little hug. And she'd be like, who are you, strange woman? That's Ben's answer. Yeah. Give her a hug and send her on her way.

So I've heard that answer before. She'd be like, get off me. Right. I'm an original now. She'd be like, can you get off me, weird old lady? She said, but are you 30? I'm like, what the hell?

She's like, well, that's right. I'm 26. Are you so cold? Right. Right. Thanks for having me, guys. Thank you for having me, guys. Thank you, man, man.

Thank you. Pod Crushed is hosted by Penn Badgley, Navakavalin, and Sophie Ansari. Our senior producer is David Ansari, and our editing is done by Clips Agency. If you haven't subscribed to Lemonada Premium yet, now's the perfect time. because guess what? You can listen completely ad-free.

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Premium. Are you looking for ways to make your everyday life happier, healthier, more productive and more creative? I'm Gretchen Rubin, the number one bestselling author of the Happiness Project, bringing you fresh insights and practical solutions in the Happier with Gretchen Rubin podcast. My co-host and Happiness Guinea Pig is my sister Elizabeth Kraft. That's me, Elizabeth with Kraft, a TV writer and producer in Hollywood. Join us as we explore ideas and hacks about cultivating happiness and good habits. Check out Happier with Gretchen Rubin from Lemonada Media.