In our interview with Shelby Lynn Madison, we delve into the emotions that gave birth to her latest ballad, "Saying Goodbye". With nothing but her guitar and a heart brimming with feelings, Shelby found solace in the cathartic process of songwriting, crafting a lyrical testament to the bittersweet aftermath of a brutal breakup. In just an hour and a half, melody and lyrics intertwined effortlessly, pouring out like a musical confession.

Beyond being a mere song, "Saying Goodbye" resonates as an honest and heart-wrenching narrative of a love caught in the crossfires of circumstance—a reminder that some chapters must close, even when no one is ready to turn the page.

• Your journey from growing up in Virginia to pursuing your dreams in Nashville is quite inspiring. Can you tell us about the pivotal moment that led you to decide to move to Nashville and pursue a career in country music?

I have always had a love and passion for music. I started singing when I was 2 and playing the guitar when I was 9. Nashville was somewhere I knew I always wanted to move to. Moving to Nashville was one of the best things I could have done. I made a lot of connections and people are all doing the same thing, music, so it’s very easy to relate.

• Your latest single "Saying Goodbye" is such a heartfelt and relatable song. Can you share with us the inspiration behind it and what it means to you personally?

Almost always saying goodbye is not the ideal situation, but, sometimes it’s only thing you have left. It’s extremely hard after you have loved someone for some time and I just wrote how I felt.Sometimes it’s the best thing you can do, for both parties.

The painful beauty of the song lies deep within the emotions that nobody involved wanted it to end, but circumstances dictated otherwise.

“Saying Goodbye" is more than just a song; it's the honest and heart wrenching story of wrong person, wrong time. A poignant snapshot of heartbreak and the inevitable acceptance that some chapters must close, even when no one is ready to turn the page.

• Mental health struggles are something many artists face but may not always openly discuss. How have you managed to stay positive and keep your music going during challenging times?

Life can be hard at times but how I’ve managed to stay grounded and positive is by prayer and reading the word. I spend time reading things like daily devotions for my morning inspiration. I also enjoy working out as well.

• You have another single, "Leave the Leaving", coming out in February and your debut EP in March. Could you give us a sneak peek into these two releases?

Leave the Leaving is a song I wrote about loving someone so much but you both know it’s over, you’ll do the leaving because you don’t want the other person to have to take it. I wrote it with one of my good friends Jakob Miller. We had been through a similar situation and wrote it about how we felt at times. I have a really hard time writing something if it’s not relatable to me.

• Who are some of your musical inspirations and how have they influenced your sound and songwriting style?

 Some of my musical inspirations are people like Keith Whitley, George Jones, and Merle Haggard to name a few. My newer musician influences would be people like Morgan Wallen, Riley Green, and Megan Moroney. Growing up, my parents had a bluegrass band so music has been in my blood since I was born.

• As you prepare to release new music to the world soon, what are your hopes and aspirations for your career in the music scene?

I hope to be headlining my own shows in a couple of years. I want people to be relating to my music through the heartfelt songs I write. A dream of mine has always been to play the grand ole Opry. I also want to see myself opening shows for Morgan Wallen throughout my journey.