On The Split of Country Duo Maddie & Tae

Random Notes 28 Comments

Maddie Marlow Font (left), Tae Dye Kerr (right)


You can’t say you didn’t see it coming, and you can’t really say you blame them. It’s hard in country music for women, for duos, for mothers, for performers who want to keep their integrity in tact, and all of these things describe Maddie & Tae, probably best known for their breakout single and Bro-Country kiss off, 2014’s smash #1 single “Girl in a Country Song.”

On Monday, December 8th, Maddie Marlow Font and Tae Dye Kerr announced they are officially splitting up as a duo, but insist it’s not a permanent breakup. They’re leaving the door open to working together in the future, and remain close friends. This decision wasn’t the result of some contentious feud or fight. It was due primarily to Tae Kerr wanting to spend more time at home with her two children and growing family.

“It’s been such a hard, hard—honestly, heartbreaking—decision,” Tae Kerr says. “This was the only dream I’ve ever had since I exited the womb. I had a very specific vision of creating music and singing music. When we met at 15, that’s what we set out to do, and we’re both just so grateful that we’ve had the journey that we’ve had. This career has been everything we’ve ever wanted.”

But now Tae Kerr wants to spend time at home being the mother to her four year old daughter and 13 month son, and the wife to her husband Josh Kerr, who is a hit country songwriter and Grammy winner. Maddie Font has a two year old son of her own, but her husband is the stay-at-home member of the couple, and Maddie looks forward to launching a solo career.

“I’m a mother, too, so I totally understand the pull,” says Maddie Font. “We both were very aware of Tae’s heart just not being in touring as much,” which ultimately led to the decision. The duo says recording music or performing live together in the future is not out of the question.

The legacy Maddie & Tae leave behind (or put on pause) is a complex one to consider. Though some regard them as a one hit wonder via “Girl in a Country Song” who never really developed beyond the shticky track, that’s not true at all. The duo followed up the song with the Top 10 “Fly” that was later Certified Platinum.

Then five years later in 2019, the duo’s song “Die From a Broken Heart” became a massive hit, cresting at #1 and becoming Certified 4X Platinum. “Friends Don’t” only reached the 30s on radio, but was a major organic hit, and has been Certified Platinum too, giving Maddie & Tae four Platinum certifications.

But the story of the duo really is a story of only a few genuine breakout hits over a span of 11 years, with not much in-between. Though they were nominated for the CMA’s Duo of the Year 11 times, and the ACMs Duo of the Year nine, this speaks more to the weakness of the category than any real staying power or cultural cache that Maddie & Tae enjoyed. They were the anti-Bro duo, yet ironically feel like a relic of the Bro-Country era in some respects.

Irrespective of the measure of their success, the duo has always been easy to root for. They were a bit more country than their mainstream counterparts, and were willing to have a little fun and be funny, and take chances. They caused a stir in the mainstream, with Florida Georgia Line’s Brian Kelley getting heated over “Girl in a Country Song.” They were one of the few mainstream country female success stories of the era. If nothing else, they outlasted Florida Georgia Line.

However, the backdrop of the pseudo breakup is the duo’s 2025 album Love & Light that didn’t seem to raise the pulse of just about anybody. They tried to make “Heart They Didn’t Break” into a single, but it failed to chart. The fire and frivolity of some of their early music felt replaced by complacent musings on life and maturity—perhaps appropriate for their moment in life, but not especially compelling to audiences. It was also more contemporary in a more country moment.

Maddie & Tae met in 2010 in Dallas when they were 15 after being paired up by a vocal coach. One was from Oklahoma, and the other was from Houston, and they met half way. They’ve literally spent half of their lives together as duo singers and co-writers.

“I just want to make sure that our fans know how much we love them and how grateful we are for them,” says Maddie Font. “We have kept doing this for so long because of them. They have been the gasoline in our tank.”

The duo still has about a dozen shows on their calendar through June of 2026 before officially calling it quits.

– – – – – – – – – – –

If you found this article valuable, consider leaving Saving Country Music A TIP.

© 2025 Saving Country Music

,