Why Madison Beer says her ‘locket’ album has ‘a sprinkle of 2011 on it’

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It’s a typical Saturday afternoon in Los Angeles, and traffic is flowing as usual, except for one famous singer who’s joining a meeting on Zoom.

I was chatting with Madison Beer recently, and she jokingly pointed out that we’re both getting up there – she just turned 26 in March, can you believe it? It really hits you sometimes how quickly time flies, even when you’re talking to someone so young and vibrant.

She put her phone down on the passenger seat to stay safe while driving. She explained she doesn’t control her own schedule, which is why she was doing an interview from the car. It’s been a hectic year for the singer, as she’s been actively releasing and promoting her new album, “locket.”

Initially known for her song covers on YouTube as a young teenager, Beer gained significant praise for her original music starting in 2018 with the release of her album, “As She Pleases.”

In 2021, her album “Silence Between Songs” earned her a Grammy nomination for immersive album of the year. Now, she has another chance to win at the upcoming February 1st ceremony, as her popular single “Make You Mine” is nominated for best dance/pop recording.

Released on January 16th, “Locket” could be the breakthrough Beer has been waiting for. While she’s incredibly talented and has a dedicated fanbase, she hasn’t yet achieved the widespread popularity of some other artists from her generation.

She’s been working hard on her music for the past two years, and it officially started with the energetic single, “yes baby,” which has electronic elements. She followed that up with the synth-pop song “bittersweet” and then “bad enough,” which had a more traditional pop sound. She’ll be performing her new music live on tour in 2026, including a show at the Kia Forum on June 24th.

She discussed the journey of “locket” with The Times, detailing its development from the initial idea to its release.

How have you grown as an artist since your last album, “Silence Between Songs?”

I feel like I’ve developed as a person, and I learned a valuable lesson from the response to my album, “Silence Between Songs.” People really connected with the songs where I was open and honest, and that showed me that a song doesn’t need to be popular to make a difference in people’s lives. That was really encouraging.

Isn’t it strange how songs written about your own life often resonate so deeply with your listeners?

The best part of what I do is when you write a song thinking nobody will understand it, and then you perform it in front of thousands of people who not only know all the words, but really connect with it emotionally. It’s incredible.

The song, featuring the phrase “yes baby,” definitely has a hyperpop vibe, which is popular right now. Can you tell us what, if anything, inspired you while creating it, or was it mostly your own original idea?

It didn’t really have a clear purpose, and I think it was still influenced by the success of “make you mine.”

For me, it all kicked off with the song “make you mine.” I think that was mainly because I was looking to create something energetic for the tour, as my previous album was pretty mellow and focused on acoustic sounds.

Did growing up in the 2010s influence the way you created these songs?

Absolutely. Gwen Stefani was a major inspiration for that song, “angel wings.” I was aiming for a nostalgic feel, with a hint of R&B influence.

To be honest, your point really captures the essence of the entire project. I think the album as a whole has a bit of a 2011 vibe to it.

Many sounds from that time period are worth bringing back, but do you think some of them should stay forgotten?

Looking back, there are definitely a few songs I’d rather not revisit, but overall, there’s a lot of really great material.

Before social media and platforms like TikTok changed things, musicians seemed to have a different approach to creating music – there was more willingness to try new things. I’m really drawn to that feeling and would love to capture it in my own work.

What did your writing process look like for this album?

Honestly, it’s quite disorganized. It’s been a while, so that’s not surprising. Usually, I start by working on the chords and music, and then I add the lyrics.

Well … no. Then I do melodies, and then I do lyrics. That’s usually the order of my operation.

It’s amazing to look back at that footage and see my thought process as I struggled to remember the lyrics. Now, of course, I know exactly what I was trying to say! I’m really glad we decided to record everything, because I’ve never filmed a songwriting session like that before.

I’ve never really filmed myself working before. I tend to get really focused, and I worried that setting up a camera would disrupt the natural flow of things. But we ended up just letting it record for a really long time, and it actually captured some genuine moments.

You mentioned the album was initially planned as a concept piece told from a robot’s point of view. What inspired that idea, and what led you to change direction?

I often begin projects with an idea, but it’s usually just the initial concept that excites me and gets the creative ball rolling. It’s less about the idea actually working out and more about finding something conceptually interesting to explore.

I was initially intrigued by the concept of creating a robot. While the project didn’t progress very far, I started thinking about how to make it engaging. I find it’s simpler to express myself through storytelling or songwriting by adopting a character’s viewpoint rather than my own.

Once I actually start working on something and feel comfortable being honest, I just go for it. I’m pretty open about sharing my work and don’t feel the need to disguise myself behind a character.

Was there anything you struggled with on this album, in particular?

I was really stressing myself out trying to top my previous album. I quickly learned that putting so much pressure on myself was actually counterproductive and held me back.

After realizing I didn’t need to focus on numbers or popularity, I decided to just create what I enjoyed. That freedom allowed me to write without any limitations.

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2026-01-26 14:02