ABOUT MADDE
Madde Gruber, born July 9th, 1999, is a Los Angeles-based independent musician, songwriter, and producer from Chico, California. Writing songs since childhood, she taught herself guitar at age eleven and began recording her own music at age fourteen, developing a deep desire for raw, unapologetic songwriting and a hands-on approach to producing her own music.
Photo by Aaron Harmon (April 2026)
Madde released her first recorded song, “I’m Doing Fine” in 2014 and her debut album, Q.E.D., in 2016 while still in high school. After moving to Los Angeles in 2017 to study songwriting at Los Angeles College of Music, Madde began performing and touring with musicians she met through school. Her second album, One More Hour, was released in 2018, an intentionally raw record written in the cloud of young adulthood and influenced by artists ranging from The White Stripes and The Clash to Little Richard and Prince.
She eventually dropped out of college to tour full-time. Leaving for tour with drummer Justin Almazan, eventually forming the alternative rock duo, The Viles. The pair toured extensively before disbanding in 2020.
Madde’s third album, The Salt To Walk On, marked a major evolution in her songwriting and production. Released in 2022, the album was recorded in California and in Liverpool, England. In the U.K., she worked on The Salt To Walk On with longtime friend Natalie Nimmo. A deeply personal record about grief, healing, growth, identity, and survival, the album pushed her punk foundations into darker and more experimental territory, incorporating elements of industrial music alongside her established sound. Madde has described the record as her most therapeutic work to date.
As a completely independent artist, Madde has written, produced, recorded, and mastered much of her own catalog, maintaining a distinctly DIY approach throughout her career. Her music is confrontational without a loss of vulnerability. Her writing holds anger, grief, humor, tenderness, isolation, and defiance all at once. Her songwriting is mostly derived directly from her own life, often turning difficult experiences into something loud, strange, and ultimately cathartic but always extremely honest.
Following years of touring in the U.S. and internationally, Madde returned to Los Angeles in 2026 and began work on her fourth studio album. After battling a prolonged period of writer’s block, a major move and change in environment helped her get pen to paper again. She has since been assembling a new body of work that continues to push beyond her traditional roots, with the fourth album currently in progress and its release date still to be announced.
Outside of music, Madde is a dedicated cyclist, bikepacking enthusiast, long-distance trail runner, tattoo artist, writer, and loves to emphasize the importance of community building. These interests are deeply intertwined with the way she approaches her art: independent, extremely restless, ecstatically physical, and always moving forward.
With three studio albums behind her, years of touring under her belt, and a fourth record in the womb, Madde continues to build her career entirely on her own terms; One song, one show, and one loud-mouthed idea at a time.
About The Music
ALBUMS
THE SALT TO WALK ON
‘The Salt To Walk On’ was released on April 8, 2022, followed by an independent 6-week US tour. Madde wrote and recorded this album in Liverpool, UK, with Natalie Nimmo. This album talks about grief, healing, and growth.
“This was the most therapeutic album I have ever written, talking about the 2 hardest years I have ever had to go through. I am so lucky to have been able to put this out and share it with people who have the similar struggles.” - Madde Gruber (2022)
One More Hour
‘One More Hour’ was released on July 2, 2018, and was written over the course of 2 years, then released while Madde was studying at LACM. This album is about moving forward and not listening to anyone who has doubts about you and your abilities. This was therapeutic for Madde to write and release after so many people told her she couldn’t be a musician, so she wrote an album about it.
“The record is a huge step forward in both Gruber’s songwriting/performance and in production for a Madde release. One More Hour was recorded over the last year all around California—Chico, Folsom, Hollywood, Pasadena—and it’s a super-fun slice of fuzzy garage/pop rock. The catchy fist-pumping opening song, “Worth It All,” is particularly impressive in all its hyper, overdriven guitar bluster.”
It was released with a music video of the third song on the album, ‘I Got Somethin’ For Ya Babe’-watch it here
Q.E.D.
‘Q.E.D.’ was released on December 6, 2016, while Madde was a senior in high school. This album tells stories that have hidden meaning, each song has a different story to it. The 11th song on the album, ‘I’m Doing Fine’, is the first song Madde ever recorded in her bedroom and learned how to produced by herself. This album is unmastered and made for those who just want raw rock n’ roll. Highly inspired by artists such as The White Stripes, Little Richard, The Clash, and Prince.
SINGLES
SHE
CALVARY
‘CALVARY’ is Madde’s 2nd single from The Salt To Walk On, released in May 2021. This song is close to Madde’s heart, writing about the struggles of recovery.
“i try to be as transparent as i can when i write because it's my job to speak truths.this song is about my recovery process and my struggles with anorexia and OCD. i never realized how much it has taken away from me over the past 11 years until i hit rock bottom. i wrote this song over the course of eight months at my lowest points as i was in and out of rehab and the hospital. i had to understand that if i wanted to live, i had to face the truth and fight. i was scared shitless. i had to put my entire life on pause during this time and focus on my health. looking back at where i was compared to where i am now and how much work i had to do to get here is something i am very proud of and i am very lucky to have met the people and resources i have during this time. i am happy to share this song with you all and to give it to anyone who needs it. i want anyone who struggles with an ED (or any kind of addiction) to know you are not alone. its scary as hell reaching out for help and being vulnerable but the lessons i have learned from doing so are now tools i am very fortunate to have for the rest of my life and on the rest of my recovery journey to now be able to do things i could not do before and live my life how i’ve always wanted to. every day is a struggle but it gets a little easier every week as i keep working toward where i want to be. somedays it's one step forward then three steps back, days where all my body will let me do is sleep, and learning that i have to accept the truth that i have an eating disorder, i don't want to live in denial any more. i have to remind myself of these things every single day as recovery does not feel like a natural path and it is scary. along with all this, i know there is nothing linear about the process of recovery and that is completely okay.don’t be afraid to reach out for help, pain is universal and it doesn’t last forever.”
- Madde Gruber (2021)
LET LOVE IN
BRITISH RACING GREEN
‘British Racing Green’ was first released on Jan.9, 2019, as a single and eventually ended up on Madde’s third album, The Salt To Walk On. Produced by Justin Almazan and recorded in Los Angeles, CA.
“A Love Letter to my 15-year-old self, trying to embody what I was feeling after my parents got divorced. I would watch ‘Top Gear’ with my dad and brother very often, and those nights were my favorite, learning about cars and specifically, learning about the Jaguar XKE in the color British Racing Green, that car stuck with me and has been my favorite car simply because I think it is beautiful. The other part of this song’s meaning embodies being a teenager who felt lost and hurt. My favorite thing to do to help me feel human, aside from writing music, is riding my bike. All of high school, as soon as school got out until dark, I was on the road. That feeling of riding my bike in the fall, by myself, riding every trail I could find on my single speed, there was nothing like that feeling of flying down a hill or pushing my limits on the bike. I have always been and always will be a cyclist. I just like things that go fast, and my favorite color is green.”
- Madde (April 4, 2025)