Song You Need: Madison McFerrin sounds ready for stardom on “(Please Don’t) Leave Me Now”

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When you envision a phoenix rising from the ashes, do you imagine a creature letting out a triumphant bellow or simply brushing the dirt off its shoulder? Madison McFerrin takes the latter tack on "(Please Don't) Leave Me Now," the second single from the soul-pop artist's upcoming debut album I Hope You Can Forgive Me. After emerging physically unscathed from a serious car injury, McFerrin threw herself into songwriting and reckoned with her incinerated views on life's flimsy guarantees.

Crucially, McFerrin doesn't lose any of the unforced feel-goodness that helped her breakthrough with 2019's You + I EP, though her focus has shifted. That project was Brainfeeder-adjacent with beat scene loops undergirding McFerrin's commanding presence ("Know You Better," an almost-acapella track that became one of her best-known songs, is the exception).

With her new song, McFerrin sounds more determined than ever to transition from the moody clubs and onto a grander stage. "(Please Don't)" boasts a disco heart beneath its plush soul exterior, a burst of warmth as McFerrin wraps icily existential questions in the package of a decaying relationship. Still, as McFerrin coos the song's title in the hook, she never gives anything less than the impression of an artist who can handle whatever's thrown at her. She may even make it into a great song.