CMA-Fest-X-SoFi-Vertical-Stack-2026-Nashville.png

#CMAFest24: Canada’s brightest new star, Madeline Merlo talks musical journey and being vulnerable in her art

The 51st annual CMA Festival is currently underway in downtown Nashville!

From Thursday to Sunday, roughly 90,000 country music fans hit Broadway to see all their favorite artists and future up-and-comers.

We were able to catch up with Madeline Merlo.
She is one of Canada’s brightest new country stars with accomplishments ranging from 2015’s Canadian Country Music Association’s Rising Star Award, winning Songland in 2020, and is one of CMT’s 2024 Next Women of Country Class.

We spoke with her about playing CMA Fest for the second time, her musical journey, and some of her latest hits!

Check out her latest MDR appearance HERE

Rural Lifestyle & Entertainment Shows
Experts from the University of Nebraska Medical Center discuss health and how it impacts farmers, ranchers, and rural Americans on this special LIVE call-in show.
Strong rural traditions, religion, cowboy boots, and technology collide in “Cowboy Church” — and taking part is as easy as turning on the TV! Airing Sundays on RFD Network.
This half-hour program showcases the finest traditional country music that America has to offer. Recorded live at the four-acre Circle T Arena in Hamilton, Texas, each episode of TruCountry features live performances by some of the nation’s most authentic country music artists, playing good-time songs to a jam-packed dance floor.
The internationally-known “King of Polka,” 18-time Grammy award winner for “Best Polka Album,” and bandleader of arguably the most popular polka band in America—Jimmy Sturr—is taking to the stage for another slate of shows made for his fans and polka lovers across the country.
“Small Town, Big Deal” follows hosts Rodney Miller and Jann Carl across the country as they scour rural America for the best stories of faith, hope, patriotism, and good common sense that our small towns and farming communities have to offer.