Max McNown creates the kind of songs that perfectly soundtrack our most intimate moments: times of intense heartache and tremendous loss, immense upheaval and life-changing revelation. Within just a year of teaching himself to play guitar, the Oregon-bred, Nashville-based musician turned out three EPs spotlighting his emotionally potent yet nuanced lyrics—an element beautifully displayed on his breakout single “A Lot More Free,” a track that landed on Billboard’s Emerging Artists chart and greatly expanded his grassroots following. Anchored in the charmingly warm vocal presence he partly honed by busking at the beach in Southern California, McNown’s debut album Wandering brings an even deeper sense of purpose to his songwriting—and, in turn, reveals his extraordinary capacity to ease the mind and strengthen the soul.

At 23, McNown has already been on a storied musical journey. Taking control of his future and drawing inspiration from his brother who was bravely fighting cancer, McNown packed his bags and drove from remote Oregon to Southern California. From there, videos of him busking on a pier made an impact online and eventually grew into a legion of supporters on TikTok.

After attracting interest from major TV talent shows, McNown auditioned for one and then decided it wasn’t for him, and gracefully turned them down as he knew he needed to walk his own path. His loyal fanbase then helped McNown amass 80 million streams and a spot on Billboard’s Emerging Artists chart with his breakout single, “A Lot More Free,” which was recently #1 on the TikTok Breakthrough USA chart.

When wrestling with inevitable moments of self-doubt in the creative process and his fast moving career, McNown looks back to insight shared by his mother. “When I was younger I sang around the house all the time—I’d sing in the shower or before I went to bed, I’d always sing in the car,” he says. “My mom used to tell us growing up that singing means you have a happy heart. Even if the song’s about something difficult or painful, I still have a happy heart when I sing.

i’m so curious if people actually read these. can you comment a frog emoji on my instagram or something if you see this

I am an artist from Minnesota. I started writing music at a very basic level in 2019 after a college friend showed me the ropes of songwriting. This later blossomed into my first completed song, “Pieces,” which I shared with a friend at a pool party in late 2019. He was looking to get more work as a producer, and I wanted to try putting out a song for the first time. So, we went to his parents’ basement and finished my first song over a 3-4 month period. I honestly struggled with the process so much and didn’t really know if I even wanted to continue. I had never experienced handing the reins of my creative work over to someone else; it was uncomfortable at first.

I released the song in January 2020 and didn’t expect much. I remember I went to Colorado over winter break with some friends, and we were on an early sunrise hike when I checked my phone to see that the song had been played 14,000 times in a single day. I was dumbfounded. We decided that we might as well keep going, and that led to the creation of two EPs in basements, which began my career as a songwriter, even though I had spent my entire life thinking I would be a professional drummer.

The last few years have been a blur of writing and touring, but I just want everyone to know how thankful I am to do what I do. If you’ve read this far, you mean a lot to me. Much love to you all