Long before MaryJo Young auditioned for ABC’s “American Idol,” the Ohio native was frightened to share her voice. A cover of Tate McRae’s smash hit “You Broke Me First” granted the hopeful a one-way ticket to Hollywood and foreshadowed her bright future in the industry.
The world quickly learned her name on Season 19 and admired her wide-vocal range. On a weekly basis, music enthusiasts would tune in and cast their ballots – pushing MaryJo to the next round. The 19-year-old at the time was cut before making it to the top 20, but the unexpected elimination fueled her fire.
Nearly two years later, MaryJo inked a deal with Atlantic Records and released a soul-stirring single titled “Love Fools.” The debut displays her powerhouse pipes, vocal confidence, and razor-sharp songwriting. While sitting down with Celeb Secrets, MaryJo reflected on her growth as an artist.
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“I could talk in front of people…that part was okay. On the other hand, I would never sing in front of anyone,” said the songstress. “I didn’t let anyone know. I posted on Twitter here and there in seventh grade, but I would delete them right away. By the first show on Idol, I learned how to sing and not be nervous. They pushed me in there, and I’m like, ‘here we go.'”
The same fearless drive she projected on the show, scored her an opportunity to write in prestigious rooms in Nashville, TN. MaryJo joined forces with esteemed songsmiths Baeu Bailey, Logan Maggio, and Clara Park to pen “Love Fools.” Grammy-nominated and 2x ACM pianist, Gordon Mote backs her tender vocals in the relatable breakup ballad.
The keyboard-soaked melody is destined to pull at heartstrings, as listeners can hear the devastation in MaryJo’s delivery about a toxic relationship that shattered her spirit. Within the captivating chorus, she questions her decisions and why her dreadful lover holds momentous power.
“Thought I was smarter than this | Thought by the second time around, I’d have this love thing down | or at least some common sense | It’s funny how four letters can dismiss all your rationale,” the must-watch musician belts. “But I just can’t break this pattern | I’m addicted with no way to quit. Holding on to what’ll shatter, thought I was smarter than this.”
MaryJo exclusively told Celeb Secrets that writing “Love Fools” was far from easy, as she has been in a healthy six-year relationship. To find inspiration, the singer turned to her girlfriends, who have had their fair share of dreadful partners.
“My friend Baeu Bailey had started writing it. Sitting down at the piano, he said, ‘I want to write a MaryJo song.’ So he started writing it. He wrote the chorus, and we wrote the rest of the song together,” she declared. “I took all of my friends’ satiations and just tried to hone in on theirs.”
The powerhouse pointed out that she was pleasantly surprised by the fan reaction. Upon release, MaryJo was thrilled to hear that listeners were resonating with the genuine lyrics. Sonically she said that “Love Fools” represents her as a singer-songwriter.
“I think everyone was excited, because they could all take it in as their own. They were happy that they had a song they could relate to,” she said. “I love weird melodies. It was just fun to write and sing, because it’s so jumpy. Even though it’s a depressing song, it represents my fun side.”
With 1.3M followers on TikTok alone in her corner, she is already looking forward and is ready to keep up the positive momentum. MaryJo has exclusively confirmed that new music is in the pipeline, which will showcase her vibrant personality.
“We’ve definitely been honing in on more up-tempo songs,” she added with a beaming smile. “In concerts, I don’t want everyone to be crying the whole time. They are fun and uppity songs. It still has big vocals, but stuff that everyone can sing. The next one is groovy.”
She declared that the forthcoming single would arrive in less than a month.
“I am feeling excited. I’m letting it all happen and soaking it all in,” shared MaryJo. “Now I’m ready to release the next one. We will try to release a new song every four to six weeks.”
Will you be adding “Love Fools” to your daily rotation? Let us know by dropping a reaction below or by sending us a tweet at @celebsecrets.
