Maddox Batson fulfilled a lifelong dream when he made his Grand Ole Opry debut on Wednesday, March 26, stepping into the legendary Opry circle for the very first time.
Maddox Batson Makes Dream Come True Grand Ole Opry Debut
After being introduced by Opry host Charlie Mattos, the 2025 Music Mayhem Artist To Watch took to the stage with a big smile that never left his face throughout the duration of his two-song performance. He entered the Opry stage to roaring applause from the crowd, which was packed with his fans, including girls dressed in green (inspired by his song “Girl In Green”).
“This is pretty cool,” Batson said as he stepped into the circle before performing his fan-favorite hit, “I Don’t Like You Anymore.”
He took a moment to showcase gratitude and graciously thank the Grand Ole Opry and his family, friends and fans for being at the show. “I wish I knew what to say… Being up here on the stage… it means more to me than I think anything in my whole being of my whole 15 years of life. I haven’t lived a whole lot,” Batson told the audience. “What I do know is this is a pretty cool stage to be up on. I just want to give a big shout-out to my family who’s here tonight and everyone. Oh man, I can’t stop smiling. I came up here, and I just started cheesing, and it won’t go away. It’s weird, but I guess that’s how it goes when you’re up here. I just want to thank so much all you guys for coming out tonight.”
Maddox Batson concluded his performance with “It Was You.”
Surrounded by over 30 loved ones, including family, friends, and his team, Maddox Batson felt the overwhelming support on his special night. However, he admitted there was one person he wished could have witnessed this milestone—his late grandfather, who passed away in December 2024. “My dad’s dad, I feel like he’d like to be here. So yeah, definitely him. We actually bought him a seat, so I know he’s out there,” Batson shared.
Opry host Charlie Mattos spoke with Batson about stepping into the circle and growing up about an hour North of the Grand Ole Opry prior to him exiting the sacred stage. “It was the coolest thing ever, like walking out on this stage and I mean the circle. I mean, it’s just something I’ve wanted to do for my entire life and I know I haven’t lived a long time, but I mean, honestly, it has been. Growing up in the country music space and growing up knowing the prestige of the Grand Ole Opry and actually coming out here to play it… I mean, it just means the world to me. It’s the coolest thing ever.”
Making His Grand Ole Opry Debut Means “Absolutely Everything” To Him
Before taking the iconic stage for his Opry debut, Maddox Batson spoke with Music Mayhem backstage, sharing that this milestone means “absolutely everything” to him.
“I grew up learning about the Opry, especially growing up in a country music household, kind of like I did. Both of my parents are very big in country music and very big in the Opry. So it just means the world to me. I can’t wait to walk out in the circle. It’s going to be awesome,” Batson said.
To prepare for his big moment at the Grand Ole Opry, Batson said he had “a lot of practice and a lot of just calming yourself down, practicing on just chilling out, because you can get yourself really, really worked up, and I feel like as long as you just stay calm and just do what you know you can do and do what you’ve done previously, I feel like you have nothing but success, I guess you could say.”
Recalls Being Invited To Make His Opry Debut
The 15-year-old viral sensation also recalled the “surreal” moment when he got the invitation to make his Grand Ole Opry debut.
“So I was actually in my living room. I was in the process of moving, and me, my mom, my dad and my sister… We were all standing behind the couch and just out of nowhere during the stress of moving, I got an email from [my publicist] that said, ‘Hey, Maddox, you’re going to be making your Opry debut.’ And everything just went like… you know how you just get stressed out when you’re moving, and all that kind of stuff. Everything just mellowed out,” he explained. “And we called my whole family and my Nana’s crying and all that kind of stuff. It was a surreal moment. It was super awesome, and I’m super excited. It’s going to be awesome. I can’t even put it into words”
First Dance EP, Sold-Out Headlining Tour
Maddox Batson’s Opry debut came just five days after the release of his debut EP, First Dance, which features six tracks, including “I Don’t Like You Anymore,” “Girl In Green,” “X’s,” “God Talkin’,” “Problem,” “It Was You” and “Soundbound.” Additionally, the fast-rising country star is gearing up to hit the road on his completely sold-out headlining tour, which kicks off on March 28 at The Bluestone in Columbus, Ohio.
This is just the beginning for Batson. With his devoted fan base and undeniable star power, Maddox Batson is on the fast track to country music stardom.
For additional information on Maddox Batson and his upcoming tour dates, visit his official website at MaddoxBatson.com.
