Maddox Batson Talks ‘First Dance’ EP, Finding His “Girl In Green,” And Joining Lainey Wilson On Whirlwind Tour

Maddox Batson’s long-awaited debut EP, First Dance, has officially arrived. The collection, released on March 21, 2025, via Prosper Entertainment/Warner Records, features seven tracks, including the already buzzed-about “X’s,” “I Don’t Like You Anymore” and “Southbound.”

Overall, First Dance offers a little bit of everything for listeners, with Batson drawing inspiration from artists like Morgan Wallen to traditional country singers like Keith Whitley and George Strait, and pop icons like Justin Bieber, Justin Timberlake, and the Jonas Brothers.

Of his influences for the project, Batson explained, “I feel like I take a lot of bits and pieces from a lot of people, but on this project in particular… Keith Whitley like, definitely just the vocal aspect, I guess you could say. But with Morgan, just the beat and the upbeat aspect of it, with the Jonas Brothers thing, kind of the love song about the girls and all that kind of stuff. With the Bieber thing, kind of just the heart throb, and there are a lot of different things that I’ll take from a lot of ’em. So I take everything from a lot of artists and I just mix it in and make me.”

All of those influences, combined, have helped shape Batson into one of the most promising young country stars today. With the release of his EP, this 15-year-old powerhouse is setting the stage for a future as big as his talent—because for Maddox Batson, the sky is truly the limit.

Maddox Batson Opens Up About First Dance EP

In a recent interview with Music Mayhem, Maddox Batson credited his fan base for having been the backbone throughout his musical journey, saying if it weren’t for them, he likely wouldn’t have been able to release First Dance.

“I’m very proud of my work, and I’m very proud of the stuff that I’ve done,” he shared. “I give it all back to the fans. I wouldn’t be able to release it without ’em. But yeah, it was a very good process, and I’m glad we narrowed it down to the seven [tracks] that we did because I’m very proud of every one of ’em. They’re great songs.”

He Has Found The “Girl In Green”

One of those songs is the infectious “Girl In Green,” written by Batson alongside Peter Fenn and Sam Romans. The tune features a relaxed melody and finds the singer/songwriter on a quest to find the girl in green, as the title suggests. 

“Tell me, have you seen the girl in green? / Felt like a movie, guеss it could’ve been a dream / Man, it was a shame, didn’t catch hеr name / I been looking for her ever since she walked away / Running through my mind, running through my head / Haven’t been the same since the night we met / Tell me, have you seen, mm, have you seen / The girl in the green?” Batson sings throughout the catchy chorus.

When asked whether or not he had found the elusive girl in the green, Batson divulged, “I actually have found her,” noting, “This is based on a true story. I met her at a show in Ohio, and for some reason, my mind went blank when she walked into the meet and greet room.”

“I never asked her name,” the 2025 Music Mayhem Artist To Watch remembered. “And that was the worst decision in my life because, for about three weeks, my entire team and I were on a scavenger hunt to find this girl.”

Luckily, Batson says he did find her thanks, in part, to her mom, who “reached out, and I was like, ‘I’m glad we found her, and if I hadn’t found her, what would I look for in a girl in green? Probably just outgoing, smart, that type of thing, I guess, you could say. And, hopefully, wearing green. That’s a good factor.”

While he may have found his “Girl In Green,” he did confirm that she is not his girlfriend and that he is currently single. “I am single guys, I am so sorry to burst your bubble,” he admitted with a laugh.

Batson Co-Wrote All Seven Song On The EP, Including “I Don’t Like You Anymore”

A well-rounded artist, Batson co-wrote all seven songs on First Dance. For the EP, he collaborated with a bevy of highly respected songwriters in the music industry, including Ashley Gorley, Hunter Phelps, and David Garcia, on the standout track, “I Don’t Like You Anymore.” The song preceded the EP, and garnered over 1 million streams on Spotify, while its accompanying video earned 3.2 million views on YouTube. 

Sharing the story behind the track, Batson said, “It wasn’t based on an IRL (in real life) experience, something that I experienced personally…. We walked into the writing room and…Ashley Gorley, one of the best writers, it was just an idea that he had, and we base it off that, and I was like, ‘Dang, I kind of like this because it’s not what you’d expect. ‘I Don’t Like You Anymore,’ you’re like, ‘Oh, this is a breakup song.’ But then when you actually hear it, you’re like, I don’t like you anymore. I love you… It is a pretty cool play on words. It’s awesome.”

READ: Maddox Batson Reveals Top 5 Tour Essentials As He Launches His Sold-Out Headlining Tour

EP Showcases His Impressive Talent As A Singer/Songwriter

Elsewhere, is the lovey-dovey slow-tempo, “It Was You,” which captures a different side of Batson, showing him in a mellow state in comparison to tracks like “X’s” and “Girl In Green.” The finger-snapping “Problem,” meanwhile, finds Batson boldly calling out a significant other for bringing toxicity into their relationship.

“Maybe you’re the problem / You keep saying it’s me / But you keep on calling nights that you can’t sleep / And, baby, I think the issue you keep making me miss you / But it ain’t me holding on / Maybe you’re the problem,” Batson croons.

“God Talkin,’” on the other hand, finds Batson digging deeper and leaning into his spiritual side as he showcases his gratitude to a higher power for helping him find the girl of his dreams. He sings, “I could find Him in the sky / I could find Him in a pew / But, girl, I found mine in your five-foot-five baby blues / Got me praying you’re the one that’s staying / And I’m the one you’ll always choose / When you say my name, I know it’s true / It’s gotta be God talking to me through you.”

Along with the release of First Dance, Batson has made some impressive milestones. Just last month, he made his Grand Ole Opry debut, performing two tracks from his EP — “I Don’t Like You Anymore” and “It Was You.” Already, his headlining Road To Indio tour, which kicked off on March 28, has completely sold out and concludes with a performance at the prestigious Stagecoach Festival.

READ: Maddox Batson Reflects On Dream Come True Opry Debut: “It Just Means The World To Me”

Gearing Up To Hit The Road With Lainey Wilson

But those are just a few of several highlights Batson has on the horizon. Later this year, he will join Lainey Wilson as a supporting act on five dates of her Whirlwind tour. One of those stops includes a hometown show at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena. Performing at this venue holds deep meaning and is extra special for Batson, as his older sister spent four years working for the Nashville Predators, the professional ice hockey team based there. Now, as part of his team, she gets to return to the arena—this time working alongside him as a touring artist.

“I mean, it means everything to me. It’s super cool, and it’s going to be my first ever arenas, I guess you could say, to play. So it’s going to be crazy,” Batson beamed.

On receiving the news to join Wilson on tour, Batson said, “I got the call, and they’re like, ‘Hey, Maddox, I have some pretty cool news.’ I was like, ‘What’s up?’ My mom walked in through the door on my left and started filming. And I was like, ‘Okay, so something’s really up.’ And they were like, ‘Yeah, you’re going out on tour with Laney Wilson.’ I think I verbally screamed.”

“I can’t lie. It was a pretty cool moment because Lainey, she’s killing the game right now. You can’t think of country music without thinking of Lainey Wilson….,” he continued, adding that he has received advice from Wilson. “She’s great. [She] gives me advice when I’m going out on the road, and I’ll text her and just thank her and all that kind of stuff. And we have talked about how fun it’s going to be.”

More New Music On The Horizon

Touring aside, Batson sees no signs of slowing down and is well on his way to country music superstardom. In fact, he promises more music to come.

“Hopefully just an album or more singles coming out soon. We have a lot of music to write, but we already have a lot written, so it’s just a lot of work to put in,” he said. “But I’m really excited for what’s to come. A hundred percent.”

Looking ahead towards his bright future, Batson said he has several things he hopes to cross off his bucket list, including “probably either a number one album or a platinum album or a Grammy. I feel like that wouldn’t be bad. Shoot for the stars.”

Maddox Batson closed out the interview with a special message for his devoted fan base. “I give it all back to you guys. You guys are the reason I’m standing here talking to you. The reason I’m about to go up on [the Opry] stage, the reason I’m leaving on for a sold out tour,” he said with a big smile on his face. “So you guys are the best fans in the entire world, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I mean, you guys are the best, and I just give it all back to you.”

Maddox Batson’s First Dance EP Track List

For more information on Maddox Batson, his upcoming tour dates and new music, visit his official website HERE.