Maddie & Tae Are Splitting Up After 15 Years As A Duo — Here's Why

Maddie Font and Taylor Kerr are splitting up after 15 years as country duo Maddie & Tae.

Font and Kerr, both 30, confirmed to PEOPLE in a story shared on Monday (December 8) that they will no longer move forward as a duo; however, they declined to call the change a “breakup.” Kerr opted to place “her career on hold for the foreseeable future to focus on her family,” the report states, and Font will continue with a solo career. Font told PEOPLE — and Kerr agreed — that “we’re leaving this so open-ended because, you know, we might make another record one day. We might go do some tour dates one day. But just in this season, it doesn't feel aligned for us to do it together.”

The two country artists added to the publication that “we’re still walking and doing life together,” despite not moving forward as Maddie & Tae. They hesitated to call the decision a breakup. Kerr said the decision has been “hard” and “heartbreaking.” The former duo shared an emotional conversation over the phone, and Font told PEOPLE they’ve “been sitting on this secret for months, which has been hard.”

Kerr and her husband, songwriter and producer Josh Kerr, are parents to daughter Leighton Grace, who turns 4 in January, and son Chapel Shields, who celebrated his first birthday on October 29. Font and her husband, Jonah Font, welcomed Baby No. 1, son Forrest Henry, in September 2023. Kerr and Font have spoken — and written music about — balancing music and motherhood over the years.

Maddie & Tae met via their vocal coach in 2010, launched their career as a duo in 2014, scoring an unforgettable breakout single with “Girl in a Country Song,” from their self-titled EP. Their debut album, Start Here, followed in 2015. Since then, they’ve become known for “Die From A Broken Heart,” “Heart They Didn’t Break,” “Woman You Got” and more. Earlier this year, Maddie & Tae released their latest studio album, Love & Light. The 16-track project included “Free Like,” “Kissing Cowboys,” “What A Woman Can Do,” “Drunk Girls in Bathrooms,” “Sad Summer,” “Chasing Babies & Raising Dreams” (an example of their balance between family and music), and more. Over the years, Maddie & Tae have received recognition from the Country Music Association, the Academy of Country Music, the CMT Music Awards and more.

“Life changes, and there’re seasons where your family needs you more,” Kerr said while speaking with PEOPLE. “I feel very, very grateful that I am in the position that I get to now choose to stay home and be with my family.”

Font added that “motherhood is so hard and so beautiful, and there’s no one right way to do it. I think it’s incredible to decide to take a step back from your career and be a stay-at-home mom. I think it’s incredible to be a working mom and still nurture your family and find that balance. We have this opportunity to be an example of both sides, both beautiful and wonderful.” She added that “the spirit of T [Kerr] is gonna be in everything I do,” in her solo music moving forward. She might even make a guest appearance in the recording studio.

Though Maddie & Tae will not call it a farewell tour, the two artists will continue their planned shows together over the next several months. They said a breakup sounds “so dramatic,” and they’re simply “embarking on separate journeys, but still together.”

“Thank you for all the love as we step into this new bittersweet chapter,” Maddie & Tae shared on Instagram after confirming their decision to go separate ways. “We both feel overwhelmed with gratitude for what we’ve built with y’all the last 12 years. Thank you for making our wildest dreams come true and we hope you stay close by to watch us chase some new dreams 🤍 We love you so much and hope you still come shake ya booty with us on tour next year 🤟🏼”