Strumming her guitar, singing into the mic, she could hardly believe this was real life. Just a few years ago she was here as a kid soaking in the rodeo and entertainment. And now, from singing alone in her room, to opening for Russell Westbrook, Maddie Mae Bratton’s rise to fame is imminent. 

The senior performed at the Houston Livestock and Rodeo on the Lane Boots stage last week.

The opportunity to perform at such a large event is extremely competitive. Bratton was one of thousands who sent in a tape and one of the talented few who were picked to perform. 

“They announce the positions for the rodeo so you can send in auditions and out of all the people that sent auditions in, there are around 25 that get picked,” Bratton said.

This experience is truly career changing for a budding artist. 

“It was the best day of my life,” she said. 

One particularly special aspect about the Houston Rodeo is the community. Kids who grow up around the area each year are able to see their favorite country artists while participating in the rodeo events. Bratton was no exception. 

“It was full circle because when I was little I did the mutton busting on that same day,” Bratton said.

Considering this was the biggest show she’d ever played, she had to prepare differently. Although, the preparation for this show did not go as planned. 

“On Thursday morning I got strep throat,” Bratton said. “So I chugged honey and tea all day Thursday and Friday morning. Then I had to change my entire set list because I couldn’t sing too high or too low,” she said.

Playing at the Rodeo was a huge step, and a dream come true. Thousands of people were able to hear her sing. She was paid by the boot company and earned tips.

In late 2025 Maddie released her first song, but performing has been a dream for a very long time.

“I’ve been singing all my life,” Bratton said. “I released my first and only song a few days after my very first show. I only released that song because I worked on it everyday for weeks and because everyone encouraged me.” 

To go from just recently releasing her first song to playing at the rodeo was a drastic step. This is just the first of many milestones for Bratton. She plans to continue pursuing music throughout her life.

“I have dozens of shows booked, and I plan on going to Blinn and then Texas A&M for music performance,” Bratton said. “This was hopefully the start of something bigger.”