Madison Beer experienced her first taste of viral fame in 2013, when a Justin Bieber retweet launched her YouTube cover into the stratosphere. Suddenly, the 13-year-old from Jericho, Long Island, was navigating record deals and the full glare of the internet’s spotlight. And while many in her position might have fizzled out, Madison’s story is one of reinvention and growing into her own voice, both musically and personally.
In the years that followed, Madison moved from promising newcomer to bona fide pop artist, but not without weathering her own share of turbulence. After splitting from Island Records in 2016, she began releasing music as an independent artist – a gamble that could easily have backfired. Instead, it gave Madison room to carve out her own artistic identity. Her 2018 EP, “As She Pleases,” was proof she had more to offer than just industry hype; fans responded to her raw, confessional songwriting and sleek pop-R&B sound.
The Heart Behind the Music
Of course, fame doesn’t stop at the studio door. Like so many young artists, Madison has seen her personal life become public property. Her romances have, for better or worse, often become intertwined with her art. Songs like “Selfish” and “Reckless” lay bare the fallout of heartbreak, blurring the line between Madison the pop star and Madison the young woman figuring it all out in front of an audience.
Recently, she’s been linked to TikTok creator Nick Austin, a relationship that’s unfolded mostly under the radar since early 2021. Compared to her earlier, more public romances, this one is strikingly low-key: fleeting Instagram posts and the rare candid moment, but otherwise, both Madison and Nick have been guarded about sharing too much. It’s a noticeable shift for Madison, who seems protective of the parts of her life she doesn’t want to offer up to the public.
Looking back, Madison’s dating history reads like a who’s who of Gen Z pop culture. She dated Zack Bia on and off between 2017 and 2019, a relationship that played out in the spotlight and eventually fizzled for good. There was a rumored spark with NBA player Blake Griffin in 2019, though neither of them ever confirmed it. In 2017, her friendship with Brooklyn Beckham became tabloid fodder, but Madison maintained they were just friends. And her first major public relationship – an especially tough one – was with Jack Gilinsky of the duo Jack & Jack, ending in 2017 under difficult circumstances.
Finding Balance
What stands out as Madison moves into her mid-20s is how her attitude toward fame and relationships has matured. During a candid 2020 Instagram Live, she acknowledged, “I’ve learned that I need to find myself before I can be a good partner to anyone else.” This kind of honesty feels hard-won, and the boundaries she’s since set around her private life reflect it.
The constant scrutiny hasn’t always been easy. In interviews, Madison has been upfront about how cruel comments and the never-ending speculation can take their toll: “People don’t realize there’s a human being on the other side of their comments,” she once told Billboard. Maybe that’s why, even as she pours her heart into her music, she’s become more careful about what she shares offstage.
Rather than letting the “celebrity girlfriend” narrative define her, Madison has managed to use it as a kind of creative fuel. “Life Support,” her 2021 album, is full of songs that grapple with love and loss, but they do so on her own terms – not as fodder for tabloids, but as the confessions of a young woman coming into her own. There’s a sense of closure and clarity in her newer music, the result of someone who’s both processed her past and learned to let it inform her growth.
Now 24, Madison Beer seems to walk the line between public and private with more confidence than ever. In interviews, she chooses her words carefully, reflecting the lessons learned in a whirlwind decade under the spotlight. She’s figured out how to be vulnerable in her art while preserving her own boundaries – and maybe that’s the secret to her longevity.
Past Relationships
Nick Austin
Blake Griffin
Zack Bia
Brooklyn Peltz Beckham
Jack Gilinsky
Claudia Tihan
For anyone who’s watched her journey from that first viral video to now, Madison’s story is, at its core, about transformation: turning early attention into something authentic and durable. As she continues to evolve, both musically and personally, it’s this thoughtful balance between openness and self-preservation that might just become her signature.
