Singer-songwriter McKayla Maddox, who goes by the stage name Sabelle, uses music to process her emotions.

When McKayla Maddox steps before a microphone, she becomes “Sabelle,” a shortened version of her middle name.

“I’ve always admired artists that have a one-name name,” Maddox explains. “I wanted it to be personal and meaningful to me.”

The 25-year-old is a rising star on the singer-songwriter scene in Monterey County. She’s released four singles on Spotify and continues to write and perform songs on YouTube and other live platforms. Not dissimilar to Taylor Swift, her songs are poppy and draw on her personal experiences.

Though inspiration for her songs come from love and connection with others, within her lyrics is a curiosity about people and the world.

“I’m just a big feeler,” Maddox explains. “I’m always asking myself, ‘What are we doing here?’ or, ‘What is the purpose of this?’”

She calls this inquisitive nature of hers a blessing, but there’s a caveat because complex emotions bubble up. Songwriting allows her to process them – a skill she discovered at age 6 while listening to her dad’s guitar. A dog named Ginger who died was Maddox’s inspiration for her first song, and as she grew up, she continued to write.

“High school was when I really started depending on songwriting to process emotions,” she says.

You can hear hormonal frustration in her latest single, “Party Boy,” about a friend who tends to fall for superficial young men while Maddox watches helplessly. Her earlier single “I’m Blushin’” gives a soft beat that you can bop your head to, while listening to a story of being smitten with someone.

Maddox has been working with Idyllwild, California-based music producer Jon O’Brien, since meeting him at a songwriters’ retreat in March 2022. Together, the two have been able to produce clean visuals in the online music platform to give us a glimpse into her creative process. But Maddox wasn’t always drawn to the spotlight.

“I always struggled to feel confident in my singing abilities and I’ve had a level of stage fright,” she says. “My family and boyfriend were very supportive about pushing me to get out there.”

She’s pursuing a film degree at CSU Monterey Bay, gaining skills to direct her own music videos. Her dream includes becoming a full-time musician.

Find Sabelle’s music at sabellesings.com