Maddox Jones (End Of Year 2025)

As 2025 draws to a close, Maddox Jones wraps up a landmark year with a heartfelt hometown performance at Northampton’s Picturedrome. From touring alongside Will Young, Lucy Spraggan, and Rebecca Ferguson, to revisiting and expanding his sophomore album with Still Waiting for the World to Turn, Jones has spent the year connecting with fans both onstage and through deeply personal music. With standout moments like the crowd singing back new songs and the playful chaos of live performances, 2025 has been a year of growth, reconnection, and artistic evolution. As he looks toward 2026, Jones is poised to take his sound further, embracing collaborations and new music that promise to expand his ever-evolving musical journey.

You’re wrapping up an incredible year of shows with one final performance supporting Billy Lockett at Northampton’s Picturedrome. How does it feel ending 2025 with a hometown gig?

Ending the year with a hometown show feels properly special. There’s something grounding about coming back to the place where everything started. Playing in Northampton always feels like plugging myself back into the mains, and doing it with Billy, someone I really respect, just makes it even sweeter. It is the perfect full circle moment to close out a wild year.

This year saw you release ‘Waiting for the World to Turn (Deluxe Edition)’, cheekily renamed ‘Still Waiting for the World to Turn.’ What inspired you to revisit and expand your sophomore album?

The deluxe came from a mix of stubborn hope and wanting to keep the world of the record alive a bit longer. The original album is such a personal one, and as I kept touring it, the songs grew with me. I realised there was more to say, more to explore, so “Still Waiting” became a kind of extended conversation with myself and with the fans who connected with the first version.

The deluxe record includes new versions of fan favourites like “21”, plus previously unreleased tracks. Which of the new additions feels most meaningful to you, and why did you want to share it now?

The new version of “21” definitely stands out for me. People actually sang it back to me at shows this year, even though I am no longer 21, so hearing that song reflected back in real time felt really emotional. It has grown up a bit, and so have I, so releasing this version now just felt right.

You’ve had a packed touring year, sharing stages with Will Young, Lucy Spraggan and Rebecca Ferguson. What moment from touring stands out as your personal highlight of 2025?

There was a moment on the Lucy Spraggan tour where everything just clicked. I looked out and everyone was already singing along to songs they had never heard before, and I thought, “Okay, something is happening here.” That sense of instant connection has been the highlight for me. Those moments are rare, and I will be chasing that feeling forever.

What surprised you the most about stepping out on your own headline run?

How intimate it felt. I expected nerves or pressure, but instead it felt like stepping into a room full of friends I just had not met yet. And even without a full band, the stripped back setup made everything more emotional and immediate. I loved it so much more than I expected to.

Do you have a favourite performance memory, or even a funny behind the scenes moment, that sums up your 2025?

Leeds probably sums it up best. We do not have a full band on this run, it is just me and my guitarist, and we decided to try Pineapple Salsa, a song we had never played live before. I came in with the completely wrong chords, a total car crash intro, but the crowd were so warm that it turned into this hilarious, very human moment. We reset, laughed it off, and it actually ended up being one of my favourite parts of the night. It captures the whole year for me, imperfect, unexpected, and full of connection.

You also teamed up with Great Adamz this year for the soulful duet “Body And Soul”. What was the creative spark behind that collaboration, and what did you enjoy most about working together?

Great Adamz has this infectious energy that is impossible not to get swept up in. We had talked for ages about doing something together, and when “Body And Soul” came along, it just felt like the perfect fit. We recorded the vocals in about an hour because we were having such a good time. He brings joy into a room, and you can hear that all over the track.

What do you feel was your biggest moment of evolution this year?

Letting myself trust my instincts again. After the last few years of therapy, healing and rebuilding, I finally feel like I am stepping into my own skin. I am writing more honestly than ever, performing more freely, and not second guessing every tiny decision. That shift has changed everything.

Now that the festive season is here, what does a “Maddox Jones Christmas” actually look like at home? Any traditions you always stick to?

Christmas at mine is cosy and slightly chaotic. My dad always insists we watch some epic blockbuster, not a Christmas film. One year it was a Nelson Mandela biopic. That tradition has stuck. There is plenty of food, plenty of music, and everyone talking at once. It is loud, but in the best possible way.

And lastly, can you tease what 2026 might hold, new music, new collaborations, or maybe even the next evolution of your sound?

2026 is already shaping up to be a big one. I am working on new music that feels like the next step forward, and there are a couple of collaborations bubbling away that I am really excited about. I am leaning into a sound that feels more expansive but still very me. If 2025 was the rebuild, 2026 is the lift off.