Madison McFerrin On Baking Science | Microscopes
In this episode of Sing for Science, acclaimed singer-songwriter, Madison McFerrin lets us into her kitchen and her process. Host, Matt Whyte, and Madison dive deep into the surprising overlap between baking and music while Madison cooks up chocolate chip cookies—turning a recipe into a living metaphor for her creative process.
The daughter of legendary vocalist Bobby McFerrin, Madison shares how music and cooking have both been essential parts of her life. While her vocal talent clearly echoes her father’s legacy, she credits the women in her family—especially her mother—for passing down a deep love of food and cooking. Madison describes both music and cooking as creative languages she uses to express herself and to share love with others.
“They itch similar parts of my brain — cooking and making music. It’s how I share love. It’s how I express myself.”
During lockdown, when stages were closed, she channeled her energy into cooking and learning to produce her own music. Both became ways to stay in motion, to stay expressive. The two are more alike than they seem. Improv. Instinct. Tasting as you go.
She’s clear that baking gets a bad rap — too precise, too rigid — but for someone living with ADHD, structure can offer freedom. A cookie dough recipe becomes a soft framework for play: sub in dark chocolate, toss in whatever fruit’s in season, never measure the chips. Always finish with flaky salt.
“If I wasn’t doing music, I would be doing something with food.”
There’s real comfort in the way Madison moves between mediums. She makes space for the idea that expression doesn’t have to be tied to one thing. That harmony can show up in a pan. That a biscuit can wait 40 minutes if it means the meal will be better.