Maddie & Tae split; one will focus on family, other will focus on solo career

After 15 years together, the country duo Maddie & Tae are calling it quits.

Maddie Marlow Font and Tae Dye Kerr told People magazine exclusively that they are going in different directions.

Kerr is leaving the spotlight to be with her family: Josh Kerr, and their children, Leighton, 3, and Chapel, 13 months.

Font is still going to be performing and is going to start a solo career while still being wife to Johnah and mother to the couple’s son, Forrest, 2.

But it may not be the end for the country music stars who first met back in 2010, when they were brought together through their vocal coach.

“We’re leaving this so open-ended because, you know, we might make another record one day,” Font told People. “We might go do some tour dates one day.”

They also won’t be totally apart.

“Even though we’re not gonna go on this journey as Maddie & Tae together, we’re still walking and doing life together outside of it,” Font explained. “And I think I’m really excited to just be best friends and nurture our friendship and not have to worry as much about the work and still get to raise our babies together. None of that changes.”

Still, they called the decision not to create music together “heartbreaking,” People reported.

“It’s been such a hard, hard — honestly, heartbreaking — decision,” Kerr said. “This was the only dream I’ve ever had since I exited the womb. I had a very specific vision of creating music and singing music. When we met at 15, that’s what we set out to do, and we’re both just so grateful that we’ve had the journey that we’ve had. This career has been everything we’ve ever wanted.”

They came to the decision after speaking in September and told their management.

The duo had their first hit in 2014 at age 19 with “Girl in a Country Song” and in 2015 released the album “Start Here,” according to Taste of Country.

Over the past decade, they have produced four albums, for EPs and had several tours either as the headliner or supporting other acts.

They also accumulated many nominations and awards, including: