Nashville singer/songwriter Madi Diaz toured with Waxahatchee, Angel Olsen, and Harry Styles (who also had her join his backing band) following the release of her fantastic 2021 album History of a Feeling, and for its follow-up, she returned to what made that album so compelling: her vulnerable songwriting and soaring voice. While History of a Feeling documented a breakup, Weird Faith chronicles a new love, with a guest appearance from Kacey Musgraves on “Don’t Do Me Good” that’s a definite highlight. You can stream the album below.
To celebrate the release of Weird Faith, Madi told us about some of the influences behind it, and you can read that, along with her commentary, below.
MADI DIAZ’S WEIRD FAITH INFLUENCES
Funny, not being a super programmed religion type person by any means but for sure a spiritual one, I found myself in a lot of places of worship around the creation of this record. Always sitting as a stranger in the back alone in the quiet, never really totally understanding exactly what’s going on but always finding some light in me burning a little brighter, feeling a little wider, breathing a little deeper. It’s become one of my favorite places to quietly ask myself questions.
Bonticou Crag rock scramble became a daily test while I was in Sam Cohen’s studio in upstate NY. It felt like if I could traverse those narrow tricky rocky passages and find some new combination of steps, connect some new dots in my ascension plan, my mind would start to feel fresh and spongy just in time to sit down and sing. If I felt physically durable and agile, I felt capable of finding a new bite to lines I had been gestating for days and weeks. There was always a new path and a new way to apply the lyrics to my current world state.
“If You Don’t Know Me by Now” by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes was pretty constantly on repeat. This song. So simple, so emotional. The performance is just a wild heart beating. That was a song that helped me to demand that the emotional core of the record stay present and strong.
The Maori Girls of Turakina (by Turakina Maori Girls Choir) was a record that I would put on like a salve in the early mornings. It was a total wash the slate of my busy brain clean and go for a walk outside and move my body through whatever intense work high I was trying to come down from and reset. The voices just carry you away and away and away.
Julia Michaels’ Not in Chronological Order was definitely a soundtrack while I was making Weird Faith. I just love how stripped bare and simple to absolutely massively everything can be. It hits every mark in my opinion and absolutely exercises every element and instrument perfectly. Every part has purpose.
Sandy Denny’s “Like an Old Fashioned Waltz” was on pretty heavy rotation. She is just ethereal in these sessions. Present and soaring and feeling. It made me want to take one purposeful step at a time, close my eyes, feel one foot fall in front of the other. Wander with joyful curiosity into every musical moment. Really milk it.
Madi will be on tour with Olivia Barton starting later this month, including a Brooklyn show at Music Hall of Williamsburg on March 1. She’ll also be in NYC for an intimate solo in-store at Rough Trade on Saturday (2/10). See all her upcoming dates below.
MADI DIAZ: 2024 TOUR DATES
Feb 10, 2024 Rough Trade Brooklyn, NY (solo In Store)
Feb 14, 2024 Grimey’s New & Preloved Music
Nashville, TN (In Store Record Release Celebration)
Feb 21, 2024 Terminal West Atlanta, GA *
Feb 22, 2024 Motorco Music Hall Durham, NC *
Feb 23, 2024 Neighborhood Theatre Charlotte, NC *
Feb 24, 2024 The Jefferson Theater Charlottesville, VA *
Feb 27, 2024 The Atlantis Washington, DC *
Feb 28, 2024 World Cafe Live Philadelphia, PA *
Feb 29, 2024 The Sinclair Cambridge, MA *
Mar 1, 2024 Music Hall of Williamsburg Brooklyn, NY *
Mar 3, 2024 The Danforth Music Hall Toronto, ON *
Mar 5, 2024 The Ark Ann Arbor, MI #
Mar 6, 2024 Lincoln Hall Chicago, IL #
Mar 7, 2024 Off Broadway St. Louis, MO #
Mar 8, 2024 Brooklyn Bowl Nashville Nashville, TN #
Mar 16, 2024 Kessler Theater Dallas, TX
Mar 19, 2024 Bluebird Theater Denver, CO ^
Mar 20, 2024 Aggie Theatre Fort Collins, CO ^
Mar 20, 2024 – Mar 24, 2024 Treefort Music Fest
Mar 22, 2024 The State Room Salt Lake City, UT ^
Mar 25, 2024 Fox Cabaret Vancouver, BC ^
Mar 26, 2024 Madame Lou’s Seattle, WA ^
Mar 27, 2024 The Get Down Portland, OR ^
Mar 29, 2024 The New Parish Oakland, CA ^
Mar 30, 2024 Felton Music Hall Felton, CA ^
Apr 2, 2024 Music Box San Diego, CA ^
Apr 4, 2024 Troubadour West Hollywood, CA ^
May 24, 2024 Boston Calling Boston, MA
Sep 22, 2024 Bourbon & Beyond Louisville, KY
* with Olivia Barton
# with Jack Van Cleaf
^ with Daniel Nunnelee