Madi Diaz’s show at Terminal West was nothing short of a musical autobiography, delivered over the course of an hour and a half on Feb. 21. The country-pop singer released her sixth studio album “Weird Faith” on Feb. 9 and embarked on tour to champion the album across the nation, beginning in Atlanta.
Diaz first debuted in the music industry 15 years ago, and since then, she has worked as a songwriter and collaborator for artists such as Elle King, Kesha and Waxahatchee. Recently, Diaz opened for Harry Styles on his “Love on Tour.” Styles was so impressed with her that he invited her to join his live band for the remaining part of the tour.
On her “Weird Faith” tour, Diaz was accompanied by her friend and indie folk artist Olivia Barton, who opened the show with her genuine voice and charming songs.
Barton strode onto the stage, clad in Birkenstocks and an overall dress. She introduced her first song as “Sonic, like the drive-thru,” and then delved into the endearing tune.
She sang, “We’re headed in a new direction / We rearranged the same intersection / Until we found a new way.” Barton’s music doubles as a vocal diary, and the audience was clearly captivated by her storytelling as they listened quietly and clung to every word.
Barton continued with “Cartwheel” and “I Don’t Sing My Songs,” recounting the personal anecdotes that coincide with each song as she went. She explained her struggle to heal her inner child in therapy and the stress of deciding her career path after college.
During her final song, Barton encouraged the audience to close their eyes and sing the lyric to themselves, “I love you just for trying.” An aura of catharsis surrounded the crowd as they whispered to themselves, and it was a beautiful moment captured in the hearts of each concert-goer.
was a beautiful moment that was surely captured in the hearts of each concert-goer.
Diaz took to the stage soon after Barton’s closing song, stepping into the circle of fairy lights that surrounded her on the stage. She smiled wide, clearly ecstatic to begin, and dove into “Same Risk,” the first track on her new album.
From the minute she opened her mouth, it was obvious that the audience was in for a treat. Her voice was unexpectedly powerful, forming beautiful melodies around her delicately crafted lyrics.
In particular, “Don’t Do Me Good” showcased Diaz’s breathtaking vocal range. The song’s bridge was initially a duet between Diaz and Kacey Musgraves, but Diaz handled it skillfully on her own, belting out the high notes forcefully: “Every time I wake up crying, I’m denying what I should / I know loving you, it don’t do me good.” After a few songs, Diaz progressed into an acoustic set by bringing out her gorgeous white acoustic guitar and sitting on a stool off the stage.
She became vulnerable, explaining her uncertainty in labeling her faith. Finally, she chuckled and concluded: “I don’t really know what I am,” before beginning “God Person.” In the song, she grapples with her belief in a god, going back and forth in her identity as a “God Person.”
“Resentment” was another highlight of the night.
The song chronicles Diaz’s split from her long-term partner, and the whole crowd felt her despair through her strained tone and vocal delivery. In an intimate moment with the audience, she disclosed how her hatred and anger faded to despondency at the end of the relationship.
Diaz then paused her set to deliver a speech in support of her partnership with the Human Rights Campaign.
She explained, “This election year, more than ever, LGBTQ+ rights are under attack, women’s reproductive rights are under attack, human rights are under attack, people rights are under attack, how we choose to love and who we choose to love is under attack.”
She encouraged the audience to vote in the upcoming election to ensure their voices counted and asked everyone to text the Human Rights Campaign number to confirm they were registered to vote.
Diaz picked her guitar back up and ended the set with “Crying in Public,” a song of hopelessness and desperation that the audience eagerly sang back to her. However, after copious cheers from the audience, Diaz continued with an encore of “New Person, Old Place” and the title track of her new album “Weird Faith.”
“Weird Faith” was the perfect closing song, detailing Diaz’s fears navigating a new relationship after experiencing heartbreak. It is a song about having hope for the future and an intuitive faith that it will all work out.
Throughout the concert, Madi Diaz took the audience on an emotional rollercoaster, traversing the sorrows of a breakup only to find true love once again.
She created a heavenly sonic environment for her fans and left a piece of her heart on Terminal West’s stage.
To experience Madi Diaz live for yourself, see her remaining tour dates at madidiaz.com and check out her latest album.