Madi Diaz, recognized for her collaborations with Angel Olsen, Waxahatchee, and selected by Harry Styles to open for him during his North American tour, followed by inclusion in his European and UK band, has unveiled her fifth studio album, Weird Faith.
Since her debut with Plastic Moon in 2012, Madi has experienced significant artistic growth. Her 2021 release, History of a Feeling, catapulted her into the limelight, featuring daytime and nighttime television appearances, collaborations with prominent indie folk artists, and a notable stint supporting Harry Styles. An alumna of Berklee College of Music, Madi Diaz boasts a diverse musical background, having contributed to television soundtracks, toured globally, and collaborated with various artists. Now, after a three-month tour, she returns to Nashville, eager to share more of her narrative through her latest album.
Weird Faith transcends the conventional bounds of an album about a newfound relationship. Madi describes it as an exploration of a new relationship with herself. The album delves into the awkward facets of falling in love, and its distinctive perspective elevates it to instant classic status. The lyrics brim with introspective queries, providing an experience akin to a real-time conversation with Madi as she navigates her emotions. Journalistic and utterly vulnerable, Madi intentionally avoids sentimental portrayals of love, opting instead for a frank discussion and questioning of her own anxieties.
The album opens with “Same Risk,” where she contemplates the inception of a relationship, posing thought-provoking questions. The rawness and simplicity of lines like “What the fuck do you want? ‘Cause I’ll give you all that I’ve got” imbue each subsequent lyric with a relatability that resonates universally. Songs like “Everything Almost” explore the theme of giving almost everything in a relationship, showcasing the album’s universality and the sincerity in Madi’s words. Notably, “Girlfriend” addresses the ex-girlfriend of her new love, offering a rare perspective in the realm of music. Throughout the album, Madi’s voice authentically conveys the emotions embedded in her lyrics, supported seamlessly by the instrumental and production elements.
Weird Faith encapsulates the multifaceted nature of relationships, exemplified by tracks like “For Months Now,” delving into the struggle of wanting to leave a relationship but fearing the consequences. “KFM” introduces a tongue-in-cheek element, playing on the popular game “Kill Fuck Marry,” humorously expressing uncertainty. The title track, “Weird Faith,” serves as a penultimate reflection on the lessons each love brings, emphasizing the necessity of a peculiar kind of faith—hopeful and open, yet protective. The album ends with the song “Obsessive Thoughts,” which neatly encapsulates the album’s overarching theme of the neurotic nature of thoughts during the various stages of love.
Madi Diaz captures the essence of obsessive thoughts in love, offering an intimate exploration of the emotional rollercoaster that accompanies falling in and out of relationships. The aptly titled album, Weird Faith, invites listeners to immerse themselves in profound moments and missteps that define the human experience in relationships.
As Madi says, “These songs were started in the middle of a trust fall. A lot of beautiful moments come out in the missteps along the way, the obsessive thoughts, the things I wish I had said better, the things I didn’t even know I wanted in this life that were finding me in my dreams, and the paths I still find myself walking down, both dark and light. They all become weirdly my favorite moments and little representations of this weird faith we are always living by, moving toward each other every day, never ever knowing what is ahead, but aiming as true as we ever can.”
Weird Faith is out now.
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