Madi Diaz has had a whirlwind few years. Following the release of her last record (and fifth overall), the heartbreaking History of a Feeling, she was handpicked as support on Harry Styles’s Love on Tour shows. After seeing her perform, Styles asked Diaz to join his band as well, and her long-dormant star officially began ascending. While this is all amazing, her association with such big names does tend to overshadow Diaz’s fantastic songwriting skills.
Not content to playing second fiddle to an international pop sensation, Diaz flexes her own particular It Factor with Weird Faith. The album showcases Diaz’s plainly spoken, incredibly relatable songwriting skills, this time around with beefed up production and a notable cameo from another superstar in Kacey Musgraves.
While History of a Feeling was mainly about the dissolution of a relationship, Weird Faith takes on the perspective of a budding love, and the often messy and confusing facets that can bring. Diaz’s arrangements are relatively subdued, but the way she crafts her lyrics always packs a strong emotional punch. “Same Risk” kicks the record off with a dissection of the ways Diaz processes the risks of a new relationship; “Do you think this could ruin your life / Cause I could see it ruining mine,” she sings. Diaz absolutely nails the uncertainty of finding yourself in a new relationship and the fear of getting hurt again.
On “Girlfriend” she sings about being the new partner of someone who’s still close with their ex — There’s something special about the way Diaz can express the contradiction of having admiration for someone but wanting them kept at arms length for the sake of her new relationship. Her lyrics are beautiful without ever being flowery, and it’s special to hear something written in such a conversational way that still manages to hit emotionally.
With Weird Faith, Diaz manages to toe a wonderful narrative line, with all the excitement and trepidation of a new relationship perfectly captured. The deeper you get into the album, the more like you feel you’re living inside her head — it’s a journey worth taking.