Madi Diaz graced the Brooklyn Bowl stage on Friday with poise, vulnerability and “weird faith.” The Nashville-based singer/songwriter first released music in 2007 and consistently writes for artists in the Nashville community. Diaz broke through with her 2021 LP History Of A Feeling and later went on tour with Harry Styles. She recently started touring her new album Weird Faith, which explores themes of love, heartache and reconciliation. Diaz’s songs casually, yet precisely carve out the core of complex, repressed human experiences. The visceral impact of her music cuts even deeper through live performance. A warm roar of applause greeted Diaz as she took the stage. She opened with “Same Risk,” gently cradling the audience in her palm from the first note.
Through the night, people swayed, cried and diligently sang along to Diaz’s lyrics. Her clear, pristine voice soared over a crowd of intent faces. Diaz sang songs like “For Months Now,” “Hurting You” and “God Person” with an unapologetic tenderness. Her assured stage presence urged the audience to engage in a shared catharsis. Diaz warmly interacted with the crowd in between songs, creating a sense of community. Her setlist ebbed and flowed with equal expressions of soft vulnerability and a bold rock edge. In songs like “Everything Almost,” “Woman In My Heart” and “Obsessive Thoughts,” Diaz’s energetic guitar strums and powerful belt held the crowd in a suspension of awe and emotion. “Think of Me” was a highlight. Diaz’s palpable energy transferred to the audience, encouraging a crowd of passionate voices to fill Brooklyn Bowl. Diaz got the room moving by surprisingly combining “Think Of Me” with SZA’s “F2F.”
After the song ended, Diaz playfully asked the crowd if they “raged,” receiving cheers in response. At the end of the show, Diaz expressed her gratitude to her fans, friends and the Nashville community. She also laughed and thanked the crowd for choosing to spend a Friday night listening to sad songs. The night felt like an important hometown show for Diaz, who’s played an active role in the local creative scene. Be sure to stream Diaz’s music and grab tickets to her upcoming North American shows to witness her bold, complex and “weird” faith for yourself!
- Madeleine Bradford
Photos Courtesy of Lillie Hollabaugh (For Bell Music Magazine)
