#listening to madi diaz

[jennyowenyoungs]

Wow. Hello. It gives me great "HOORAY" energy to say: 

Avalanche, my first studio album of Jennysongs in over a decade, is out today!

This record is a document of the shifting tectonic plates of my existence: love, loss, terrible sadness, profound joy, ancient wounds of my youth, and the endless possibilities of the universe (to say nothing of all the other universes) are all contained within. I am so proud of these songs and these recordings. I hope you'll find them worth the listening.

I'm extremely grateful to all of these folks for sharing their creative gifts with me and helping to bring this record into existence:

Josh Kaufman produced the album, shepherding each song with incredible care. He also played a great many instruments, and his wizardry on guitar, piano, organ, bass, and pretty much anything else he can get his hands on is unmatched. Also, he made me delicious eggs, and the importance of proper fortification for a long day in the studio cannot be overstated. What a guy.

D. James Goodwin engineered, mixed, and mastered the album, and brings the golden glow of warmth that pervades these songs. 

Matt Barrick played drums and percussion on the record, and did so with incredible feel and glorious tone. 

Gillian Pelkonen provided production assistance and absolutely impeccable vibes.  

Madi Diaz, Peter Silberman, Mikky Ekko, S. Carey, Christian Lee Hutson, Bess Rogers, and Tyler Demorest all cowrote songs with me that appear on this release; they're all also wonderful people I'm so thankful to know.

Josh Goleman took beautiful photographs during the recording process, and Lisa Czech took beautiful photographs in my home and around the wilds of Maine. 

The passionate folks of my new label home Yep Roc Records have been incredible partners on every step of the journey thus far (and they let me make gatefold jackets for the vinyl edition, wow wow wow). 

I can't believe this day is here at last.

I hope you enjoy Avalanche.

Listen / buy / live laugh love: ffm.to/joyavalanche

[jungleindierock]

Rebjukebox 2024 - No. 2

My second playlist of new music from mainly new bands, all tracks are from 2024. Makes no difference, where the tracks appear in the playlist, they are all good. I feel 40 is good number of tracks not too long or too short in listening time for your enjoyment. The whole playlist is only two hours and eighteen minutes long.

I used to do these just through Soundcloud, but thought i might as well add it to my Spotify also. So i will add two links to the playlist and can use which ever one you prefer.

If your a solo singer or a member of a band, then follow me on my Soundcloud page here, if i like your stuff, i will follow you back, if i don’t follow back then sorry but your not my thing. Whatever style of music is fine, i like many stlyes and will take a listen. You should always trust your own ears with music.

You can only follow 2,000 people on Soundcloud, so am limited. But if am following you there, i can see when you share new music, which means you could be added to one of these playlists or the main JIR playlist (one per month). What style of music is fine, i like many and will take a listen.

Enjoy & share, stay free, see you soon with No 3!!

Ok the links for the playlist:- Soundcloud - Spotify

Reb

Tracklist

01- Dubinski - Downtown Operation 02- girl in red - Too Much 03- Dehd - Mood Ring 04- softcult - Shortest Fuse 05- Brògeal - Girl From NYC 06- Madi Diaz - For Months now 07- pencil - The Window 08- Keaper - Alone 09- ALICE LILY - Caroline 10- The Last Dinner Party - The Feminine Urge 11- The Height - Type Of Days 12- The Goo Goo Dolls - Beautiful Lie 13- Letting Up Despite Great Faults - Gleam 14- Dentist - Random Numbers Shaoes & Colors 15- Tom Webber - This Time 16- Del Water Gap ft. Holly Humberstone) - Cigarettes & Wine 17- DI-RECT - My Blood 18- Bull - Red Rooves 19- Genius Of The Crowd - Sleeping Bags & Concrete Floors 20- The Drives - Maybe I'm A Masocchiist 21- Emmi Maaria - Bride's Farewell 22- Prince Of Sweden - The Electric blue 23- Izzy S.O - Refuse 24- It's For Us - Sandy Beaches 25- JJUUJJUU - All The Time 26- Give My Remains To Broadway - It Will All Be Red 27- The Zutons - Creeping On The Dancefloor 28- Real Estate - Haunted World 29- Lime Garden - Mother 30- The Revivalists - Good Old Days 31- Ski Lift - Double Yellow 32- The Buoys - Gaurd My Heart 33- Scotstown Dance Band - Shawfield Greyhound Stadium 34- Gallus - Wash Your Wounds 35- Mannequin Pussy - Nothing Like 36- The Spase - She's Both Sides Of The Moon 37- SPECTRES - Chain Reaction 38- heavy wild - Dope Gods 39- The waves - Looking Up 40- Yard Act (ft. Katy J Pearson) - When The Laughter Stops

[hlupdate]

I pray she won’t mind me saying this, but I’ve heard some of her new music and it is brilliant. Please give it a listen, she deserves it, I’m such a fan of hers. It’s our last show together, so if she’s angry at me for saying that I’ll never know!

Harry, encouraging the crowd to listen to Madi Diaz because he is a fan of hers - 01/02/23

[slothquisitor]

Familiar Places

Liv and Astarion see their respective families for the first time back in Baldur's Gate. Astarion x Liv, 3.2k, angst (again lol).

Recommended listening: New Person, Old Place by Madi Diaz

Also on AO3.

Liv’s mother often spoke of cycles - of the cyclical nature of life - of times and seasons and repetition. And her mother, an elf, would know. On her wedding day, she was already an age that her human husband would never live to see. Marcelia Vires had lived a full life before her marriage and children, and she would live a life after they were all gone. Liv wondered sometimes, when her mother’s magic pricked her skin like thorns, if she had looked at her children on the day they were born and decided that to love something you would only bury would be too much. If this was the cycle she could not bear. 

At thirty, Liv’s life had become an unbearable cycle of careful but futile rebellion. She had suffered enough to know she had to work quietly if she was to work against her family. That she would have to cultivate her own connections, make her own deals to counter her father’s interests. It was an exhausting game, and it was filled with too few victories. 

She still remembers the day she gave up - she was at a party much like this one - they’re all the same at their core. She had looked around the room, at all these people, at this life, and she had wondered what she had to show for it. After Brelia’s death she had been fighting for so long against everyone, but she had never fought for anything. Nothing had changed the fact that Brelia was dead, would stay dead even if she managed to somehow beat her parents at their own game. But what would that even look like? What did she even want out of this struggle? She didn’t have an answer, but she knew she wanted her life to mean more than this . She’d left the very next day. 

And now she’s back here, in this hall, attending this farce of a ceremony. Everyone is all smiles and wonderings of how they can profit from this latest political development. This ceremony is just the tide shifting, and the best players know it can shift back just as quick. If it hadn’t been Gortash, it would have been another: there are always people like him. Liv supposes that this too is a cycle - her mother had been right all along. 

She wears no glamour of disguise as they enter the audience hall at Wyrm’s Fortress. If Wyll can walk in here, back proud and chin up, so can she. There’s no guarantee her family will be here anyway. Perhaps she’s wrong about them, perhaps Gortash’s plans - his takeover of the city - were too much, even for them to ally with him. Perhaps her family are not the villains she imagines them to be. 

As they enter the press of people, a flood of memories hit her. Reminders of who she was, of the life she’d walked away from. Some part of her is still that Liv, the one made small, and smaller still by the cutting remarks of the parents. She is already assessing what parts of herself she will have to break off and hide to survive this room today. It’s a habit borne of too many years of being told to stand up straighter, to smile more. She was told to be quiet, to be still, to not take up space. To look like the perfect family that they weren’t. Liv knew the truth: hers was a family that looked good in portraits and on feast days, but felt like numbness in between. 

Liv recognizes many people in the seachange of faces they walk past. It’s odd how the names and titles bubble up to the surface unbidden. She’s struck by the sameness. Do these people ever get sick of this life of the way nothing really changes? The only difference she clocks is the presence of the Steel Watchers that tower up over the crowd. Their presence is unsettling.

“It’s him. Gortash,” Karlach spits out, a flare of heat erupting from her. “This is it. I can practically taste his blood from here.”

“Careful, Karlach. Picking a fight now is only going to get us and a lot of innocent people killed,” Liv warns as she quietly takes stock of the heightened security presence. She’s still not sure of everything those Steel Watchers can do, but the way Gortash spoke through one as they entered the fortress concerns her. There’s too many unknowns to pick a fight here and now. 

“I’ll wait for now.” Karlach grits her teeth. “But that prick is going to pay.”

“Of course he is, but there is something to be said of waiting for the opportune moment, yes?” Astarion raises an eyebrow Karlach’s direction.

Wyll has been surprisingly quiet through the exchange, and Liv realizes that it’s because he can’t pull his eyes away from his father, standing up on dias besides Gortash. 

“There he is. Standing by while this…injustice occurs.” His voice shakes with anger.

Liv places a hand against Wyll’s arm. “It’s the tadpole, not him. Remember that.” 

She knows the importance of maintaining a certain front in situations like this, how important it is to obscure any weaknesses. She glances around, trying to ensure that no overly curious patriars are listening in on their group, but instead her attention snags on them . They are the same as she remembers, her unchanging mother, her beautiful sister Cressida, and her father who stands proud but graying beside them. There’s a certain detachment to them and the way they coolly survey the room, as if they are above it all. Her brother, Percy, is nowhere to be found though, which isn’t that surprising. He’s probably off making the most of this opportunity, ever his father’s son. 

She’s frozen in place, staring at her parents and sister, and she’s aware she’s staring, but she can’t seem to pull away. Her mother’s gaze sweeps over the room, alighting on her, but instead of recognition or acknowledgment of any kind, it moves on just as quickly, as if Liv’s existence is below her notice. 

Liv isn’t sure what exactly she had imagined it would be like to see her family again. She certainly hadn’t entertained any delusions that they would be glad to see her or relieved. But somehow the indifference hurts far more than any cruel word they could hurl her way. 

The back of Astarion’s hand brushes hers, pulling her out of her stupor. “We should take a seat, it’s starting.”

Liv nods and follows. She’s grateful when he leads their group to an empty bench on the same side of the hall as her parents. With her back to them, it’s easier to forget they’re here. 

Gortash addresses the crowd, “Kinspeople, Baldurian’s - and dearest Duke Ravengard. Thank you for joining me on this exceptional day.”

Wyll and Karlach vibrate with anger through the ceremony, but Liv can’t seem to pay attention to any of it. Any time she reaches for the words being said around her, for the cheers, they seem to slip out of her grasp like water. She wants to feel the rage that Wyll and Karlach do, to feel that something is being lost here. But instead, she just feels a surprising sort of numbness, a bone-deep exhaustion settling in as the ceremony closes, as Baldur’s Gate crowns an Archduke who would lead them all to ruin. 

Astarion sits silently beside her through the ceremony, glancing at her periodically, as if he’s realized she’s not really present in this moment.  He doesn’t take her hand, there’s far too many eyes in here for that, but he does lean slightly into her, arm and shoulder a comforting press of closeness. She wants it to be enough, to be an anchor in this moment, but the Liv she was keeps fighting against the Liv she wants to be. 

She wants to be unmoved, unbothered by her parents’ lack of care, their indifference. But one passed over glance and she is as small as ever. The things she’s seen, what she’s done, does it matter? Even if she manages to save the city from the elder brain, it will never fix this, fix their family. She’s not sure if that’s even what she wants. Perhaps it would just be better if they winked out of existence, stayed the ghosts of her memory. 

But they’re not ghosts; they’re real. And when Gortash approaches their group for a chat, she knows she doesn’t have the luxury of falling apart. She schools her expression into something harder, something deliberately indifferent. Astarion shoots her a complex look, but if he can see the effort this is taking, he’s smart enough not to say a word about it. 

She manages not to look for her family as they leave the coronation, and while that would be a victory, everything about this day feels like a defeat. From Wyll’s father to having to tell Karlach to wait a bit longer to avenge the ten years she spent in Avernus, Liv feels as though she’s letting everyone down today. And this too feels like a cycle, no success lasts long before it’s obscured by an even bigger problem for her to solve. 

***

The flophouse smells like it always has, of unclean bodies and desperation. There are a lot of dens like this around the city, and Astarion knows them all. It’s funny how fast the olfactory-triggered memories return. Thousands of nights over two hundred years, and even in the daylight, it’s somehow still the same. The names change, the owners do too, but the people are always the same sort: desperate, lonely, often a twisted mixture of both. It makes them easy targets, so very easy to lure deeper into the indifferent city into that looming monstrosity of a palace, to their doom. 

He remembers names, faces, unwanted touches he always allowed with a joke or innuendo, a jut of his chin. Those people with their wandering hands and their whispered suggestions, they don’t win if he was playing along with them the whole time, right?

In the daylight, this place is more depressing than he remembers. Or perhaps it is the clarity provided to him now by the tadpole and finally being fed. He notices the way the paint peels, and the cobwebs in every corner. The way each surface looks like it’s been scrubbed within an inch of its life and still is somehow not entirely clean. 

No part of him wants to be here, in this place, with these memories and feelings demanding to be felt. Astarion doesn’t like being reminded of who he was before, of how weak and pathetic he was. He remembers long evenings, his brain clouded with hunger and the inability to think clearly much less hold a true conversation. It’s a wonder really that anyone ever went with him at all on those nights, but then, it wasn’t his words they were interested in, now was it? 

They’re here investigating a murder, doing their best to keep a low profile while they ask innocuous questions of the current residents, but as they head up the landing towards the attic, his attention is snagged by a familiar voice. Actually, two familiar voices. 

“We should go. I do not want to face the master if we’re late for his Black Mass,” one says. Dal, perhaps?

“Soon sister, I only need one more mark.” Now that nasally voice he’d recognize anywhere. It’s Petras. “I want someone there, ready for me. Once the mass is done, and our lord grants us our freedom. I can celebrate by drinking them dry.” 

Astarion strides into the room, to see Dalyria and Petras tucked into the shadows. “Cazador promised you your freedom? And you believed him?” He says by way of an introduction. “Ha. You were never burdened with intelligence Petras, but your load seems especially light these days.”

There is a sort of awe in their faces when they realize he is the one who stands before them, and Astarion has always craved this sort of power over them. 

Dal’s hand reaches out as if she cannot believe he is here. “Astarion? It…it cannot be.”

“That’s no way to welcome back a brother, Dal, didn’t you miss me?” 

“Why did you come back? You got out - you were free,” she says it like she’s genuinely afraid for him. How funny. 

“Isn’t it obvious, sister? He wants to ascend with the rest of us. He heard about the ritual and the power our master will grant us, so he came back with his tail between his legs, hoping all will be forgiven.” 

‘Brother’, ‘sister’ these words have only ever been weapons between them. Astarion was only ever Cazador’s favorite to torture, and every mistake he made was held over his head as Cazador would ask why he couldn’t be more like his siblings . That word is a twisted, sharp thing in this facsimile of a family Cazador spawned and then wielded against all of them. At times tormentor and tormented, he has been flayed for their mistakes and they for his, until all hope of comradery was snuffed out. Perhaps they are a sort of family, forever linked because of the violence heaped upon them because they are the only people in the world who understand exactly what happened in that house. 

If that’s what family is, he doesn’t want it. Besides, he’s not like them. Not anymore. 

He’s keen to prove it, to prove that he isn’t weak like them. He can resist, and he can walk in the sun. So he grabs Petras by the neck and drags him into the sunlight that streams cheerily through the window.  Dalyria screams and Petras cries out, and this might be the most satisfying thing he’s done in centuries. He is no longer the runt, the picked upon spawn, Cazador’s favorite victim. And he’s proving that now while he holds Petras face to the light and watches as his skin cracks and blisters and burns. 

Through the screams and cries, he realizes he could hold Petras here until he’s nothing but ash. Until every facet of who he was is burned away, but he can’t do that because he needs Petras alive if he’s going to ascend. But a few more moments won’t kill him. Besides, this feels so very good. 

He leans in close, tightening his grip while Petras claws uselessly at his hands. “Where is he hiding? Tell me!”

“Astarion, enough.” Liv’s voice cuts through the room, and he immediately releases Petras, as if her voice was a command. He glances at her, and finds her eyes hard, brow furrowed. She’s not been impressed by this display. 

A sick, slithering feeling wrenches in his gut, and he ignores it because he’s the one in the right here. He’s the one with the power, and it’s important he shows Petras and Dalyria that so that they tell him what it is he wants to know. So that he can finally, finally get his fucking revenge on Cazador. Liv can balk at his methods all she wants because she doesn’t understand. 

“Fine,” he spits as he shoves Petras away. “You owe your wretched life to my friend. Now tell me what I need to know.” 

And they do, something about a defiled chapel hidden beneath the palace. It sounds just like Cazador to have a place hidden away just for this ritual of his, so it must be true. He declares his intent to kill Cazador, and he watches Dal wrestle with hope only to discard it immediately. He knows what that’s like. When they disappear into red mist, escaping back into Cazador’s shadows he can’t help but shake his head. 

“Poor fools. They actually think Cazador will save them.” 

But Liv’s arms are crossed as he turns to look at her, jaw set hard. “Was all of that really necessary?” Shadowheart and Karlach wisely slip out of the room, as if they can sense the storm brewing. But Liv’s voice is even as ever, and he finds he doesn’t want her patience. He’d much prefer yelling. 

“Of course it was. I’m not sure why you’re so upset. It’s not like they’re any threat to us. We got the information I needed, didn’t we?”

“Astarion.” 

“You keep saying that you want to help me beat Cazador. This is how we do that. It’s no use pitying them. Didn’t you hear them? They were here to lure some poor innocent to their death. You should be happy we stopped them!” 

“On Cazador’s orders,” Liv interjects.

“Exactly! Which is why he must be stopped, but my siblings’ fate is already set. They’re doomed. The only question is whether their lives will be sacrificed to a monster like Cazador or serve a greater purpose. Seven sigils on seven spawn, and Cazador has the other six. We have to face him and take that power for ourselves.” 

The hard edge hasn’t left Liv’s eyes. “Are you really prepared to just sacrifice your brothers and sisters like that?” 

“Trust me, I’d rather slaughter someone else’s family, but…if that’s what it takes. It’s not like they’re sweet innocents: they brought Cazador as many victims as I did. Then let me handle my ‘siblings’. I certainly wouldn’t tell you how to deal with yours.” 

She’s about to protest, to say something else, but at his final comment her mouth snaps shut and she takes a step back. He knows that it’s a low blow, bringing her family into this, but something about the look in her eyes makes him want to be sharp, cutting. He’s not looking to wound her, but instead make her see what this is, to trust him the way he trusts her. 

Doesn’t she want him to be happy? To be free? Can’t she see that he is doing this for both of them? That once he ascends, they’ll all be safe! He’ll even protect her from her family. He watched her in that audience hall, the way they’d pretended she didn’t even exist. She’d been so lost after until she’d shoved it all down, and put on a good face for Gortash. He never wants to watch her do that again.  

 Liv is too careful, too afraid of power in case corruption comes with it. She is too afraid to reach out and take what she wants, worried that she might hurt people. But he knows better. Power is power. It isn’t good or bad it is all about who does the wielding. She’s still stuck on the right and wrong of it all, but she doesn’t understand that there’s no morality to be found here. Life isn’t a story; it’s not like the books they both love so much. He will not waste this opportunity no matter how much she might disapprove of it. 

Still, he can’t help but toss the question to her, test the waters. If he is going to do this, he needs her. “I thought you were with me on this.”

Her eyes search his for something, but he’s not sure what. He can see the internal struggle in hers. Her answer comes, just louder than a whisper. “I just want you to be happy.” He can tell she means it, but there’s something else there, some deepset sadness she’s not voicing and he doesn’t want to interrogate. So he won’t. 

Instead, he opts for a smile, for a jut of his chin so she can’t see his fear. “Then you’ll help me with this. Nothing would make me happier.”

And he means every word.

Likes and reblogs are love!

[pedrito-friskito]

tagged by my sweet bbys @psychedelic-ink & @pedropascalsx 💕 10 shuffled songs off my on-repeat playlist!

what am I here for - jade bird

I wish I knew - sharon van etten

motion sickness - phoebe bridgers

lost in the light - bahamas

is there something in the movies? - samia

slow it down - the lumineers

resentment - madi diaz

stick season - noah kahan

king - florence and the machine

girls - girl in red

full disclosure: I flubbed some of these cuz I have a spotify playlist I listen to when I fall asleep at night so some of them on repeat are not intentional 😂

np tags: @saintmurd0ck @mindidjarin @e-dubbc11 @itwasthereaminuteago @prolix-yuy @mandoblowmybackout @briefcasejuice @allfoolsinluv and anyone else who wants to play! ♥️

[independentartistbuzz]

7 From the Women with Kristen Rae Bowden

Charlottesville-based singer/songwriter Kristen Rae Bowden's music exhibits a bold vulnerability. She’s a confessional storyteller with a theatrical flair who draws from a wide swath of influences, including Kate Bush, Phoebe Bridgers, Radiohead, and Madi Diaz.

Her latest song, "Fault Lines," is a powerful indie pop piece about a break up she experienced. She paints a captivating musical picture using vibrant lyrics and stunning melodies as she compares fault lines to relationships.

We got a chance to speak with Kristen about her music, career, and influences in this edition of 7 From the Women:

What have you been working to promote lately?

I just released a midsummer single called ‘Fault Lines’! It’s a road-trip-worthy indie pop song inspired by a breakup on the Highway 1 in California. In case you’re unfamiliar, the Highway 1/Pacific Coast Highway is an iconic, stunningly scenic road that winds along the Cali coastline. As it does so it crosses several fault lines, including the famous San Andreas Fault, which has been responsible for numerous earthquakes. 

In my song I used the cliff-side scenery to represent the feeling of a breakup… like you’re on the edge of a precipice and can’t see what’s next. And I used the first line, “It’s all your fault,” to word-play with ideas of blame and shaky ground. The whole song grew out of that first line… I’d always wanted to start a song that way. (I wonder what that says about me?)

‘Fault Lines’ came from a collection of my memories, as opposed to just one, so I’m proud of how cohesive I think it is. I never really had a breakup on the Highway 1, but somehow I’ve been in that incredibly vivid part of the world at times when various relationships were failing. The scenery there provides a sharp, poignant backdrop for end-of-the-world feelings.

Sonically I was inspired by 1990’s pop-rock… the stuff I heard on the radio when I was still riding around in my parents’ car.  I think the song reflects that, but with ethereal textures blended into it. Please have a listen! I’m very happy with this version of the tune.

Stream it:

Or listen on YouTube:

Please tell us about your favorite song written, recorded, or produced by another woman and why it’s meaningful to you.

The last time I stopped in for this interview I talked about Joni Mitchell’s “A Case of You,” which is still and forever a classic favorite of mine. Today the first song that comes to mind is Ann Peebles’ “I Can’t Stand the Rain”. It has an undeniable groove that stops my over-thinking brain and lets me forget myself. I love the relatable simplicity of the lyrics. They make me think of every time a sound or a smell has attached itself to one of my memories - it’s fascinating how strong that association can be, where I basically time travel in my head when I smell jasmine or woodsmoke, or hear a song I sang with an old lover, etc. I often attempt to write songs with complicated ideas behind them, but there’s no denying that sometimes simplicity is just the greatest. I also love how they captured the sound of raindrops. And the vocal melody is soulfully ingenious.

What does it mean to you to be a woman making music/in the music business today and do you feel a responsibility to other women to create messages and themes in your music?

I think it’s safe to say that women are still vastly underrepresented in the music industry (even more so with women of color and minority communities). From what I’ve read, most of the studies on this underrepresentation often focus on highly successful artists, the Grammys, etc. But I can say that in my personal experience as an independent artist, my artistic interactions are overwhelmingly male dominated as well. When I’m the only woman in the room, I’m happy there’s a woman in the room!

When I create music I let my thoughts and feelings dictate what I write. I don’t feel a responsibility to other women to create messages and themes, no. Instead I feel a responsibility to myself as an artist to create work that is honest, and to continue pushing myself to express my most private and personal thoughts and feelings. Given that I am a woman and experience the world as such, this is inherently tied up in my artistic expressions. I would hope for a world where all women are and feel free to express themselves openly and with authenticity. We’re obviously not there yet. It’s crazy how many feminine experiences are still considered somehow taboo.

What female artists have inspired you and influenced you?

Too many to list! Lately I’ve been slowly working my way through Kate Bush’s song catalogue… I’m caught up in her Aerial double album at the moment. It’s incredible. I tend to write very narrative lyrics, and I’m inspired by her ability to flash from enigmatic, mythological imagery into real life details. It’s hallucinatory. Recently I’ve also been drawing inspiration from Japanese Breakfast, Aoife O'Donovan, Madi Diaz, Phoebe Bridgers, CMAT, and Birdy.

Who's Your Favorite Female Icon(dead or alive) and why?

The Mexican painter Frida Kahlo is a female icon I’ve delighted in learning more about in recent years. I’d previously admired her beautiful, raw, symbolic paintings, but two years ago I decided to read her biography after seeing an X-Ray of my own spine. I have scoliosis and finally decided to get some physical therapy when my back pain became overwhelming. Seeing the X-Ray of my spine was upsetting, and after I cried about it for a minute I thought, I bet reading Frida’s biography would change my perspective and stop me feeling sorry for myself. I knew she had polio as a child, and then as a young woman she suffered and broken back and many other terrible injuries in a bus/trolley crash, leaving her in pain for the rest of her life. She took up painting while bedridden after her accident, and channeled the pain into her art.

Reading her biography I learned about the origins of her instantly recognizable personal style: she used fashion and her outward appearance to express her Indigenous Mexican heritage, essentially becoming a work of art herself. She challenged traditional norms of gender and sexuality, defying conventional expectations of femininity. Her paintings address deeply personal women’s issues and pain, such as her sexuality and her inability to carry a pregnancy to term, with shocking openness at a time when nobody was doing that. They also address her political stances and cultural heritage. The way she lived her life and created art is incredibly touching and inspiring to me.

Last year I had the opportunity to visit her house in Coyoacan, Mexico City, which is now the Frida Kahlo museum. Seeing her paintings up close, along with her her belongings (her wheelchair, her easel, her back braces and incredible folk style clothing), and walking through the rooms where she walked, gave me goosebumps. If you have the chance to go, I highly recommend it.

Do you consider yourself a feminist? If so, why or why not?

I definitely consider myself a feminist, now more than ever, since a woman’s right to bodily autonomy has been decimated in the US. I am lucky enough to live in a state where my right to healthcare, including abortion, is still intact, for now. But we should not be voting on whether women and their doctors get to decide what healthcare a woman needs and when. Our basic rights should not be on the ballot. Women should not have to wait until they are at death’s door to get the help they need. It’s barbaric, disgusting, and devastating. No one is free without bodily autonomy. It’s really tragic that we have to work to undo the same bullshit that our grandmothers and mothers already fought to change, but we must, and we will.

What do you hope to share with other women in the industry with your music?

My songs often end up being related to self empowerment and the rejection of what I’d call fairy-tale romantic ideas. I hope my little story songs will be a drop in the ocean of music encouraging women to choose themselves and their own needs - to express themselves freely and put themselves first. 

Finally – Where can we find you online?

Website and Bandcamp

Stream:

Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music, Amazon, Pandora, Tidal

Follow:

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[magston-obsessed]

Tagged by: @bi-lullaby

Thanks for the tag!

rules: you can usually tell a lot about a person by the type of music they listen to. put your playlist on shuffle and list the first 10 songs, and then tag 10 people. no skipping!

So I’m listening to my greys playlist:

1. The story by Sara Ramirez

2. Satellites by Dotan

3. Trouble by twin <3

4. Chasing cars by snow patrol

5. Wild by John legend

6. Where does the good go by sleeping at last

7. Such great heights by Madi Diaz

8. Saturdays sun by Vance joy

9. White horse (Taylor’s version) by Taylor swift

10. Praying by Kesha

Tagging anyone!

[everydayesterday]

top five songs at the moment...  tagged by @heartlandwasteland (who has been listening to the new Bruce Springsteen album)  

truthfully, “at the moment” for me would simply be Arctic Monkeys’ latest album.  I’ll limit that to one song here.  

1. Arctic Monkeys - Sculptures of Anything Goes [this is one of those albums can do no wrong even if there aren’t a ton of guitars; well worth the wait; this is the least ‘Bacharach-pop’ of the tracks]  

2. Björk - Fossora  [I haven’t been blown away by her last couple albums—she’s an odd one, which a blessing and a curse—but a couple of songs on the new one are very listenable; they feel approachable, as if she’s welcoming the listener into her world, instead of simply presenting it to them]  

3. Heaven Honey - Kicks [local kid; probably wishes she was part of the indie rock scene in the early 90s]  

4. Madi Diaz - Hangover [former neighbour; local kid; probably wishes she was part of the folk singer-songwriter scene in the 1960s-70s]  

5. Other Lives - Sound of Violence [I know nothing about this band other than that song gets my approval]  

tagging @murheenkryynimakkara @umbralaether @whitemoths @1i1yofthevalley-doesntknow @vespertinechild @a-pleasant-distraction (I know some of you won’t play, but maybe you’ll still appreciate being tagged; I hold my mutuals dear) ...and anyone and everyone else.  

don’t forget to tag me back if you do this.  

[ella-cooper]

Listen Here (tracklist below)

I'm Like A Bird - Nelly Furtado

Loose Ends - Loyle Carner & Jorja Smith

Higher - Lily Allen

Sativa - Jhené Aiko

How Can I Not Know What I Need Right Now - Charli XCX

Sunset - Caroline Polachek

Big Man, Little Dignity - Paramore

Slow Burn - Kacey Musgraves

Boy's a liar Pt. 2 - PinkPantheress & Ice Spice

Pearls - Jessie Ware

Bed Head - God Save The Club Kids

doomsday - Lizzy McAlpine

Don't Let Me Fall - Cleo Sol

WISH ME LUCK - Wallows

Seek & Destroy - SZA

Party - Daughter

In The Kitchen - Reneé Rapp

Jungle - Tash Sultana

wish i never - Kehlani

American Teenager - Ethel Cain

Crying In Public - (MUNA Remix) - Madi Diaz

Bad Life - Omar Apollo & Kali Uchis

OG Heartthrob - Majid Jordan

honey - Halsey

D'Evils - SiR

Ode to a Conversation Stuck in Your Throat- Del Water Gap

Set For Life - Noah Cyrus

Loose Garment - MUNA

Easy - Troye Sivan & Kacey Musgraves

WAIT FOR U - Future, Drake, & Tems

Ice T - Tems

After Hours - Aly & AJ

I'm Not Ready - Donna Missal

Wish I Didnt Press Send - Gabrielle Aplin

Running Up That Hill - Kim Petras

Who Got Me - Alina Baraz

Wish It Was Easy - Charlotte Day Wilson

Running Over - Justin Bieber & Lil Dicky

Separation. - Kiana Ledé & Arin Ray

You Keep Me Waiting - Snoh Aalegra & VIC MENSA

Burn - Jorja Smith

Gemini Feed - BANKS

Pyro - Kings of Leon

From the Dining Table - Harry Styles

Hold On - The Internet

Show Me Love - Robin S

Wild Girl - Kito, Empress Of

happiness - Taylor Swift

Immune - Jensen McRae

Me Porto Bonito - Bad Bunny & Chencho Corleone

[marshmallowfin]

when u get this u have to put 5 songs 🎵 u actually listen to, publicly. then, send this ask to 10 of your favorite followers (non-negotiable, positivity is cool)✨

💖💖💖

I've had these 5 songs on REPEAT for weeks now:

1. Y Si Fuera Ella - SHINee (cannot believe they debuted with this, so amazing)

2. Think of Me - Madi Diaz (saw her in concert a few months ago and this album is SO GOOD, current favorite but all her music is amazing)

3. Problems - Mother Mother (I'm always obsessed with and blasting at least one Mother Mother song)

4. W.I.T.C.H. - Devon Cole (I saved this last week after hearing the intro in a video)

5. War With My Mind - Crimson Apple (added this to my current d&d character playlist and it's been on repeat ever since)

[jennyowenyoungs]

Beautiful friends, I am so unbelievably thrilled to tell you that I have a NEW RECORD coming out September 22nd! It's called Avalanche, it was produced by Josh Kaufman (who absolutely rips), and it will be released by Yep Roc Records, my magnificent new label home. The album cover was shot by Josh Goleman, who spent a day in the studio with us working his photographic magic. This will be my first full-length studio album in (brace yourself) over ten years. Time flies when you're cowriting songs with other artists, making a Buffy the Vampire Slayer podcast, and raising a Boston Terrier. While I've definitely been staying busy (and putting out EPs along the way), I have really missed making albums. Everything about this body of work is a culmination of those intervening years, from the subjects of the songs, to the incredibly talented people with whom I wrote them and recorded them. I cannot wait for you to hear it all. And holy smokes you can start TODAY! The first single, the title track "Avalanche," is out now! I wrote it with my amazing friend Madi Diaz, one of my most treasured collaborators. In addition to me and Josh Kaufman on the track, you'll hear the extremely satisfying Matt Barrick (of The Walkmen) on drums. This song, and the whole record, was engineered, mixed, and mastered by D. James Goodwin, and production assistance was provided by Gillian Pelkonen. Big thanks to Paste Magazine for premiering "Avalanche" this morning - what an honor! You can check out their write-up over HERE.

The album is now up for preorder, including some pretty dang sumptuous deep purple vinyl!  

Listen to "Avalanche"

Preorder Avalanche (U.S.)

Preorder Avalanche (International)

Watch the “Avalanche” visualizer below:

[popentertainmentconcertreviews]

Madi Diaz – World Café Live – Philadelphia, PA – February 28, 2024

Madi Diaz’s recent show in Philadelphia proved to be a moving experience, captivating the audience with her mesmerizing vocals and dynamic stage presence. Diaz got her break as a solo artist after releasing History of a Feeling in 2021. Writing songs for Kesha, Little Big Town, and touring with Harry Styles also contribute to her resume.

Philadelphia was one of the first shows on the Weird Faith Tour, named after Diaz’s most recent album, which came out this year. The setlist for the show started with “Same Risk,” the first track on the album. Madi writes songs about love in ways that feel new and clever. She gives us insight into her life through her music and isn’t afraid to show her vulnerability.

One of the most impressive aspects of Diaz’s performance was her ability to connect with the audience on a deeply emotional level. There was an authenticity to her delivery that resonated with the room. Her lyrics, filled with introspection and raw emotion, served as a reminder of the power of music to evoke human experiences.

Before most of the songs she performed that night, Madi gave her listeners a glimpse into what the song was inspired by. Her short introductions only added to the experience of hearing her perform along with showing her relatability. Backed up by her drummer, Diaz performed her 19 song setlist using three different guitars. The encore ended perfectly with the song “Weird Faith,” which summarized the theme of the night.

Overall, Madi Diaz’s concert was a testament to her talent as a musician and performer. With her soul-stirring vocals and songwriting prowess, she left a lasting impression on all those who attended. 

Emily DiMarcangelo

Copyright ©2024 PopEntertainment.com. All rights reserved. Posted: March 2, 2024.

Photos by Emily DiMarcangelo © 2024. All rights reserved.

[exhuastedpigeon]

top ten music artists you listen to.

Hozier

Boygenius

Lucy Dacus

The Lumineers

Madi Diaz

Maggie Rogers

Phoebe Bridgers

Julien Baker

Orville Peck

Lizzy McAlpine

Bonus 11 & 12: ABBA and Robyn

anonymously ask you one thing you want to know about me

[sitpwgs]

Hi Cossette! Happy 2024 and I hope you're having an enjoyable year so far 🎉

Speaking of 2024 albums, Kali Uchis' Orquideas came out today & I found it very refreshing - normally I listen less to R&B / Latin Pop albums in full but Kali's new LP is very cohesive! As of upcoming music releases, because most of my favourite artists released new albums last year, I find the 2024 release schedule considerably more quiet. Nevertheless, I'm looking forward to new albums from: Bleachers, Faye Webster, Allie X, and Madi Diaz!

Also fingers crossed that we'll also get new music from Sabrina Carpenter 🙏

As of fantasy books, I currently have two physical books with me: Starling House (Alix E Harrow) and The Tethered Mage (Melissa Caruso). It's been a challenging time for me to read books electronically (the only device I electronically read on is the same device that I use for academia), so I really like being able to unplug & read something physically 💖

And ahh The Starless Sea is a perfect winter read ❄️ I rarely re-read books myself, but this is one of the few books that I revisit from time to time! My copy isn't with me right now as I'm still abroad, but I'm working on an edit inspired by this book so I've been slowly re-reading it on my computer.

Amongst the upcoming book releases, which new books / series are you most looking forward to reading? And do you tend to prefer standalones or series?

P.S. I'm looking forward to hearing Laufey performing Haunted & Letter To My 13 Year Old Self live!

hi jennifer!! happy 2024! i hope your year has been off to a great start 🤍

i haven't listened to kali uchis' new album yet, but i keep seeing these stunning vinyl pressings for it in one of the vinyl groups i'm in! i'll probably listen to it at some point for my 365 albums in 365 days challenge. i didn't realize allie x has a new album coming out; i'm so excited! and new bleachers so soon. i'm really hoping we'll get new sabrina music, although i'm not looking forward to fighting for tickets if she does another tour.

i read and didn't love 10 thousand doors of january, but i've heard really good things about alix harrow / a lot of my friends like her stuff, so maybe i'll give her another shot! i've also been struggling with reading books electronically as of late (although i don't read on the same device i use for work), which is why a bunch of my arcs have piled up 😵‍💫 i haven't actually touched the starless sea in a few days; i feel like annotating takes so much more time / effort / energy (which ... makes sense) but i'm hoping to get back to it soon 🤍 i can't wait to see your edit!!!

i tend to prefer standalones — or duologies! what about you? i'm really excited for the new ashley poston (a novel love story), a banh mi for two by trinity nguyen (a bit biased! i read an early draft of it), a dark and downing tide by allison saft (love allison saft! very excited for her adult debut!), a witch's guide to magical innkeeping by sangu mandanna, anatomy of a betrayal by grace d. li (loved portrait of a thief/her debut + have been eagerly awaiting her next book), the dark we know by wen yi lee (also biased! read an early version of this! but it's loosely inspired by spring awakening <3), and of course, emily henry's funny story (although i read an arc of it already so it feels like cheating!). what about you?

speaking of laufey, i finally bought bewitched on vinyl yesterday! it should be here sometime next week; i'm so excited to listen to it on vinyl :")

[bloooops]

the girls who invented a fake relationship to be devastated over listening to olivia rogrigo’s sour need to listen to madi diaz’s history of a feeling 

[harryfeatgaga]

okay but now that madi diaz is back on tour w harry it’s time i can confess i listened to think of me when the harry tokyo debacle happened HXNSKDN so basically the perfect theme song to anons concept last night https:// www.tumblr.com/blog/view/harryfeatgaga/716447527149371392

HELPPPPPPP