Madi Diaz
Encyclopedia
Madi Diaz is an American singer and songwriter.
, where she was home schooled by her Peruvian
mother, Nancy, a proponent of early childhood development and the visual arts, and her Danish
father, Eric, a woodworker and musician. Madi began piano lessons at age five, as her father was a keyboard player in the Frank Zappa
tribute band, Project Object.
In her early teens, Diaz switched from piano to guitar and attended Paul Green School of Rock in Philadelphia, where she was featured in director Don Argott
’s 2005 documentary about the program, Rock School
.
After high school, Diaz was accepted to Berklee College of Music
in Boston. It was at Berklee that she first began working with Kyle Ryan, the Nebraska-raised guitarist who would turn into her songwriting collaborator. The pair began their collaboration when a fellow student, a producer looking for a project, offered Diaz the chance to record an album in Hawaii—all expenses paid, no strings attached. The 2007 self-released Skin And Bones was the result, and a songwriting and performing partnership between Diaz and Ryan stuck. Shortly after, Diaz left the program at Berklee.
Diaz and Ryan continued writing and began playing shows in New York City
, where she met her manager. Diaz and Ryan were then sent to Nashville for a month to write. In mid-2010, the duo relocated to Nashville.
After releasing the EP, Ten Gun Salute, Diaz began touring with The Civil Wars
and Landon Pigg
. She was featured in Paste Magazine as one of the “Top Ten Buzziest Acts” At SXSW
2009 and has had songs featured on ABC Family
’s Pretty Little Liars
and Lifetime’s Drop Dead Diva
and Army Wives
.
Her EP, Far From The Things That We Know, was released on September 20, 2011, by TinyOGRE Entertainment and previews songs from her upcoming full-length album, to be released in early 2012. The EP was recorded in Los Angeles
and Charlottesville, VA with John Alagia
(Dave Matthews Band
, John Mayer
) serving as producer.
Diaz has provided backing vocals for Joseph Arthur
on four tracks of his latest album, The Graduation Ceremony.
History
Though based in Nashville, Diaz grew up in Lancaster, PALancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster is a city in the south-central part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is the county seat of Lancaster County and one of the older inland cities in the United States, . With a population of 59,322, it ranks eighth in population among Pennsylvania's cities...
, where she was home schooled by her Peruvian
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
mother, Nancy, a proponent of early childhood development and the visual arts, and her Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
father, Eric, a woodworker and musician. Madi began piano lessons at age five, as her father was a keyboard player in the Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
tribute band, Project Object.
In her early teens, Diaz switched from piano to guitar and attended Paul Green School of Rock in Philadelphia, where she was featured in director Don Argott
Don Argott
Don Argott is an American documentary filmmaker and musician originally from Pequannock, New Jersey, and currently residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Argott has directed several documentary films and has also worked as a producer and cinematographer. He co-owns the production company 9.14...
’s 2005 documentary about the program, Rock School
Rock School (film)
Rock School is a 2005 documentary film directed and produced by Don Argott.The documentary exhibits The Paul Green School of Rock Music through the eyes of its founder, Paul Green. A New York Magazine film critic said "Paul Green is letting his students in on a secret of life that goes beyond...
.
After high school, Diaz was accepted to Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music, located in Boston, Massachusetts, is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known primarily as a school for jazz, rock and popular music, it also offers college-level courses in a wide range of contemporary and historic styles, including hip...
in Boston. It was at Berklee that she first began working with Kyle Ryan, the Nebraska-raised guitarist who would turn into her songwriting collaborator. The pair began their collaboration when a fellow student, a producer looking for a project, offered Diaz the chance to record an album in Hawaii—all expenses paid, no strings attached. The 2007 self-released Skin And Bones was the result, and a songwriting and performing partnership between Diaz and Ryan stuck. Shortly after, Diaz left the program at Berklee.
Diaz and Ryan continued writing and began playing shows in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, where she met her manager. Diaz and Ryan were then sent to Nashville for a month to write. In mid-2010, the duo relocated to Nashville.
After releasing the EP, Ten Gun Salute, Diaz began touring with The Civil Wars
The CIVIL warS
The Civil Wars: A Tree Is Best Measured When It Is Down is an opera created in the early 1980s by director Robert Wilson to music by Philip Glass, David Byrne, Gavin Bryars and others...
and Landon Pigg
Landon Pigg
Landon Pigg is a singer-songwriter, musician, and actor from Nashville, Tennessee.- Early years :Pigg was born in Nashville, Tennessee. When Pigg was a child, his family moved to Oak Park, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, and he and two of his siblings, Cari-Ann and Gabriel, sang commercial jingles...
. She was featured in Paste Magazine as one of the “Top Ten Buzziest Acts” At SXSW
South by Southwest
South by Southwest is an Austin, Texas based company dedicated to planning conferences, trade shows, festivals and other events. Their current roster of annual events include: SXSW Music, SXSW Film, SXSW Interactive, SXSWedu, and SXSWeco and take place every spring in Austin, Texas, United States...
2009 and has had songs featured on ABC Family
ABC Family
ABC Family, stylized as abc family, is an American television network, owned by ABC Family Worldwide Inc., a subsidiary of the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company...
’s Pretty Little Liars
Pretty Little Liars (TV series)
Pretty Little Liars is an American mystery-thriller teen drama television series created by Marlene King. Based on the popular series of novels written by Sara Shepard, the show premiered on June 8, 2010 on ABC Family...
and Lifetime’s Drop Dead Diva
Drop Dead Diva
Drop Dead Diva is an American legal comedy-drama/fantasy television series that debuted on Lifetime on July 12, 2009. The hour-long series, which was created by Josh Berman, is produced by Sony Pictures Television...
and Army Wives
Army Wives
Army Wives is an American drama series that follows the lives of four army wives, their families, and an army husband whose wife is in the army. The series, shot at ABC Studios, premiered on Lifetime on June 3, 2007...
.
Her EP, Far From The Things That We Know, was released on September 20, 2011, by TinyOGRE Entertainment and previews songs from her upcoming full-length album, to be released in early 2012. The EP was recorded in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and Charlottesville, VA with John Alagia
John Alagía
John Alagía is an accomplished music producer. He is best known for his work with the Dave Matthews Band and John Mayer. Alagia is a native of Louisville, Kentucky, and a graduate of Georgetown University...
(Dave Matthews Band
Dave Matthews Band
Dave Matthews Band, sometimes shortened to DMB, is a U.S. rock band formed in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1991. The founding members were singer-songwriter and guitarist Dave Matthews, bassist Stefan Lessard, drummer/backing vocalist Carter Beauford and saxophonist LeRoi Moore. Boyd Tinsley was...
, John Mayer
John Mayer
John Clayton Mayer is an American pop rock and blues rock musician, singer-songwriter, recording artist, and music producer. Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut and raised in Fairfield, Connecticut, he attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. He moved to Atlanta in 1997, where he refined his...
) serving as producer.
Diaz has provided backing vocals for Joseph Arthur
Joseph Arthur
Joseph Arthur is an American singer-songwriter and artist from Akron, Ohio. Combining poetic lyrics with a layered sonic palette, Arthur has built his reputation over the years through critically acclaimed releases and constant touring; his unique solo live performances incorporate the use of a...
on four tracks of his latest album, The Graduation Ceremony.
Discography
- Skin and Bone (2007)
- 10 Gun Salute EP (2009)
- Far From the Things That We Know (2011)