INTERVIEW: Maddie Zahm Invites You to Mr Rogers' World
Maddie Zahm was born to sing -- and in her upcoming album she's reconciled her past as a youth faith leader with her LGBTQIA+ identity. Also, she would love your sweet treats.
Maddie Zahm has a voice that needs to be heard – and at one point, she used it in servie of the Lord. First performing as a youth leader when she was 13, Zahm has spent the intervening years interrogating her relationship with music, her faith, and her LGBTQIA+ identity. Everything All the Time, out September 25th, finds Zahm reckoning with her past while plunging fearlessly into the future: embracing herself, love, and everything that comes after that. In our interview, Zahm wisecracks about her ability to memorize lyrics, the music that inspires her, and her love of sweet treats.
Who are some of your musical influences?
I would say hilariously some of my influences include worship music like Hillsong. I also love musicians with distinct vocal identity like Noah Kahan!
Name a perfect song and tell us why you feel that way.
"Wildewoman" by Lucius. I cannot for the life of me imagine a better song. The mix, the lyrics. Also snuck that vinyl home and would hope I would find a record player here and there to listen to it. It means a great deal to me.
Explain the title of your album.
Everything All The Time to me is supposed to be a journey. As someone who feels a lot- I wanted other people to get to experience the intensity of being a big feeler. Also some of the songs didn’t necessarily fit together and so when I came up with the title it unlocked something very special to me- the ability to go anywhere at any time. I think I used Mr. Rogers as an overarching theme- his ability to be this incredible bridge between us and the world he built. I wanted to be the Mr. Rogers of my album.
Tell us about the first song you wrote.
I believe the first song on the album I wrote was "Hometown Letdown." Which, was supposed to be a response to the way church people spoke about me in a way where they thought they were loving me. I wanted to reclaim it.
Do you have any go-to albums to listen to in the van?
BON IVER FOR EMMA A LONG LONG TIME AGO. DON'T TALK TO ME WHILE I YEARN OUTSIDE THE WINDOW.
What are some of the best venues you've played? Why?
Anything in Indianapolis. I don't know why the people from there are so damn loud and fun. I wind up literally playing like a half an hour longer than I intended because they bully me into playing all their favorites.
Tell us about your favorite show you've ever played.
Perhaps my first hometown festival. It was so special to realize how far things had come. I love Boise Idaho. Also perhaps Utah. I think the religious trauma there makes it even more emotional and reminds me why I wrote the songs in the first place.
Do you play covers at your shows? Why or Why not?
I am not a huge cover girl<3 can’t remember lyrics<3 I am so serious<3
What's the best way a fan can support you?
Come to shows! DM me! Bring me a little sweet treat on the road!
Everything All The Time will be out on September 25th.
