Maddie Zahm: You Might Not Like Her

Maddie Zahm brought her You Might Not Like Her Tour to a close at The Troubadour in West Hollywood, CA. The 24-year-old singer-songwriter released her debut E.P., You Might Not Like Her, in August 2022, which chronicles her life experiences of leaving a church community where she served as a worship leader, coming out as queer and finding herself, moving to Los Angeles, and losing a significant amount of weight. Her raw and emotional vulnerability on this project has garnered her many passionate fans from all backgrounds. Fans of all ages waited in anticipation on Santa Monica Boulevard for hours leading up to the concert, hoping to secure a good spot inside. Once the doors finally opened, the crowd quickly filled up the lower level of The Troubadour. The venue playlist was stacked with songs by plenty of queer artists including Zolita, FLETCHER, Carol Ades, and more. Fans enjoyed mingling with each other and singing along to every song in anticipation of the main event.

Maddie’s set started with “Pocket Bible,” which caused excited screams to erupt from the crowd. Her powerful, stunning vocals paired with the honest lyrics about her religious past was a completely mesmerizing experience. She continued on with the viral hit, “Fat Funny Friend,” in which she openly discusses her relationship with her body. Throughout the concert, Maddie walked back and forth along the edge of the stage, holding hands with fans in the first few rows and even kneeled down to sing to fans one on one. At one point, she surprised the crowd by bringing out fellow musician Francis Karel to sing their song, “Seeing Other People.” She closed her set with her recent single and queer breakup anthem, “STEP ON ME.” After the audience chanted her name over and over for an encore, Maddie came back out on stage to sing her hit and title track of her debut E.P., during which every single person in the audience shouted the lyrics back to her at the top of their lungs. Maddie Zahm’s concerts are a safe space for people not only who have had parallel experiences, but also for those who are looking for a place to feel like they belong. I cannot wait to catch Maddie on her next tour and am anxiously awaiting the release of her next project.