Singer-songwriter Madi Diaz is looking back with gratitude and wonder at her time performing alongside global superstar Harry Styles.
The 39-year-old musician, who first opened for Styles during his 2022 tour before joining his Love on Tour band the following year, shared that the experience not only deepened her respect for the pop icon but also helped her reconnect with the pure joy of performing.
Speaking about their time on the road, Diaz said she and Styles quickly bonded over shared interests.
“I think we just liked watching each other, and he was always interested in what I was reading or listening to — and vice versa,” she recalled. Their mutual curiosity created a natural friendship built on creativity and respect.
Beyond their artistic connection, Diaz admired Styles’ humility and the way he treated everyone around him. “I really liked watching how he treats people,” she said.
“He remembers everybody’s name, he remembers what every single person does, and he goes out of his way to make people feel important and seen and special in their role. I just think that’s a really beautiful way to operate in a team sense.”
For Diaz, who is known for emotionally raw and introspective songwriting, performing backup vocals for Styles offered a refreshing change of perspective.
“I don’t know if I would’ve been able to access that part of myself when it’s about me,” she admitted.
“When it’s my show, my songs are f—ing sad.” But joining Styles’ high-energy performances allowed her to embrace a different side of herself — one filled with lightness and fun.
“I really love the feeling of singing — I love how it feels in my muscles,” Diaz explained. “That’s kind of what that whole tour became.”
As she settled into the rhythm of performing for massive crowds, she found herself more expressive and uninhibited.
“I was able to challenge myself to be in my body,” she said, describing moments when she’d lift her guitar in the air and skip across the stage. “Oh my God, I was having fun playing music.”
Now, reflecting on her personal and artistic growth, Diaz feels a deep sense of appreciation for how far she’s come.
“I feel like I know that I’ve gotten better,” she told PEOPLE.
“And I am grateful to have a longer career arc because I can hold all the things that are coming at me now better than I would’ve if I was 25.”
Her latest release, Fatal Optimist, marks her seventh studio album — a testament to her evolution as an artist who has weathered heartbreak, rediscovered joy, and continues to grow through every stage of her journey.
For Madi Diaz, touring with Harry Styles wasn’t just a career milestone — it was a turning point, reminding her that music can be as healing and joyful as it is emotional and introspective.
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