Maddie Zahm on Creating Her Candid Debut Album ‘Now That I’ve Been Honest’

Over the past year, pop singer/songwriter Maddie Zahm has achieved career accomplishments many artists only dream of. Her song “Fat Funny Friend” became an unexpected viral hit thanks to its empowering response to society’s expectations around physical appearances. 

The success of that track led Zahm to craft her debut record, Now That I’ve Been Honest, which dropped on October 20. Listeners are taken through intimate, raw storylines set alongside infectious and intricate instrumentation. Zahm’s captivating vocals and unfiltered lyricism explore a range of human emotions and experiences, from grief and love to the challenge of discovering and accepting who you really are.

Below, Zahm tells American Songwriter about the inspiration behind Now That I’ve Been Honest and her reaction to fans’ responses to the record so far.

The vulnerability and honesty of your song “Fat Funny Friend” connected with so many listeners. How did you react to the response to it?

Honestly, I am still trying to wrap my head around what this song has become for people. When I first posted it, I didn’t expect for any people to hear it. I remember when my publisher called me frantically and told me I needed to look at what people were using the sound for. I remember I was at home in Boise and started crying at everyone telling their stories with that song. It’s a core memory for me.

You’ve built a dedicated fanbase through platforms like TikTok. How important is it to you to continue to foster that relationship?

It’s really interesting – sometimes I get in my head about what I want to post. Something that really helped me is looking at it like a relationship. Instead of worrying about going viral, I’m more focused on trying to foster my relationship with the people who have supported me. 

Can you tell me about the headspace and place in your life that you were at when you started working on Now That I’ve Been Honest?

God. I would say the album is a little manic. I was having so many experiences for the first time, and it felt really overwhelming to write. I wanted everyone to feel the ups and downs of the year I had. That’s why you go from a sad song to a dance song to a heartbreak song. That is what it felt like when I was writing it.

Since this is your debut record, did you feel pressure to craft something truly representative of you as an artist?

Yes. And I will say this album is one of the things that I am the most proud of! I think the EP was so heavy, and I was deconstructing such a big part of my life that I wanted the album to be kind of like a foundation for the fact that I could be literally any type of artist now. This album is a roadmap to how I became the person that I am. And the one thing that I love about what I’ve learned is that I can speak in period marks and then change my mind. I just think that this album is a perfect way for me to start as an artist. And I think that you can hear me finding my sound through it.

You play with a lot of different sonic elements on Now That I’ve Been Honest. Did you go into the process knowing that you wanted to experiment with different styles and sounds?

Producing the album was actually quite hard. After being raised in the church, I had become so used to church music! I had to separate myself from a lot of the references I was raised listening to. I found myself really having to dive into modern-day music to make it more consumable while also utilizing references from the years I spent in church. It was very interesting.

With songs like “You Might Not Like Her” and “Lady Killer,” you tell stories through your own lens as a queer woman. Is it important to you to hear songs and create songs that represent and support the queer community?

Absolutely. I think for me, the goal for this album was to show people how when I first came out of the closet, I literally could not wait to tell anybody and everybody that I was gay, haha. And the more certain I became about my sexuality, the easier it was to write songs like Lady Killer. It’s super interesting to hear that song, knowing that I had only kissed a couple of girls. I was just so thrilled to be able to write something that day and know that it was okay. I think it’s important for young queer people to really be able to express themselves and make up for the time that they lost in hiding.

You open up about so many facets of your life in these songs. Was crafting this album and these songs a cathartic experience for you?

It was definitely cathartic. It was also quite scary! I think with my music, because it’s so incredibly personal, and I’m not writing it for other people, I’ve been trying to find the line as to what I’m willing to share, and what I am not. And also knowing that just because I wrote a song about something, doesn’t mean that I have to expand on it in person. It’s a tricky thing to be that vulnerable in a project. I’m figuring out my boundaries outside of it!

How do you feel—both creatively and personally—now that these songs are out in the world? 

Free, for sure.

Photo by Gus Black, Courtesy of Big Feat PR