Mind Reading: Maddie Zahm on Building Catharsis And Community Through Song

“If you were listening to my music three years ago, odds are you were making some pretty significant life changes. We all went through some really big stuff together.”

Singer/songwriter Maddie Zahm, the former American Idol contestant whose music subsequently went viral on social platforms, is reflecting on the hailstorm of life changes she’s experienced in recent years. Those include her decision to leave her role as a youth leader in the Christian church in her hometown of Boise, Idaho, come out as queer and lose nearly 200 pounds as a result of gastric sleeve surgery.

Amplifying those evolutions has been her decision to share her experiences in real time both through music and direct interaction with fans. From revealing a then new diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) to the television audience during her run on season 16 of the competition series to pouring out songs of deep self-discovery and acceptance, Zahm says she really knows no other way than to bring others along on her journey. She titled her 2022 EP after her song You May Not Like Her and followed it up in 2023 with the album Now That I’ve Been Honest….