In a music industry that seems more cookie-cutter than cutting edge, few emerging artists flip my switch as potentially being the next big thing. Most seem to easily “talk the talk” but fall far short when they “walk the walk.” It sounds cliché, but it’s true in many cases.
Enter Diamante. From an early age, it was abundantly clear that her passion for music and confidence on stage set her apart from others chasing down the same elusive dream. Years later, Diamante is blazing her own trail and achieving her dreams as an incredibly talented singer, songwriter, and performer. And dare I say, she may very well be “the next big thing” that rock music so desperately needs.
In this interview, The Vinyl District sat down with Diamante to discuss all things rock and roll including early inspirations, her most recent release, American Dream, vinyl, and some of her favorite emerging bands heading into 2022.
How did you get your start in music?
Ooh, that’s a loaded question. To be honest, I discovered my love for singing when I began singing along to Disney movies. When I was little, I’m talking like four or five years old, I would sing nonstop all day, every day. I’d drive my parents crazy, and I think they realized how much I loved to sing, so they got me started in musical theater back in elementary school. And that’s when I fell in love with performing initially. And then I didn’t really discover rock music until I was around 13, 14. I did a School of Rock Camp here in LA, and my whole world just opened, and my mind was blown and has been that way ever since.
Who were your greatest inspirations as a young musician?
Gosh, there were so many. Especially when I was really getting into music. I just gravitated so much toward female rock singers because I wanted to emulate their voices. I wanted to be as cool as them. I thought they were just so timeless and awesome. And one of them was Joan Jett. When I discovered Joan, I was like, “This woman is incredible.” Not only because she thrived, but she thrived in a climate where it wasn’t cool for women to thrive in rock music. So, I really, really respect her for that. And Blondie and Stevie Nicks and Pat Benatar and all these incredible voices that I still listen to all the time.
So how did you know that you wanted to pursue a career in music?
I think as funny as it sounds, I believe I’ve always known. Thinking back to when I was six years old and putting on pretend performances in my bedroom, I always knew that’s what I wanted to do with my life. I’m not sure if that’s normal for a child, but I’ve been dead set on it ever since I discovered my love for music. And I think that School of Rock performance, and then a couple of performances I did in LA, cemented that feeling. I loved performing so much that I couldn’t really picture myself doing anything else. And then, of course, the coffin was totally sealed when I went out on my first tour when I was 18. And I said, “Yep, this is awesome. This is what I want to do forever. And I don’t care if I’m on the road for 365 days of the year, let’s go!”
You released your second studio album American Dream in May of 2021. Tell us a little bout about the album and its conception?
That album process was definitely very different from my first album process. I think the first biggest difference being that initially I wasn’t with a label. So that first album was created completely independently. With American Dream, I partnered with Howard Benson and Neil Sanderson (from Three Days Grace), and the three of us made this album together. So, it was different getting to have basically complete creative control, and that was fun.
Releasing it during the pandemic was also very interesting. Originally the album was supposed to come out in 2020, but when everything started shutting down and it became very apparent that there was not going to be any touring anytime soon, I decided to release song after song, spread out two, three months between each song, just to get a feel like, “What does everybody like?”
And I wasn’t releasing the songs with the whole album being finished. I was releasing the songs as they were being created. So, that was fun. And then back in May, I decided, “Who knows how much longer it’s going to be like this? I think that people need music right now, because I know how much I need music right now. So, I’m just going to release this album and see what happens. And if I get to tour it right away. Great. And if I don’t, at least it’s out in the world.”
What are your favorite tracks off the album?
That’s a hard one as my thoughts on the album change quite often. That said, I think “Unlovable” is a really special one to me because it’s very, very vulnerable. And I think it’s the most personal song that I’ve ever written. Sonically, I really, really like “American Dream” because it’s just different. It’s got a mixture of everything that I like. It’s upbeat, it’s fun, and it’s definitely got that rock influence I love. It’s also sexy and showcases my love for all places America. So, I love that song!
What led you to release “Unlovable” as “Difícil De Amar” in Spanish earlier this month?
So, when I released my first album, I had a ballad on there called “I’m Sorry.” I followed up with a Spanish version of it called “Lo Siento,” and what I would do live is, I would sing the first half of the song in Spanish and then switch to English or vice versa (and the crowd always loved it). I have a pretty solid Latin American fan base because I happen to be half Mexican, and everyone would always come up to me and say, “Wow, that’s so cool that you made this song in Spanish. Please, please, please make more.” And I’ve gotten that request for so long. So, with this album I knew I had to do another Spanish version, and I picked “Unlovable” because I think the Spanish language is so emotive and passionate
Looks like you are hitting the road for a small headlining tour beginning in San Diego. Are you excited to finally be back on the road after a crazy couple of years?
It feels surreal. I haven’t done a full-length tour since 2019, so it definitely feels weird and bizarre, and it’s a risk going out on tour for a lot of reasons. But I concluded that, (A), I need to be back out on the road, because it’s what I love to do and it’s my passion, and (B), I didn’t want to go this entire album cycle without touring the album once. So, I definitely wanted to go out there and just sing all of American Dream to all the fans and really give that album the life it deserves. So that’s probably the biggest reason. But besides all the unpredictability of touring, I’m excited. I’m excited to go back out and hopefully everything goes well.
After your first set of shows, it looks like you’ll be teaming up with Shinedown in early April and touring the US. How did this tour come about?
I’ve known the Shinedown guys now for two years, because back in 2018, when I had the song with Bad Wolves, they took me out on their tours for three months straight. So, I got to go open essentially for Shinedown for like a two, three-week run. And I got to become friends with the band and they’re really great guys. And I’ve always told them, “Hey, if you ever need an opener, I’m more than willing. And I would love to do it.” And a couple months ago, Zach actually reached out to me and said, “Hey, how would you feel about doing a tour with us and The Pretty Reckless?” I was like, “Are you kidding me? Absolutely, let’s go!”
What do you think about the resurgence of vinyl around the world?
I love it. I think it’s so cool. I’ve always loved physical music. When I was younger, I wasn’t necessarily a vinyl collector, but I loved getting physical CDs and reading the lyric booklets and saving them and I collected it. And I know what that means to be a fan of someone’s music and want to hold something physical in my hands that reminds me of them, that is them. So, I think this resurgence is probably due to the fact that a lot of people are staying at home and listening to more music, I think. And I think it’s incredible that more vinyl is being a appreciated and ultimately being purchased.
Do you think vinyl sounds uniquely different than newer digital formats?
I do. I have my own vinyl player and I’ve definitely noticed that when I play records, everything sounds warmer. It definitely sounds more intimate, like this thing is right there in the room with you. So that’s what I love about vinyl.
Who is your all-time favorite female vocalists?
Oh, my gosh. That’s so hard. I think I’m going to have to say Kelly Clarkson, she’s my all-time favorite.
What 2 or 3 newer bands, or artists, do you see making huge jumps forward in 2022?
Definitely put Plush on that list. They’re such a great band. Another band I’m digging is called The Warning. They’re really cool. And I feel like Måneskin has already made the jump, but they could go even further with how innovative their sound is. They are really, really cool.
Do you have a favorite venue, local or international, that you just love performing in?
Club wise, I think I would have to say The Chameleon Club. I don’t know if it’s still there, but it’s in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and I’ve always had so much fun at that place and played some great shows. If I was talking a little bit bigger scale, I would say Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, just because it was the very first arena stage that I stepped onto. So, it’s very special to me.
Outside of music, what other hobbies or interests do you have?
Yes. So, during the pandemic, as I was making the album, I was also going to college. I was going full-time, and I graduated recently with a degree in business, so that took up a huge chunk of my time. And now that I’m out of school, I really, really love fashion. I love food. I picked up hot yoga, which sounds random, but it’s changed my life. I also love exercising. I love going to new and interesting places when I can, just because the last two years at home have made me appreciate traveling even more. And I love hanging out with my dog, Nico.
Seeing as you’re going to be touring with Shinedown, what is your favorite song of theirs?
I think “Cut the Cord” has to be my favorite because that song rips live. It is so powerful. The whole crowd is singing along and it’s really something special live.
Is there an artist or a song that somebody might find on one of your workout playlists that would surprise your fans?
I think that would be like 90% of the music I listen to. But one I’ve been listening to a lot lately is “Hung Up” by Madonna, and maybe that’s not super random because people know I love the ’80s. But Madonna right now is definitely something I’ve been listening to.
Any final words for TVD readers?
Hopefully, I’m playing a bunch of shows this year and I’d love to see The Vinyl District faithful out at one of my shows. I’m also playing UK and Europe this summer, which I’m so excited for, because I’ve never gone over there before. Even though I just put out American Dream, the album, I have so much new music coming and I’m sure that I’ll put out a new song or two before the end of the year. Stay tuned!
Diamante’s American Dream is in stores now.
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