Diaz performing at the 2021 BRIC JazzFest.[1]

Linda Diaz is an Afro-Latina singer, songwriter, and chess prodigy from the Lower East Side of Manhattan.[2]

In 2020, she won the NPR Tiny Desk Contest.[3]

Diaz is a co-host of the PBS music education series Sound Field.[4][5]

Music career

In November 2019, Diaz released her EP, Magic. Earmilk wrote that the record, "captivates listeners with a classic neo-soul aura that's rife with smooth keys and lush guitar riffs. Diaz's shimmering vocals paint a vivid picture of the day she fell in love and has us feeling the same upon first listen."[6]

In January 2020, Diaz was a backup singer for Jordan Rakei during his NPR Tiny Desk Concert.[7]

In August 2020, she won the NPR Tiny Desk Contest with her song "Green Tea Ice Cream", beating over 6,000 entries. Diaz wrote the track during a year when her grandfather died, she was broken up with, and she was laid off, forcing her to reckon with what she valued and what she needed to move forward.[8] Tiny Desk producer, Bobby Carter, said, “Linda stood out in a crop of thousands of talented musicians, but I knew early on that she was the one to beat. Her tone, her message and the band’s overall musical presentation were simply undeniable.”[3]

Due to the risks of COVID-19, NPR stopped hosting Tiny Desk Concerts in its D.C. studio in 2020 and 2021. In the interim, Tiny Desk continued its series as "Tiny Desk (Home) Concerts", where artists recorded sets in their home locations.[9] In October 2020, Diaz's concert was published, with her and her band performing on the top of the Javits Center, the first musicians to ever do so.[10][11]

In September 2020, Diaz's singing was featured in a Toyota commercial that aired during the VMAs with J Balvin.[12]

Discography

Extended plays
Title Date Source
Magic 2019 [13]
V 2019 [6]
Singles
Title Year Source
“I’ll be Around” 2022 [14]
“Blessed” 2021 [15]
“Good Thing” 2020 [16]
“Green Tea Ice Cream” 2020 [17]
“Magic” 2019 [18]
“Ready 4 U” 2019 [19]
“Honesty” 2019 [20]
“Fall in Love” 2019 [21]
“Flowers in the Concrete” 2018 [22]

    Scholastic chess career

    Diaz began playing chess at six-years old. She was coached by Sophia Rohde and John MacArthur. Her stillness and silence were determined as traits of a good chess player by her coaches, despite Diaz not excelling at the game for her first three years.[23][24]

    When she was in fourth grade, she placed first in New York City's chess competition, second in New York State's competition, and won SuperNationals. She often used the Sicilian Defence in her matches and was given the nickname, ‘The Tank’.[24][25]

    Often being the youngest player, and a girl, Diaz regularly experienced sexism and condescension at chess tournaments. She's stated that alcoholism is common among young chess players.[24][26]

    In 2017, she competed with Oberlin College at the Pan-American Intercollegiate Chess Championship in New Orleans, where the team won the best small college division for the fourth consecutive year.[27]

    In 2020, she was a guest on United States Chess Federation's podcast, Ladies Knight, hosted by Jennifer Shahade.[28] In 2023, Diaz performed music at the World Chess Hall of Fame.[29]

    References

    1. ↑ "BRIC JazzFest: Back at BRIC House". 28 February 2021.
    2. ↑ "Here Are 10 Women You Can Support This Bandcamp Friday". Remezcla. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
    3. 1 2 "Linda Diaz Wins NPR Music 'Tiny Desk Contest' 2020". JamBase. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
    4. ↑ Brown, Preezy (2023-03-14). "PBS Releases 'The Art Of Diss: Battle Rap Then And Now' Documentary". VIBE.com. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
    5. ↑ "Sound Field - How Do R&B Singers Create Background Vocals? ft. Linda Diaz". Twin Cities PBS. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
    6. 1 2 Odutola, Tayo (2019-11-12). "Linda Diaz's velvety R&B sound is pure "Magic"". EARMILK. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
    7. ↑ "Jordan Rakei: Tiny Desk Concert". NPR. 2020.
    8. ↑ "Meet Linda Diaz, The Winner Of The 2020 Tiny Desk Contest". NPR.
    9. ↑ Rose, Jordan (2021-03-12). "NPR's Reimagined 'Tiny Desk' Concert Series Is a Home Run During COVID". Variety. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
    10. ↑ Linda Diaz, 2020 Tiny Desk Contest Winner: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert, retrieved 2023-05-07
    11. ↑ "Tiny Desk Staffers Pick Their Favorite Tiny Desk (Home) Concerts". NPR. 2020.
    12. ↑ Winther, Sandra (2020-09-02), MTV VMAs 'J Balvin: Mi Gente', retrieved 2023-05-07
    13. ↑ SamMorrison (2020-04-02). "Magic - [Linda Diaz]". Lyrical Lemonade. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
    14. ↑ Singersroom (2022-10-07). "Linda Diaz releases her latest hit "I'll be Around" - Singersroom.com". Retrieved 2023-05-07.
    15. ↑ "Linda Diaz - Blessed". Stereofox Music Blog. 2021-05-24. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
    16. ↑ "Linda Diaz / Good Thing | Early Rising". Retrieved 2023-05-07.
    17. ↑ Blazenhoff, Rusty (2020-08-04). "This soulful song won NPR's 2020 Tiny Desk Contest: 'Green Tea Ice Cream' by Linda Diaz". Boing Boing. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
    18. ↑ Roś, Michalina (2019-11-13). "Rising R&B Artist Linda Diaz Releases New Song 'Magic' | Music News". CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HER. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
    19. ↑ "Ready 4 U, by Linda Diaz". Linda Diaz. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
    20. ↑ SeamusFay (2019-10-08). "Honesty - [Linda Diaz]". Lyrical Lemonade. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
    21. ↑ "Fall in Love, by Linda Diaz". Linda Diaz. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
    22. ↑ "Flowers in the Concrete (Feat. Akinyemi), by Linda Diaz". Linda Diaz. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
    23. ↑ McClain, Dylan Loeb (2007-05-20). "Where's the Real Action Now? In the Nation's Schoolrooms". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
    24. 1 2 3 Holmes, Linda (2020). "We Talk 'Queen's Gambit' With Chess Expert And Tiny Desk Winner Linda Diaz". NPR.
    25. ↑ "Velvet Voice, Plays Chess Like a Tank - Linda Diaz". Spreaker. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
    26. ↑ Shahade, Jennifer (2020-06-19). "Ladies Knight with guest Linda Diaz". US Chess.org. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
    27. ↑ "Chess club brings home fourth trophy". Oberlin College and Conservatory. 2017-02-12. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
    28. ↑ "Ladies Knight with Jen Shahade Featuring Linda Diaz LK018". Ladies Knight Chess. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
    29. ↑ "WCHOF Music Series: Linda Diaz". World Chess Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
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