Words by: Amanda Marano

Chaz Cardigan is going back to the future with his newest single, “Middle of the Road.”  The dance-worthy, infectious, and fun track is the perfect anthem to blast, windows down, as we ride out the rest of the summer. The track was co-written by Chaz and producers Simon Oscroft [Dreamers, The Naked And Famous] and Dan Book [lovelytheband, 5 Seconds of Summer, All Time Low]. Heartfelt, emotional, and honest, Chaz delivers his genuine vulnerability all wrapped up in a bop once again.

“‘Middle of the Road’ came from ruminating on what my life would’ve been like if I’d stayed in my hometown,”  says Chaz of his small hometown Elizabethtown, in central-Kentucky. “I realized I would’ve been miserable, stuck in a cycle of debt and probably addicted to something, pretending to be someone I’m not for the rest of my life.”

Chaz, a classically trained pianist – who taught himself to play guitar, bass, and drums – began performing in punk bands when he was only 11. In high school, he performed covers of classic songs around Louisville, and then later went on to produce in Diatribe, a Nashville hip-hop collective. The alt-pop artist is known for his unique and soulful voice. He grew up listening to artists like Prince and Stevie Wonder, which helped inspire his genre-bending style that mixes folk, R&B, and modern pop.

In 2017, he debuted his first full-length album, I, and released his viral single, “Over.”  Soon after he put out a series of singles that all ended up on Spotify’s New Music Friday playlist, and the success leads to Chaz’s headlining sold-out shows. Soon after, he obtained a record deal, becoming the first artist to sign jointly with Capitol Records and Loud Robot. He also recently performed at To All The Music, a virtual concert which celebrated the vinyl release of the soundtrack for To All The Boys: P.S. I Still Love You, which featured his song, “As I’ll Ever Be.”

Chaz continued to grow his talent and discography with his acclaimed 2020 EP Vulnerabilia, where he got intimate and honest and sang about his deepest insecurities, turning them into pop hits.  The EP featured his popular single “Not OK!,”  which became a top 20 became hit on Alternative radio.  His follow-up single, “S.O.S.,”  was recently named as one of “The 25 Best Songs By LGBTQ Artists In 2020 (So Far)” by Billboard. Channeling his vulnerability, the EP became a space for Chaz to open up about his struggles with panic disorder. With indie/pop anthem “Everything’s Wrong”  Chaz explored his experiences with mental health. In the accompanying music video made in quarantine, Chaz comes to life as a scanned 3D model paired with psychedelic visuals. In a piece about the single, Flaunt said, “‘Everything’s Wrong’…speaks volumes to the current state of the world. The message: a bad day is never the end of the story.”

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