At least when it comes to Los Angeles artists, the genre tag “Latin Alternative” usually refers to some sort of cumbia/rock/electronic hybrid. Which is why it has been exciting to see Irene Diaz develop on the scene here, since she's not easily pigeonholed, melding influences that include blues and soul. At her core, however, Diaz offers quality songwriting, which can be heard on her debut EP, I Love You Madly, which was released after a successful Kickstarter campaign. She emerged as a singer-songwriter only a few years ago and has been featured in national media, including NPR. Her voice has been compared to none other than Ella Fitzgerald, and feels similarly timeless. Her songs are in English, which is just one reason we suspect her music will break out of the Latin scene and be recognized by everyone. —Eddie Cota

irenediazmusic.com.

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