Artist Interview and Video Feature: Liza Anne – Female folk music singer songwriter

I first heard Liza Anne on some sort of streaming service, but was awakened to her music by Bryan Bull (of Bullhorn Publicity).  Her sound is addictively good.  I was dying to ask her a few questions and despite it being the dreaded “email interview” it was still nice to hear from this wonderful new artist.  Click play on the video and give a listen while you read Liza’s answers to our questions.

1) How did you get your start in music?
I’d always found myself creating through writing, it wasn’t until 14 that I started to play guitar as well. But, as soon as I found the way to ‘vent’, I guess is the best way to put it, I couldn’t imagine myself ever doing anything else. I’m quite addicted to creating and writing and making new sounds and stories.

2) You seem to have a really unique sound. Is that something you’ve learned over time, or did you just start singing with a unique vibrato?
Thank you so much. I’ve never remembered myself sounding much different, I’ve always had a strange thing to my voice. But, age and life and all of that will wear on a voice box – I’m sure I’ve come to sound stronger in the past few years because I’ve been singing so much more.

3) Your songs are often about relationships. Without being too nosy asking about specifics, can you talk a little about the process of using art to cope with relationships and your past?

Creating has always been my way of processing. It is one of the few ways you can do so without anyone else telling you how to move forward. Art lets you wallow for a bit. Sometimes friends and family, with good intentions, try and push you out of your slump too early, before you’ve even learned much. Art doesn’t push much at all, but gives you the permission to sit for a moment in whatever sorrow you’ve been thrown in, or created for yourself. For me, this past record catalogued a lot of pain and mess I created and being able to look back now on all of that now is healing and telling. I know the messes I made, and can learn from the songs that came from it all.

4) My personal favorite track was “1000 Years” with Jake Vroon. Do you forsee more projects with him? What was it like working on a duo project when the rest of the album is solo?
That is one of my favourites as well, Jake is so talented. I would love to sing with him more. We’ve written other songs together -so, we’ll see if something comes of it. He’s an absolute gem. As for working with him, it was incredible. He played some guitars on the record as well, so he was around for it all coming together. I truly couldn’t have done it without him.

5) There’s a really fine line between under production and over production. How did you reach the amount of production (that is to say ancillary elements to the sound other than basic instruments and your vocals)?
I owe that all to Zachary Dyke – the producer on the project. His mind took my songs to a place I couldn’t have done without him. To start, I was shy to any sort of large instrumentations or production aspects, but after we started letting the songs speak for themselves – it all created itself.

6) Are you touring this summer? If so, do you have any idea where you’re headed?
I am playing some living room shows in Europe and the UK starting the beginning of May. I’m so excited about it – I just finished an east coast living room tour a couple weeks ago and have fallen in love with the road.

7) Can you talk a little bit about what the songwriting process looks like for you? Do you work from lyrical ideas to music concepts, the other way around, or some kind of mix?
It’s so different every time. Sometimes I have a melody I’m going crazy over, that I don’t want to touch with meaningless lyrics – so, I wait until a story falls out naturally. I’d hate to just fill lines with words for the sole purpose of a song. Songs should mean more and more and more with each line and chord and melody. People feel understood when songs mean something and are not forced – I want people to feel that way.

8) What would you like our readers to know about your music?
Oh, no – I’m awful at convincing someone of me. I hope you guys like it. I’m lame. I hope my music is cooler than I am.

*Editor’s note: You are not lame Liza!  You’re great.  Thanks for the interview and good luck with the rapidly-growing career!

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