Interview: Liza Anne

 

Hey guys!

I obviously can only speak for myself, but 2015 really excites me. There is so much fantastic music out there and for some reason I just feel much more involved in the whole industry.

This blog made it possible for me to become a small part of many exciting projects and I'm absolutely excited that I get to present them on here.

Recently I chatted with Liza Anne, a very exciting artist we should know about and keep an eye on. (Well, and an ear on, obviously!)

Liza Anne is a singer/songwriter originally from Georgia, USA but now based in Nashville, USA. 

Her sound could be described as dreamy folk with sprinkles of acoustic, country and maybe even pop.

The media loves her refreshing and honest attitude. Industry people like Ryan Seacrest, CMT Edge and Refinery29 all praise her. She's shared the stage with big acts and has gigged all around the world.

At the young age of 19, Liza independently released her debut album "The Colder Months" (February 2014). 

In the interview she tells us more about how unexpected that was, what piece of lyrics she is proud of the most and she even puts together her perfect festival lineup!

house in the sand: Hi Liza, thanks a lot for taking the time to chat with us. To get started, why don't you tell us a bit about how you got into making music? Was there a special key moment?

Liza Anne: I think for me, creating something was always a necessity for sanity. Wish there was a less melodramatic way to put it, but I started writing in journals when I was about 8 because I overthought everything I felt from a very young age. I guess a turning point, so to say, was around the time I was 14 - my uncle made me a mix that said to 'stay away from the lil waynes of the world' coated in Joni Mitchell, The Cranberries, Brandi Carlile, etc. Those women were saying all the things people were too scared to say, and I wanted to start doing that. So, I picked up a guitar and started making up melodies and songs throughout the summer and haven't been able to stop.

HITS: You said you didn't expect to have an album out at this early stage of your career. How long did it take you to write it?

Liza: Yeah, the first album was a whirlwind for me. It wasn't that I set out to write an album at all. "The Colder Months" was a product of unsent letters, notes in my phone I never imagined anyone reading and emotional vomit of my 18th and 19th year. I can't pinpoint a time when I started writing the record, but I was working on the lyrics and content up until the last tracking day. The last track - "Tunnels" - I wrote the week before we finished the whole record - couldn't help but throw it into the mix.

HITS: Are there any other rather unexpected things that happened to you?

Liza: Yes, so many. I feel like this past year of life has just proven the world is small and if you live open palmed, you can never meet a stranger. I cannot count the unexpected run-ins with strangers all over the world that ended up changing my life in some drastic way. I love that about traveling - I always come away with a new perspective that I wouldn't have gained without traveling to different places.

HITS: You're about to perform at SXSW. Let's pretend you were the one to put together a festival lineup, who would you choose?

Liza: This is my favourite question. I could probably talk about this for hours, so I'll spare you and tell you the top 8 bands that would have to be there: Feist, Dr. Dog, Rae Sremmurd, BØRNS, Daughter, The Cranberries (duh), Keaton Henson (but, that would have to be it's own day, people need to emotionally heal from his performance) and lastly, Bahamas. I'd want the festival to happen in the woods, also.

HITS: Let's imagine even more - if you had to pick one musician/band to work with, who would it be and why?

Liza: Definitely, Feist. I've never been more infatuated with someone's artistic process than her. She takes every corner of the final product into consideration in this effortless but still intentional way. I watched her documentary this summer for the first time and it completely changed how I went about creating. To have her voice speaking some sense of life into a project I am a part of would be the dream.

HITS: Your songs are very honest and personal. Do you have a favourite piece of lyrics you've written?

Liza: I think some of the moments from the upcoming release are my favourite lyrical moments. But, I can't pinpoint just one. Sometimes I sit back and realize that I'm spending my life, more or less, telling my secrets to strange audiences and I have to laugh. My lyrics don't really leave anything out and sometimes that's terrifying to realize.

HITS: 2014 was a pretty busy year for you, wasn't it? How would you describe it in one word?

Liza: It was! This is an absolutely hard question to answer. What's one word for 'this was the best year of my life and I can't imagine having not met all the people I met and seen all the people I saw and experienced all the things I did'. Ha, just kidding. But, I don't think I can put one word to it all.

HITS: Music also made you travel a lot. What are your travel essentials whilst being on the road?

Liza: My green rucksack, journal, camera + my lucky shoes (this really lovely turned shit pair of Doc Martens I've had for years, they are falling to bits but I can't part with them. They've seen so much of the earth). When I'm traveling, I think it's most important to fit everything into one backpack. That way, while you're gone, life feels simple and in one place.

HITS: What can we expect from you in the future?

Liza: New sounds and new stories told in lots of different ways. With this new project, I'm excited about the videos that we are putting together. I want there to be a way for people to experience them past what the song is saying exactly - a way to make the story more real, rather than just a pretty song. I'm excited to experiment with content and sound and live sets.

HITS: Please complete the following sentence: I am Liza Anne and I...

Liza: ...love beer and guacamole.

HITS: If there is anything you would like the house in the sand readers to know, this is your time!
Liza: I'm just absolutely over the moon to start sharing the new project with everyone. Things are sounding in a way that I am so proud of - this year is going to be special, I think.

Liza Anne online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Soundcloud | YouTube

Thank you for reading! 

 

Credits // Text & questions: Vanessa Jertschewske | Image & answers: Liza Anne