Catch up with singer-songwriter Queen Liz, listen to her latest single "Freak Show" and look for much more to come soon.
What first got you interested in songwriting and music?
Liz: Well, I got my first keyboard when I was five actually and I was in my room for hours at a time just trying to learn notes and trying to figure it out and once I actually did, once I found the notes that went together and started realizing that I could potentially have an ear for it, I just started writing and writing constantly. Then, when I was 15, I just decided that this is what I want, I really want to make this a career, and so I talked to my mom and we went from there. I was interested in it since the time I turned on that keyboard, to be honest; music's been a part of my life since I was very young.
Do you remember the first song you wrote that you were happy with?
Yeah, actually. It sounds kind of silly but I was 10 years old and I wrote a song that was called "Me And My Skinny Jeans" [laughs] and I was extremely proud of it and it was the first song that was completely finished and had music thoughout the whole entire song along with lyrics. But when it comes to big kid time I would say that the first [laughs] besides that one, the first one that I would say I was 100% happy with was probably "Into The Jungle", which I released before "Freak Show". I think that's, so far, the one that I am the most confident in and that gives me goosebumps, still, when I listen to it just because I'm so pleased with how it turned out.
Which musicians have you been influenced by?
I have grown up listening to Etta James and Christina Aguilera and, listening to their music, I've always been inspired by them. Miley Cyrus is actually another one as well. She is a huge role model and influence in my life and I feel that I relate to those artists the most and, I don't know, I've always really, really liked them and they made me gain confidence before.
Is there a current artist you can't stop listening to right now?
Oh my goodness. Anne-Marie. She is so incredibly talented and her style kind of reminds me of mine in a way and I love singing along to her songs. She has a beautiful voice and I cannot stop listening to the song that she just released called "Alarm". I am obsessed with that song [laughs].
How would you describe your own sound?
I would describe my sound as a mixture between synth pop and tropical pop sounding. I like to use a lot of steel drums and heavy synthesizers, just because I love dance and lots of bass lines and synthesizers and I've always been attracted to that kind of sound and so I seem to always go back - every time I write a new song - I seem to go back to the same sounds. Tropical synth-pop is the best way I could describe my music.
What were your inspirations behind your single "Freak Show"?
It's actually kind of an interesting story. I went to a party with a few of my friends and the whole time I felt like I was being judged and stared at; I had just recently shaved my head, I got out of a bad relationship and I was just really everywhere at the moment, and I decided to go out with my friends and, the whole time, I was being judged and stared. After I left, I just thought, I would hate for someone else to feel these things, I hope no one else is feeling or has felt the same way that I am currently feeling. And I just got really inspired to write kind of a weird song that is really unusual that could maybe allow other people to be themselves and, regardless of who is judging you - especially being at an event with all those people - you can be whoever you want to be. So, that experience really inspired me to write that, to allow people to feel confident with themselves.
Do you have plans to release an album or EP with "Freak Show" and "Into The Jungle"?
I do, I definitely have plans. releasing an album and an EP. I'm currently working with my publicist to start a plan on what we can do to kind of build something that is huge and something that we can release together. So, we have a few ideas and I'm actually going to release a new single here in the next 2 weeks and so maybe we can build off that to start something. But, as of right now, I'm only releasing singles, but I definitely do have plans to release an album or an EP.
What do you hope listeners are able to take away from your music?
My goal is to have people, like I said about "Freak Show", I want people to be confident with themselves, I want people to know what, when I am singing and when I am writing songs and I'm explaining a story, it's not something that I'm just making up, it's something that I've experienced. I want my fans - I guess you could say later on in life - I want my fans to take bits and pieces away from my story and let it inspire them to become better people and become more confident; because I know that I have gone off other people's experiences and been like, "wow, yeah, I've been through the same thing and how you're dealing with it is really interesting". So I hope that I can give people a way to escape from bad things in their life and turn it into something good.
Is there anything you want to add?
I would just say to, like what I always say - which I wrote a song about called "This Is Me" - is keep your crown high regardless of the situation and always stay positive and confident. I think it's important for everybody to feel those things in their lives.