LIZ, a champion of ‘underground Pop’ has returned to the limelight with the release of her new single ‘Super Duper Nova’, the single is a classic example of unique and remarkable talent from the unapologetically pop princess. The single comes in the wake of double a-side ‘Could U Love Me’ and the addictive ‘Queen of Me’ - an ode to loving yourself first and foremost. Previously named as The First Lady of Mad Decent, Diplo’s sprawling EDM empire, smart, stylish LIZ - like her seminal influence Madonna before her - offers just as much pulse as pomp in her riveting brand of joyful dance-music. There’s something ‘real’ about all her stylistic incarnations - mixing future-kitsch + R&B and ’90s/00s influences with an inspiring sense of can-do artistry that fuses this funky girl next door into pop’s newest come-as-you-are culture icon. LIZ continues to blossom as one of pop music’s incandescent lights, possessing the ability to turn the page and embrace pop’s guilty excesses without ever seeming contrived… The Seventh Hex talks to LIZ about playing it by ear, loving London and pizza…
TSH: In the lead-up to your current single releases, what sort of subject matter and themes were you drawn towards expressing?
LIZ: Lately, I’ve loved singing and writing about fantasies. I’ve always had an active imagination and I’m a very detailed dreamer. I'm an empath, so from a young age, I taught myself to almost be numb to my surroundings otherwise I got emotionally overwhelmed all the time. It’s made me somewhat an inhibited and self-conscious person, so I tend to feel a lot more raw emotional freedom in my dreams than in my daily life. I suppose I try to tap into that said freedom in my music.
TSH: Each latest single complements the other sonically via a diverse spectrum of sounds, was it key for you to give each track an individual identity?
LIZ: I have a variety of influences that I pull from, but the sounds I end up using are all pretty much part of a consistent palette – bright, colourful, weird, early 00’s vibes. Every song is like a child of mine and like it’s a character in my world.
TSH: How liberating is it for you to create your own world and alter ego with your musical outlooks?
LIZ: It’s SO much fun and very liberating to chase nothing but your best. I’m also very lucky to have some incredible visual and sonic collaborators on team LIZ. We just geek out together, laugh a lot, experiment with bizarre ideas and end up manifesting fantasies through art.
TSH: When it comes to forming new music, is your preferred method still to play it by ear?
LIZ: Yep. I mean, sometimes I’ll go into a session with some kind of idea of what I wanna do, but most of the time, I honestly leave it up to the universe and choose to bounce energy off of my collaborators and just see what happens.
TSH: With ‘Could U Love Me’ you took the course of writing something really raw and revealing, what was it like to state such emotions?
LIZ: It was super freeing to be really raw with that song. But I still gave the production a fun twist. Like you wanna dance and cry at the same time – I like that sweet spot.
TSH: Also, talk us through the process in how you went about layering and fleshing out ‘Super Duper Nova’?
LIZ: I had just gotten back from Tokyo so was in a freaky j-pop kinda mood. Sarah Hudson and Jesse Saint John and I wrote it really quickly. They are the most fun writers I’ve ever worked with and are dear friends of mine. They champion individuality and they’re like rainbow guardian angels in this industry. Big Taste (the producer) has a fun sense of humour too so he was super on board with the concept, and this intergalactic alien fantasy pop star bop was born!
TSH: How vital is the aspect of creative control for you?
LIZ: Creative control is extremely vital to my sense of self. My thing may not be for everyone, but at least at the end of the day, I can sleep at night because I know I’m doing ME. I love experimenting, changing and evolving too.
TSH: What sort of anime do you mostly admire and gravitate towards?
LIZ: I like anime with powerful yet relatable female characters. If you follow me on social media, you’ll see I’m a huge Sailor Moon fan.
TSH: Having been raised in a Hindu household by way of Jewish and Christian origins, what does spirituality mean to you in this day and age?
LIZ: To me, spirituality is about constantly striving to tap into a higher consciousness. I don’t want to be the same person I was last year. Growth takes time, but also self-awareness and a willingness to be brutally honest with yourself. I also think it’s a balance between being proactive and letting certain things go and trusting the universe has a plan for you – that no matter how painful or frustrating something may be, it’s happening for you, not to you.
TSH: Over the years, you’ve spent a lot of time in London working with a plethora of producers and writers. Tell us more about some of your favourite London preferences…
LIZ: I love London so so much. I feel like it’s my second home! I prefer not having the stress of driving in the city, so taking the tube or walking is super nice. I like how there’s so many people out on the street - you meet some pretty interesting people that way. I’m really into Soho. That may be my favourite part. Holy crap, how could I not mention the parks though? They are gorgeous. My dream is to bring my dogs over and see them run free and frolic in the grass, chasing squirrels.
TSH: What was it like to visit St. Hanshaugen in the lead-up to Christmas?
LIZ: Norway was a trip. I was only there for a few days to shoot a music video with Rytmeklubben and it was dark the majority of the time! But, when the sun was up, the snow covered the land and the trees looked like an illustration in a fairy-tale book. Everything was just white for miles. I was really sick at the time, but almost felt like the extreme cold knocked the sickness out of me. Next time, I’ll come a little bit more prepared for the weather!
TSH: Also, compliments on the LIZ Y2Krunch bar, which contains some awesome ingredients. Where did the idea come from to include such a wide range, including Fruity Pebbles and Pretzels?
LIZ:I wanted my chocolate bar to be kawaii and aesthetically pleasing. It HAD to be rainbow, of course. But it needed to have a little salty crunch in there to balance the super sweetness. Kind of like me - I’m definitely sweet n’ salty.
TSH: Have you been viewing any other compelling TV other than The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel?
LIZ:I love love love television. Recently, I’ve been into The Chi, Trust, The Assassination of Gianni Versace, Killing Eve... and when I want to just veg out and enjoy a guilty pleasure, I’m kinda obsessed with the Real Housewives shows - especially Beverly Hills and New York City.
TSH: Also, when you need to unwind, is pizza still your go to comfort food?
LIZ: Yes! Pizza with ranch dressing, or Mac n cheese with green Tabasco.
TSH: Finally, looking ahead with your musical ambitions, do you very much aspire to continue to play with different genres in fresh and innovative ways, whilst always offering variety?
LIZ: Hell yeah, I look forward to experimenting constantly with my sound and my visuals.
