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Artist Interviews
Q&A: Lissie
By CMU Editorial | Published on Wednesday 14 July 2010
With her country-rock/bluesy sound, American singer-songwriter Lissie’s vocals have been compared to the likes of Stevie Nicks, Chrissy Hynde and Neko Case. Having gained high praise for her debut EP ‘Why You Runnin’ and having caused quite a stir at SxSW earlier this year, Lissie has since been touring the UK and has just released her debut album ‘Catching Tigers’.
She’s is now set to play several festivals over the summer, including Latitude and Bestival, and has just performed at the Flowerpot in London as part of the previously reported Communion takeover. With Lissie in town, we decided to take the opportunity to find out more.
Q1 How did you start out making music?
As a kid, I naturally and intuitively loved to sing, and would make up words and melodies to express myself. In my teenage years I began to teach myself to play the guitar, and started writing songs to actual music and loved it and the outlet it became for my thoughts and feelings. So much so, that I just kept doing it. Then I started playing out, writing more songs, playing out, writing more songs, etc…
Q2 What inspired your latest album?
Just the last few years of my life really… the end of a relationship and an occasional, overall feeling of being lost, and longing to connect a bit more. Amongst a few other thoughts and observations.
Q3 What process do you go through in creating a track?
It’s all just come together through the creation of this album and I think I’m still perfecting my process. I used to just write a song by myself when I felt like it or had something to say. But I also like it when someone gives me a loop of music and I just freestyle melody and lyric ideas over it on tape. Sometimes that can end up being the base of a track that is then added to, but usually it’s a way of finishing the writing of a song. Then to record it, I would hope to sit down and play live with a band, then maybe have to overdub some bits in. That’s ideal, but sometimes it’s just me playing the rhythm guitar and singing my lead and harmonies and letting my producer layer it with goodness afterwards. At this point, it’s always different and I’m still trying to figure out what’s best.
Q4 Which artists influence your work?
I wish I knew. I think of my life and experiences as being more of an influence than other artists. I like the idea of what The Grateful Dead created or how Bob Marley’s music makes people feel. When people are so moved by music, when it brings them together, offers them a respite from the real world, I think that’s an inspiration of what to aspire towards. But I’m far, far away from there at this point – haha!
Q5 What would you say to someone experiencing your music for the first time?
Hmm… just that I hope they like it, that they can relate to it and feel that I mean it and am musically there for them!
Q6 What are your ambitions for your latest album, and for the future?
For my first album, of course I hope that it does well! Both critically and commercially. I’d like it to sell lots of copies so that I can feel the freedom to create more and more music, and have a long career, fulfilling these whims and honing my craft as a songwriter, singer, performer, and human being.
MORE>> www.lissie.com
