Think future kitsch, R&B, 90’s and 00’s influences mixed with an outrageously big character, and you’re thinking about pop’s new icon, LIZ.
Signed to Diplo’s Mad Decent label by the man himself, the rising pop princess is now bursting out with her special brand of naughty, loaded, ‘come-as-you-are’ realness. Those Mad Decent roots have not only given LIZ a legendary mentor but have paved the way for her to connect with the dance world’s finest producers and writers. Mix that in with the sound of her seminal influence Madonna and a switched-on, fiercely intelligent mind and you’ve got yourself something to keep your eye on.
New single ‘When I Rule The World’ finds her collaborating with PC stalwart Sophie and straddling the mainstream and underground worlds with irresistible attitude and a stylish POP. Wonderland have a chat with LIZ to discuss everything from the importance of musical evolution to the Britney song that embodies her best, and find out what exactly would happen if LIZ ruled the world.
Hi Liz! How would you describe your music to somebody who hasn’t heard it before?
Sailor Moon R&B x Future Pop
What did you get up to when you were over in London? Did you manage to see any of the city?
Yes! I love London. My creative director/stylist, Louby McLoughlin lives there, so we had loads of fun. I stayed in East London this time around- in Hackney and then in Shoreditch. But, I also hung out in Soho and Kensington among other places. Charli XCX was nice enough to invite me to a Vivienne Westwood party at One Horse Guards, and I got to wear the cutest outfit. It was definitely “Cher Horowitz in London” vibes. Hung out with SOPHIE a bit… he introduced me to the amazing frozen pineapple margarita at La Bodega Negra. Went to Wildcat Will’s art exhibit where the Horrors were putting on a DJ set. I did my new press shots plus a photoshoot for OK Grl with Hannah Diamond. So great working with Hannah, as her photography/art aesthetic is a perfect fit for me. I went to the O2 for the Hyper Japan exhibit where I got some kawaii jewelry and goodies. One day, I went to the park in Clapham and just laid out in the sun and listened to music and spent some quality time with friends I rarely get to see (because they’re on the opposite side of the world.) My last night, I went to Cirque le Soir which was hilarious. It kind of reminded me of a club we have here in LA called Beacher’s Madhouse. Man, I did loads of stuff in one week! I can’t wait to come back.
Wow! You fit a lot in! So, you’re the first lady of Mad Decent, signed by the big man Diplo himself. How did that come about?
I’ve been making music and navigating the entertainment industry since I was a little girl, so it’s been a long road…I could write an autobiography already and I haven’t even really gotten started! To fast forward, I met the creative director/A&R of Mad Decent, Paul Devro in 2012 and he really believed in what I was doing on my own. Diplo was also aware of me as I had been top-lining and featuring on some other dj/producers’ projects. We started releasing my stuff off of Jeffree’s/Mad Decent, and it was an incredible platform for me. I got haters, but I also got a lot of love. It was just an out-of-the-box forward thinking move on MD’s part to take me under their wing like that. Being the only pop artist on MD is scary and super exciting at the same time. I don’t think I’ll ever get over how special it is.
Your music has developed over the last couple of years from noughties-influenced R&B to bubblegum pop with a cheeky nod towards PC Music. What was behind this evolution of your sound?
I think it’s always important to evolve creatively, as most of the artists I really look up to (like Madonna, Gwen Stefani and David Bowie) always have done throughout their careers. I wouldn’t say I’ve abandoned the early naughties vibe at all. My forthcoming EP is full of vibes that are reminiscent of my earlier releases. It’s just one of my goals is to constantly be trend setter, so, I’m always injecting new blood into my project. I like making bold choices. Being a part of the Mad Decent family, I have insight into what’s bubbling in the underground and what new sounds are happening very early on. SOPHIE’s sound was one I felt very strongly about and knew I wanted to explore.
PC music is a genre that has a lot of people confused. It’s sometimes hard to tell how tongue-in-cheek it is! What’s your take on it?
Well, what I connect to in SOPHIE’s music or that of the artists on PC Music is the juxtaposition of the bright, bubbly, high pitched, cute vibes with the darkness, abrasiveness/ugliness and creepiness. I’ve always been about juxtaposition my entire career as an artist. When something is too obvious and it doesn’t make you think or react, it doesn’t do anything for me. It’s not that the way I internalize music is necessarily mainly intellectual…it’s more of an instinctual thing, ESPECIALLY when it comes to pop music.
Which Britney song best describes your life; ‘Lucky’, ‘Piece Of Me’, ‘I’m Not A Girl, Not Yet A Woman’ or ‘Outrageous’?
1000% “Not A Girl, Not Yet A Woman.” I’m constantly straddling that line between being both and trying to figure out how I define being a “woman” and what that means to me. I don’t know why, but when I was younger, I had this perception of women as being those 90’s models with chiseled bone structures in suits with briefcases out of Cosmopolitan Magazine. I’ve kind of come to the conclusion that I’m not meant to be like that, and that it’s okay to celebrate youth for as long as you want. There tend to be these social guidelines and time limits to how long you should act a certain way or dress a certain way, but I’m here to kind of crush that. I honestly believe adolescence never entirely ends. Everyone is constantly learning and trying to find their way through life and we shouldn’t put pressure on ourselves to be something if it doesn’t feel genuine or natural at the time. I know a lot of “women” (with the fancy jobs and spouses and houses) who lack a lot of emotional/spiritual/intellectual maturity. So…that makes me think. Celebrating innocence, exploring vulnerability, and openly discussing questions of sexuality are humbling in my opinion. That’s what I’m about.
Your style is pretty fresh to death and a big part of who you are. What are your top quick fashion fixes?
A great shoe can freshen up an entire look. If I’m feeling kind of ‘blah’ and don’t feel as funky as I would like, I’ll throw on a colorful sneaker or cool platform or a pair of Nike slides with socks, and I’ll suddenly feel my whole vibe change. A bold pair of sunglasses can always add a little extra spice to my mood as well. I have WAY too many sunnies…it’s a problem.
You’re amazing on social media. What’s your favourite platform to use?
I am?! Well, thank you. Interacting with people from all over the world on Twitter is such a treat. It’s like constantly having a best friend to talk to and such an instant way to express yourself. Instagram is there to be the visual creative component to my life, and it’s also an opportunity to convey my influences in a fun, cheeky way. I’m getting more into Snapchat too. It’s been mostly of my dogs recently because I haven’t been up to anything THAT cool. My favorite part has been getting snap messages from everyone else.
Who are your favourite new artists that we should all be listening to?
Henrik the Artist is one of my fav new producers. I can’t wait to see what happens with his work/career. I’ve been lucky enough to collab with him lately. I’ve been writing a lot with Mereki. We have a lot of the same influences so we always have a blast together. She’s def under the radar right now, but she’s an awesome female all around and is gonna do big things. I’m interested to see how Lawrence Rothman’s upcoming album is received. I got a preview of it and it’s intriguing. I recorded vocals for one of his new songs which turned out beautiful.
What can we expect from you in the next year?
I’m getting into all sorts of media platforms, creating content that doesn’t just stop at music. I’m quite passionate about themes that relate to tween and teen culture. I hope to do more projects that involve my acting and writing as well.
And finally, to end, let’s play a short game of ‘When Liz Rules The World…. When You Rule The World, what’s the first thing you’d make illegal?
I would just make much stricter rules for animal agriculture. First off, most of the meat production in America is done in an inhumane way, and it’s also bad for the environment and greatly contributing to climate change. I would be interested to see how our energy sustainability would benefit by cutting down on the consumption/production of meat. I have a hunch that we could get a lot closer to meeting our emission goals. Ignorance is a dangerous disease.
What’s the first government secret you’d find out?
I would find out who really killed Biggie and Tupac, and if mermaids and aliens really do exist on our planet?!
What would you make compulsory to do every day?
To do something nice for a stranger. Little or big, it should be something.
Words: Milly Stockton
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