Lamitschka: Music has many new fans throughout Europe who
may be hearing about you for the first time. How would you describe
yourself and the music you play to someone who has never seen or
heard you?
Elizabeth Lyons: My lyrics are universal. Every girl falls
in love on vacation (Boston), chases boys (Go Girl), (Boys in Every
Zipcode) takes a chance on love (Everything Tonight) and has
heartbreak, (Forgive and Forget). Whether you live in Nashville,
Tennesee, USA or Munich, Germany, we are all the same when it comes
to love.
Lamitschka: What is your latest CD and how’s it doing?
Single? Etc.
self-titled Elizabeth Lyons EP I released in November 2012. The
EP charted #42 on
the national country album iTunes charts
in less than 24 hours, remained in the top 200 for a week, and
continues to remain on the iTunes charts 400-700 range and iTunes’
Albums Under $8 “Recent Best Sellers” and “All-Time
Best Sellers” for seven months and counting. On December 6,
2012, the EP debuted as #10 on
Billboard’s Heatseekers East North
Central chart. Between November 11th
and June 20th,
I’ve sold over 60,000 songs on iTunes. So exciting! I’ve been
interning at a music publishing company the past few years and been
taking notes on the to do’s and what not to do’s in the music
industry, but as an independent country artist I’m always learning
as I go, just trying to spread the word as much as I can about the
EP through networking.
Lamitschka: Do you write the songs yourself? If not, how do
you go about finding the songs for your CD?
Elizabeth Lyons: I co-wrote all six songs on the EP. Every
songwriting session is different, but one of my favorites was writing
my debut single and music video called “Everything Tonight“. I
had the privilege of writing “Everything Tonight“ with my
producer Matt Nolen (who wrote “So What If I Do“ by Trace
Adkins), and Grammy-nominated songwriter Ryan Tyndell (who wrote
“Springsteen“ by Eric Church and “Bourbon in Kentucky“ by Dierks Bentley) You can find the songs on my website
www.elizabethlyonsmusic.com,
iTunes, Spotify, and Youtube
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ8mOpJTaQHb3Cobm6xpnzUyjsg4QHG_n
!
Video:
Lamitschka: Please tell us about the songs on your album
(influences, etc).
Everyone, Everything! I write mostly about what’s going on in my
life, but I love LOVE, so I always get inspired by my friends! One of
my favorite things is to find out how people who are dating/married
met. Haha! Everything is so meant to be. I totally believe that. Also
movies I’m obsessed with; classic Hollywood movies and romantic
comedies. If you hang around me enough you’ll notice I’m always
like That would be a great movie scene and write it down.
The songs on the album:
Tonight comes from an assortment of
memories, it’s about being with someone and you kind of give into
them, but you’re reluctant to give away your heart because you’ve had
your heart broken before. You realize you just have to let fate take
control and if you’re meant to be together you will be together.
You’re saying, “here goes nothing and maybe everything tonight”.
I just believe it’s all in God’s hands. I’ve come to realize
sometimes you just have to not try to control things and know
everything is meant to be!
I’m still learning about relationships and
boys but it’s a song about knowing you bring something to the table
that’s different then the person you’re with, hence “I am the
rhythm and you are the rhyme”.
Girl: I grew up loving Shania Twain
and The Spice Girls and I love Girl Power songs! …its super funny
because this song is my Grandpa’s favorite. Anyways, when I was
writing, I was writing it about my friend who was mad at a boy &
I said to her, “He’s had his chance if you ask me, he don’t
deserve you, never has,” but then I realized this is totally about
my boy life too haha! But its also about life in general, like
“YOLO…it’s a big world and it ain’t gonna stop.” I live my
life by this, always play hard and work hard, def did that in
college hehe! The ending is my favorite part because I have a quirky
random part of my personality.
Over Me: It’s like boys come after
you when you least expect it, and when one starts to like you and the
other sees that, then all of sudden they’re interested. Love is so
complex! It’s like I used to have no one interested, now they’re
fightin over me… what?!
Boston. I love Boston. I love the piano
because I grew up playing classical piano for 13 years. I also grew
up auditioning for the 15 musicals I was in and I always seemed to do
ballads well…probably because I’ve had my heart broken by so many
boys haha! Live and learn!
Every Zipcode, but I don’t actually have boys in every zipcode,
it kinda goes with my humor. When I wrote this
song, it was about a hockey player who was a total player. He did me
wrong, and I wanted to say you know what, I’ve got other boys
interested in me, which you forget or don’t know, and I’m gonna
move on from you, bye! Hey, boys could sing “girls in every
zipcode” if they wanted to haha!
and Forget: My mom always says
“forgive and forget”. This was my first co-write I wrote with
Phil Barton who wrote “A Woman Like You’ by Lee Brice.
Lamitschka: Your current single is being played by radio and
can be found on iTunes. What do you feel is special about this song
that makes people want to hear it?
single is Everything Tonight and I also have a music video
directed by Mason Dixon, who has directed videos for Jake Owen and
Love and Theft, which can be found on iTunes. It’s
about a couple spending the day together, figuring out if their
‘rhythm’ and ‘rhyme’ would make a good ‘song’ or relationship. It
also shows the nervousness you have when you go on a first date, and
the anticipation that you hope this is the right one and maybe they
are… the feeling of hopefulness of finding true love. We wanted it
to be magical and different. The ending where I push him in was all
Mason’s idea but it really demonstrates my personality of always
trying to have fun, and shows the leap of faith every time you jump
into a relationship. I think everyone has had a moment where they’re
like “here goes nothing and maybe everything tonight“ …well
hopefully they have haha.
Lamitschka: What kind of songs do you like to record the
most?
Elizabeth Lyons: I love uptempos because I think everyone
loves a good upbeat song they can drive around and sing along to or
listen to and dance with their friends, but I’m also a big fan of
ballads because who hasn’t experienced heart break or been thrown
an obstacle they had to overcome?! It’s funny though because I
always associate songs I write, or just songs I listen to, with
memories I’ve had. Like when you say oh this song reminds me of
Summer circa whatever. Haha so basically when I record memories flood
my mind.
Lamitschka: How much creative control do you have over your
music?
Elizabeth Lyons: Matt Nolen (my producer) has a lot of
creative control, but overall I have creative control because I’m
independent. One of the most important things I wanted in the EP was
my quirky, funny, light-hearted personality to come out, but also my
super serious Vanderbilt University side. For example, I just
graduated from Vanderbilt with a film degree and my taste in films
(lover of Romantic Comedy and also Drama/Suspense) is how I wanted my
EP to come across haha! Even though I’m independent, it’s been a
collaborative effort between sending the songs to Denny Carr (my
mentor I used to intern for his music publishing company while
attending university), my Mom, (who is all about positive songs) and
my sister Gabrielle, who is my biggest critique (she tells it like it
is) haha. Even though I’m independent, it’s been a
collaborative effort.
Lamitschka: Who inspires you musically and how deep do your
musical roots run?
Elizabeth Lyons: I would say the legendary
singer/songwriters who can capture a moment of their lives with a
lyric or a melody. People like Carole King, Bonnie Raitt, and Ryan
Tyndell are able to reach that place where people find a common
experience or time in their lives that makes the song come alive for
them.
Lamitschka: What inspired you to become a songwriter?
Elizabeth Lyons: I’ve been really fortunate that so many
people have touched my life in some way and writing a song about
them, or that time in my life, enables me to re-live the moments that
were important and impactful.
Lamitschka: What drives you?
Elizabeth Lyons: The ability to live my emotions through my
music. Each time I sing the lyrics, I know what inspired me to write
those words and the happiness and sadness and excitement and
disappointment that each song reflects. I am putting myself out
there and hoping to reach others who’ve shared the same
experiences.
Lamitschka: What is the best way for fans to find you? (find
tour dates, etc.)
Elizabeth Lyons: Fans, more like friends !
My website www.elizabethlyonsmusic.com
or Facebook page www.facebook.com/elizabethlyonsmusic
I try to be funny in instagram http://instagram.com/elyonsmusic
and Twitter www.twitter.com/elyonsmusic
and if people want to try to get me more on a personal level I’ve
tried to utilize my film degree by uploading short goofy videos about
what I’ve been doing called “Hear Me Roar“.
Lamitschka: What can your fans expect to see when they see
you in concert?
Elizabeth Lyons: I will laugh a lot and hopefully make you
laugh as well.
Lamitschka: Many music fans today get their information
about artists online. Do you have your own website and what will fans
find there?
Elizabeth Lyons: All my information is online. I do have my
own website www.elizabethlyonsmusic.com
and fans should sign up fort the mailing list. Fans will find my
biography, music player, Hear Me Roar videos, social media links, and
contact information on my website.
Lamitschka: What’s the best compliment a fan has ever given
you?
Elizabeth Lyons: I had a fan tell me she loved me and I was
her idol and that they really look up to me and hope I’ll make it
pretty far in life with my music. It truly came from the heart. I was
so touched by her saying that to me. I had the privilege of having a
booth at CMA Fest this year and met so many amazing fans, who were so
kind and they continue to inspire me. One of my favorite memories is
when I played matchmaker and set up a girl and boy who came to my
booth. I was like you two should be friends and then they were. I’m
all about love and I hope to always be there for my fans as a friend
or a big sister.
Lamitschka: What’s your favorite song that you wish you
could have recorded?
Elizabeth Lyons: That is SO hard! I listen to all different
types of genres but one of my all time favorites is Our Song by
Taylor Swift.