With recent slots supporting Kacey Musgraves and Ray LaMontagne, Liza Anne’s music occupies a space that exists between the boundaries of genre. Merging elements of new wave, art rock, and ’90s indie grunge-pop, Liza Anne’s new album Bad Vacation is one of those records that captivates and doesn’t let you go until it’s over.
To celebrate the new album, which is out now, Anne sat down to talk Hillary Duff, Paris, and Adam Sandler in the latest Indie Mixtape 20 Q&A.
What are four words you would use to describe your music?
My favorite emotional work.
It’s 2050 and the world hasn’t ended and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?
I would hope it’s attached to really good memories or memories where they felt themselves grow a lot or just windows of time where they really felt at home in their body. If my music could remind anybody of that feeling, that’s it – that is the point of it, always.
What’s your favorite city in the world to perform?
Either Brooklyn, Nashville, or London. Favorite city to be a person in though, that’s Paris every time.
Who’s the person who has most inspired your work, and why?
This is hard to answer as just “one person.” So many people. I guess so far as the longest spanning inspiration – my Aunt Liza. I’m named after her. Her dedication to her art and her personal growth has been very pivotal to sit close to for my whole life. She is incredible. (@lizasnyderart)
Where did you eat the best meal of your life?
Les Fabricants in Paris. It’s this big bowl of salad and potatoes and cheese and ham and an egg. I love this place. I’m sober now but their Sangria is homemade and very special.
What album do you know every word to?
What was the best concert you’ve ever attended?
St. Vincent at the Ryman for her Masseduction tour. Also, Feist at Town Hall for her Pleasure tour ALSO every show I saw Kacey Musgraves play when we were on tour with her last year. She is unstoppable. I am so amazed by her.
What is the best outfit for performing and why?
Whatever expands the music and whatever can be moved around – clothes are really important to me and have always been an external expression of an internal feeling – I use my clothes to sort of manifest a confidence and power that I don’t always feel. A really important thing though is that once I am on stage, I don’t want to think about my clothes. If I’m thinking about my outfit because it’s feeling weird or falling off my shoulder or the pants might rip, it’s distracting from the whole thing for me. I want colors, I want comfort, I want to feel like I could do anything.
Who’s your favorite person to follow on Twitter and/or Instagram?
On Twitter, Bernie Sanders. On Instagram, Bernie Sanders.
What’s your most frequently played song in the van on tour?
I feel like I’ve given Broadcast’s “Come On Let’s Go” a proper run on tour. I think I’ve worn it out. But I also don’t think that’s possible.
What’s the last thing you Googled?
“Top of the World” chords and then before that pictures of a 1980s Volkswagen.
What album makes for the perfect gift?
Father John Misty’s Fear Fun and Feist’s The Reminder.
Where’s the weirdest place you’ve ever crashed while on tour?
Oh no, we had the worst experience at this Airbnb about an hour outside of San Francisco. Thank God we were refunded. I thought we were going to get murdered. We arrived really late. Weird dirty dishes were all in the sink and everything smelled like cat poop. The owner got mad at me for asking for a refund – which I totally get but it was like $300 to stay in a fire hazard. Anyways, we have stayed in so many cool places. But the bad ones are comical to look back on.
What’s the story behind your first or favorite tattoo?
My first tattoo is three lines around my right arm. I used to draw that on my arm with a pen all through high school (so emo, so cute). It stands for notebook paper lines and it’s on my writing arm. Writing has always been a very easy way for me to find a home in my body
What artists keep you from flipping the channel on the radio?
Harry Styles and Lizzo.
What’s the nicest thing anyone has ever done for you?
My boyfriend, Josh, bought us a cat when my depression was getting really bad this year. Also, just most things Josh does are very nice. I have a big fat crush on him.
What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?
Leave the religion and be soft with yourself in the process and while you’re working through it: anger is just the first room in the healing, don’t stay there forever. Self-love isn’t something to be scared of, believing in yourself is a good thing. You don’t have to morph into what everybody needs at any given moment, just be present, be kind and be the same you in every room. She is really special, stop ghosting her.
What’s the last show you went to?
This is hard because quarantine. I think the last show before this all happened was seeing Shane T at The Basement East. I fucking love his music.
What movie can you not resist watching when it’s on TV?
Anything with Adam Sandler. I have a very soft spot for Adam Sandler.
What would you cook if Kanye were coming to your house for dinner?
Man, I don’t really want Kanye coming to my house for dinner right now. He’s having a weird moment. But, if he’s coming for sure – I’d make some bomb ass coconut rice and sweet potatoes with some kind of fish. I would hope the dinner would end with him not running for President. He is an impressive artist and entrepreneur, sure – of course, but that does not make for a President.
Bad Vacation is out now on Arts & Crafts Records. Listen here.
