Published on 2 Feb 2015
Directed by Esrael Alem & Filmawi Efrem
LIV AND LET DIE: AN
INTERVIEW WITH LIV
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by
For two years Olivia Redmond, aka Liv, was one third of SoundGirl, a girl band whose summery pop ditties somehow managed to miss the Top 40. When the band disbanded, Liv, 21, hunkered down in pop’s very own petri dish – aka Xenomania – for two years, honing her sound and generally figuring out who the fuck she wanted to be. Thankfully, she seems to have decided to be amazing. So far she’s unleashed three wildly different examples of her work – the sultry, low slung nu-soul of Special, the bass-heavy, drum clap rumble of Come A Little Closer and the stuttering R&B banger, Do You Love Me – with her debut EP due early next year. We had a nice chat with her about surviving the music industry, trying to be Mariah Carey and meeting Will Smith while supporting Justin Bieber.
Interview by Michael Cragg
Photographed in London by Josie Gealer
Photographed in London by Josie Gealer
Do the songs you’ve put out so far represent your overall sound?
I guess my main thing at the moment is to really try and keep putting different tracks out that show a different part of me. Quite a lot of the songs are quite versatile in that sense. Do You Love Me has a different vibe, it’s quite American. People are saying it’s like a Young Money track, although obviously I’m not rapping on it or anything. Not yet (laughs). But I really just love R&B and I try and put that across in what I write.
I guess my main thing at the moment is to really try and keep putting different tracks out that show a different part of me. Quite a lot of the songs are quite versatile in that sense. Do You Love Me has a different vibe, it’s quite American. People are saying it’s like a Young Money track, although obviously I’m not rapping on it or anything. Not yet (laughs). But I really just love R&B and I try and put that across in what I write.
Is it more Ciara than Erykah Badu?
Yeah, I’d say so. I think the Erykah Badu and Sade references have come up quite a lot but I think people are just saying I remind them of those singers, but for my era it’s Ciara.
Yeah, I’d say so. I think the Erykah Badu and Sade references have come up quite a lot but I think people are just saying I remind them of those singers, but for my era it’s Ciara.
What was the last album you bought?
To be honest I don’t buy albums.
To be honest I don’t buy albums.
Um, you download them illegally?
(Looks shocked) No! I buy tracks and singles.
(Looks shocked) No! I buy tracks and singles.
People don’t really buy albums anymore do they?
No, which is really bad because I want to be in this industry… Please buy albums!
No, which is really bad because I want to be in this industry… Please buy albums!
Was there a pop star you obsessed over as a kid?
When I was really young it was Mariah Carey. I had all her albums. If someone was like, “Sing a song Olivia,” I’d get Mariah Carey out. I mean, I wasn’t reaching those high notes at all.
When I was really young it was Mariah Carey. I had all her albums. If someone was like, “Sing a song Olivia,” I’d get Mariah Carey out. I mean, I wasn’t reaching those high notes at all.
Did you always want to do music?
I was really into sport as a kid so I did athletics, mini-marathons and I played football for a good few years, for QPR. Then when I hit 14 I wanted to be a girly girl and didn’t want to play football anymore or wear shin pads. I’d always sung, but suddenly I just really got into it and then joined SoundGirl.
I was really into sport as a kid so I did athletics, mini-marathons and I played football for a good few years, for QPR. Then when I hit 14 I wanted to be a girly girl and didn’t want to play football anymore or wear shin pads. I’d always sung, but suddenly I just really got into it and then joined SoundGirl.
How did you end up at Xenomania?
We did some songs with them when we were in the band and so when Brian (Higgins) found out the band hadn’t worked out he got back in contact with me.
We did some songs with them when we were in the band and so when Brian (Higgins) found out the band hadn’t worked out he got back in contact with me.
How do you look back at your time in SoundGirl now?
I know that what I’m doing now is exactly what I want to be doing. At 16-years-old it’s like you go into a band because you love singing and you can tour with Justin Bieber and go to LA etc. It was such a great experience to do something so big and to do it with two other people made it easier. But on the other hand it’s taught me loads and now I know exactly who I want to be and what I want to sing and how I want to be seen.
I know that what I’m doing now is exactly what I want to be doing. At 16-years-old it’s like you go into a band because you love singing and you can tour with Justin Bieber and go to LA etc. It was such a great experience to do something so big and to do it with two other people made it easier. But on the other hand it’s taught me loads and now I know exactly who I want to be and what I want to sing and how I want to be seen.
What was Justin Beiber like?
We did a tour with him and it was just insane, performing in front of 24,000 people. We were doing a soundcheck once and Will Smith walked in, just down the aisle. I’ve never been so lost for words in my life. Growing up I always used to watch Fresh Prince so I felt like I knew him! It was insane.
We did a tour with him and it was just insane, performing in front of 24,000 people. We were doing a soundcheck once and Will Smith walked in, just down the aisle. I’ve never been so lost for words in my life. Growing up I always used to watch Fresh Prince so I felt like I knew him! It was insane.
It must have been weird to experience the highs and lows of the music industry at such a young age and in such a short space of time?
It was horrible because you just go from these massive highs and then it literally just came to an end with the click of someone’s fingers. That was it. For a good few months I was scared about what I was going to do with my life, but then I remembered I was only 18-years-old (laughs). Being older and more mature now makes me think about it in a more business-minded way – I can’t just take the piss anymore and mess around. If I want to do this seriously I have to take it seriously.
It was horrible because you just go from these massive highs and then it literally just came to an end with the click of someone’s fingers. That was it. For a good few months I was scared about what I was going to do with my life, but then I remembered I was only 18-years-old (laughs). Being older and more mature now makes me think about it in a more business-minded way – I can’t just take the piss anymore and mess around. If I want to do this seriously I have to take it seriously.
Who do you work on your tracks with?
I do a lot of it on my own initially. I’ll find a really cool beat or, if there’s a beat there, I’ll write something on it and then do most of the recording and then I’ll sit down with Brian (Higgins) and figure out which ones work. Then I’ll work with some of the producers at Xenomania to re-vocal anything and finish the track.
I do a lot of it on my own initially. I’ll find a really cool beat or, if there’s a beat there, I’ll write something on it and then do most of the recording and then I’ll sit down with Brian (Higgins) and figure out which ones work. Then I’ll work with some of the producers at Xenomania to re-vocal anything and finish the track.
Your voice is pretty unique, sort of low and husky. Have you always sung like that or has it developed over the years?
When I was younger I’d just try and mimic whoever I was singing along to. Then in the band the songs were really pop so you just sing it how you’re told to sing it. That’s what’s been so great about being at Xenomania is that I’ve spent two years really finding my sound and figuring out what sounds great with my voice.
When I was younger I’d just try and mimic whoever I was singing along to. Then in the band the songs were really pop so you just sing it how you’re told to sing it. That’s what’s been so great about being at Xenomania is that I’ve spent two years really finding my sound and figuring out what sounds great with my voice.
If you had to put an album out next month, how many finished songs do you have ready to go?
Oh, I’ve got more than album’s worth, that wouldn’t be a problem. I could put ten albums out at the moment. But the main thing is not to rush things.
Oh, I’ve got more than album’s worth, that wouldn’t be a problem. I could put ten albums out at the moment. But the main thing is not to rush things.
Can you put into words the feeling you get when people get to hear your music?
It’s so hard to explain but it’s just that feeling of doing exactly what you’re supposed to be doing. It just feels so natural. It makes me feel all giddy.
It’s so hard to explain but it’s just that feeling of doing exactly what you’re supposed to be doing. It just feels so natural. It makes me feel all giddy.
Do you constantly refresh your Soundcloud to see how many people are listening to the songs?
Actually I don’t. My mum does that for me.
Actually I don’t. My mum does that for me.
