Looking for a new song to jam to as we approach the summer months? Check out Liv Margaret’s song “Spinning” because it just reached #6 on the top 50 Jamendo charts! Her classic sound mixed with her fun lyrics will make you want to turn up the tunes and chill by the pool all summer long. Recently, I had the chance to interview Liv to talk about Belmont, her music, and what she has in store for the future. As a sophomore Music Business major here at Belmont, this girl is already showing Nashville what she’s made of!
Why did you choose Belmont?
“Well, I knew there were limited things I wanted to major in at college. I discovered the music business major and I was like, ‘Oh that sounds like a perfect fit.’ I googled music business schools and Belmont came up on the list. I didn’t really think much of it at first, but I was here songwriting in Nashville and my dad was like, “You might as well check out Belmont!” So I checked it out and fell in love with it. On the same day I met Justin Timberlake, and I took that as my sign from God that I should go here.”
What is the biggest lesson you have learned at Belmont so far?
“Belmont and coming to Nashville in general is kind of like a big slap in the face because you’re just overwhelmed with incredible talent. It is kind of inspiring, but at the same time it gives you a reality check. Here, you’re just another singer. You constantly get to see where the bar is set. I knew who I was as a person before, but it was a struggle to find who I was as an artist and what message I wanted to send. Just now I’ve started to figure that out. Belmont and Nashville in general have helped me grow in those areas.”
How would you describe your music?
“Vintage pop or Indie pop. I am obsessed with the eras of the 50s and 60s, so I try to incorporate sounds from the 50s and 60s into my music and add my own version of pop twist to it. I usually describe my sound like Amy Winehouse or Adele and maybe some Colbie Caillat. My new stuff I’m working on sounds more like Bruno Mars and Earth, Wind & Fire- more 70s. I try to bring back vintage sounds from the past and experiment with that. I also get my fashion inspiration from the 50s and 60s. I try to always put off that vintage style; I’ve made that kind of my brand.”
Where do you get your musical inspiration from?
“I literally always pray to God before I songwrite. I also get inspiration from listening to all types of music. All genres…. except screamo, I really don’t like screamo. Inspiration comes out of all genres though – little bits and pieces of everything. A huge inspiration for me is Patsy Cline, she is an incredible ballad singer. She puts so much emotion into her songs, so I try to capture the same emotion. I strive to sound like her. She is a huge inspiration to me.”
What is the craziest thing that has happened to you since moving to Nashville?
“I got to meet Bob Gaudio from The Four Seasons. He’s like my Justin Bieber because I grew up listening to his music. I had the opportunity to interview him. He invited me to his mansion, and I got to personally go there and talk to him. It was so incredible and he said he’d listen to my music; I wrote a paper about him and stuff. That was a really cool experience for me.”
What was your most memorable performance?
“I was 15 and I was in Atlantic City, New Jersey at the Thunderbird Air Show on the boardwalk. I was the National Anthem singer for the event. That day there were 800,000 people there. I didn’t know that until the next day when the paper came out, but I sang in front of 800,00 people at age 15. So after that I wasn’t nervous anymore to sing in front of big crowds.”
Do you have any upcoming plans for your music?
“Currently, I am working on my new EP. Hopefully, it will be released in the summer, and I am in the process of recording demos. I have been recording at Ocean Way for the past couple of weeks, and I am recording again next week. We’ll see where that goes! I am hoping to promote that EP soon and do music videos and pictures – the whole shebang. It’s just a process.”
Keep up with Liv Margaret:
(Photo credits: Rae Marshall)