May 24, 2025 • 28 mins
Meet liz uninvited, an emerging voice in Toronto's indie folk scene whose journey from classical pianist to DIY songwriter reveals the beautiful alchemy that happens when traditional training meets raw creative necessity.
Our conversation uncovers how Liz's 12-year classical piano background initially hindered rather than helped her songwriting ambitions. The structured nature of classical training left little room for improvisation—until inspiration struck through the music of Elliott Smith and Alex G. What's particularly striking is how Liz found permission to create through Alex G's "subjectively good" vocals. "His voice is not the best, but it matches what he makes," she explains, illuminating the moment she realized authenticity could transcend conventional notions of musical "goodness."
When Liz describes her creative process, you'll feel the urgency that drives her art. Songs emerge from "pressure internally" that demands release, with lyrics serving as the essential connective tissue binding her musical ideas. As a self-described "sensitive person," uncomfortable situations often become the catalyst for her most authentic work. Yet before discovering songwriting, she felt emotionally "stuck," unable to translate her feelings even through her visual art practice. Music became the unexpected but perfect medium for expression.
We also explore the practical side of breaking into Toronto's music scene—from finding band members through Reddit and Band Mix to preparing for first live performances. Liz shares candid insights about the challenges of ADHD and how deadlines ultimately force her creative focus. Her definition of success is refreshingly genuine: creating meaningful connections with listeners who see themselves in her music.
Discover Liz's music on Spotify, YouTube, or Bandcamp, and follow her journey as she brings her intimate, lyrically-rich songs to stages across Toronto and beyond. If you connect with artists who transform personal struggle into universal emotion, Liz Uninvited's music will feel like a conversation you've been waiting to have.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
colleyc (00:18):
Welcome everybody.
Here we are.
We're talking with Liz,uninvited, out of Toronto,
canada, a neighbor to my west,and I was really excited about
this conversation because Liz isan up-and-coming artist who is
about to begin her musicalcareer in a lot of ways, and
(00:41):
we're going to talk all about itand what the future holds.
So, liz, thanks so much forjoining me today and taking a
little time to share yourperspectives on music and you.
liz uninvited (00:53):
Thank you.
Thank you for having me.
colleyc (00:55):
Awesome.
So, liz, tell me a little bitabout how it all started for you
.
When did music start to likekind of percolate inside you of?
This is an avenue?
I know you're an artist as well, not only a musician, but
you're also a great artist.
How did music come into thatprogram of yours, of this
(01:16):
artistic journey that you're onso far?
liz uninvited (01:27):
I mean I've always been really drawn to
music, from like a young age,like obsessing over, like
different musicians and bands,um, but like most recently not
that recently, but like maybelike five years ago, like when I
started getting really into, um, like singer-songwriter type of
music, like Elliot Smith, um,alex G, just to name a few, that
of genre that's kind of when Istarted wanting to like actually
(01:49):
play that type of music.
I didn't really think ofwriting it myself at that time
because I didn't even, Icouldn't even fathom how to do
that, because I was.
I've been playing classicalpiano for like 12 years and I
mean they don't teach you how toimprovise and like how to make
your own stuff.
So that just wouldn't click inmy brain.
Um, so I ended up getting aguitar just to play Elliot Smith
(02:10):
music, which is kind ofridiculous because his music is
so hard to start off withplaying.
Yeah um, so I did that for awhile.
Some years passed.
I kind of got tired of myguitar.
Then I picked it up again.
I started playing Alex G andthen listening to more Alex G.
I was kind of got tired of myguitar.
Then I picked it up again.
I started playing Alex G andthen listening to more Alex G.
I was kind of like, but hesounds so unconventional and DIY
(02:34):
, like this is not the normaltype of music I normally hear.
His voice is, objectively or no, subjectively good, that's what
I want to say.
Subjectively or no,subjectively good, that's what I
want to say.
That's yeah.
And it kind of made me thinklike my voice, like I am not the
best singer, but like he makesit work.
And his voice is not the bestbut it matches what he makes.
(02:56):
So, that being said, if I can,if I can write my own music and
but make it like, make my voicematch that and make everything
sort of flow, even if it's notlike conventionally good or
whatever.
I, I all have succeeded in thatalready.
So that's kind of how I.
Yeah, that's kind of how Istarted it.
colleyc (03:14):
Sorry, that was like a long ramble yeah, no, but like
so, you said that piano wassomething like do you ever write
songs on piano or is it alwaysyour go-to to go to guitar?
liz uninvited (03:23):
um well, the thing is, I've tried to write
songs on piano, or is it alwaysyour go-to to go to guitar?
Um well, the thing is, I'vetried to write songs on piano
but it just again it does notclick that easily.
I'm still working through thatclassical barrier.
Um, so it's normally my guitar,because I I was still in
classical piano, like I wasstill in the program, when I
started writing my own music.
So it was kind of like I waskind of always doing tug of war
(03:46):
between my music and then havingto play like on piano, like
classical or whatever.
So it was usually my guitar,that was my escape.
colleyc (03:54):
Yeah, totally, I get that too because, like the piano
, you kind of seen that as astructured you know you got to
read.
There's not much interpretationor improv that you can.
Yeah per se, um.
So how did how did the idea ofstarting to like write your own
songs and I?
I mean I looked at your youtubeum channel and it's prolific on
(04:15):
.
I mean you've, you've posted somany cool little videos of like
starting of songs or coversthat you've, that you've really
liked.
How did how did that interestin in wanting to put yourself
out there like that um come toyou?
liz uninvited (04:31):
um well, I mean, before I did like, I started
posting like my music online andeverything.
I would be doing that with myart and I would be doing that
like on TikTok and likeInstagram, and I got very burnt
out from that very fast.
So I took a break from all ofthat for like a few months and
then I somehow started to wantto make music.
(04:54):
So then I kind of just went andstarted doing that mainly on
YouTube, because YouTube,thankfully, still is kind of
like the innocent version ofsocial media, if you will.
It's still like old school sortof and it's kind of like
whatever you want it to be andyou'll find your audience there.
So it felt less stressful topost on YouTube.
colleyc (05:18):
And it seems like there's a great interaction too
with your, your listeners.
You, you have quite, quite afew followers.
I mean, you're just startingthis machine up, really, and
you're getting some pretty coolcomments on the stuff that
you're putting up, which must beencouraging for you.
liz uninvited (05:34):
Yes, very encouraging.
colleyc (05:37):
It propels things forward.
liz uninvited (05:40):
Yes, no exactly.
colleyc (05:43):
And what's your process around writing songs, like
before you go on to YouTube andsay, okay, I'm going to play
this and put it out there.
How do you come to a song?
How does it come to you?
I guess I should say it reallydepends.
liz uninvited (06:00):
Normally it's been.
It's kind of like um, usuallyit's like I just feel like I
have this stuff internally, likethis pressure internally that's
like I need to somehow put intosomething, like I need to.
I don't know how to explain itproperly, but it's like an out.
(06:21):
Music is like an outlet, to meat least.
Um, so it's like when I, when Ihave a lot of stuff going on,
stuff I need to process, um, andthen I kind of like will go to
my guitar or whatever and I'lljust start playing random stuff.
Maybe I'll like work, like I'llplay through a song I already
know, um, but usually it's likeI'll just like hit a chord and
(06:43):
maybe another chord and then I'mkind of like, wait, this kind
of is hit a chord and maybeanother chord, and then I'm kind
of like, wait, this kind of islike a sequence, and then, like,
my mind will be like oh, likethis melody goes, I don't know.
It's kind of like reallyabstract.
It's kind of like I just startpiecing together melodies and it
just kind of comes to me, butit's not like I'm playing
anything like crazy or advanced,like I'll be playing like the
(07:06):
most basic chord, bar chord,whatever.
And then I'm kind of like it'sjust, it's mainly like my brain
coming up with the melody.
colleyc (07:13):
That's kind of yeah, right, yeah, and.
And then what's happening inyour life kind of infuses the
lyrics into a melody that you'vecome up with.
liz uninvited (07:23):
Yes, exactly Like um it's.
It's again like my lyrics.
I would say is kind of like themain thing that holds my songs
together.
Not that my songs are like notgood without words, but I am a
very wordy person and I alwaysneed to put emotions and
everything that I'm likethinking of or feeling into
(07:45):
words.
So the more words that actuallyconvey like whatever it is I
need to like think out, thebetter.
colleyc (07:54):
Nice.
liz uninvited (07:54):
Yeah.
colleyc (07:55):
I like that.
I really like your lyrics, bythe way.
Thank you.
They are very profound, likeyou're struggling with things
and like trying to put things inorder, somehow similar to what
you were, you were, you werealluding to before that.
It.
It's this cathartic kind ofgetting it out of you, um, onto
paper, or you know, just or onvideo or whatever it might be.
(08:20):
So you're?
You're about to perform twoshows right this summer and
correct me if I'm wrong thoseare the June 5th and 16th.
Yes, and this is your firstexperience going on stage.
And how?
How are you feeling about it?
liz uninvited (08:39):
Honestly, I felt a little bit like stressed out
about the first one at least,like the June 5th one, even
though it's super low stakes,super informal Um, but I was
kind of like okay, I've neverreally performed or like put
together like a whole set listof stuff, cause kind of the way
I work super ADHD, by the way umis that, like I I'll like
(09:03):
create a song, I'll record it,I'll put it out, whatever, and
then I will forget about it.
Um, like that, like I, I'lllike create a song, I'll record
it, I'll put it out, whatever,and then I will forget about it.
Um like yeah, I'll listen to it, but I'm not gonna go play it
again unless I have to.
So it's, but that's not justfor music, that's like for
anything, for me at least.
like I'll do it when I have agun to my head, figuratively,
then I'll make it work so that'skind of always been like oh
okay, like I don't need topractice this right now, but
(09:24):
like when I have the time, orlike when I have to, when I have
a show or whatever.
Then I'll get it together.
colleyc (09:30):
Yeah.
So yeah, I remember that too.
Like, like I would.
It would be hard to like, sitdown and like, okay, I'm going
to go through the set and untilthe day or two before when
you're like, oh shit, exactly, Ican't escape this anymore and
you want to like, at least haveyou know an idea of what it
(09:52):
might look or sound like.
How are you approaching it?
Like this is going to be.
These are solo shows.
You're, you're accompanyingsomeone, or they're opening for
you, or there's a double bill,right, you're on.
liz uninvited (10:03):
Yeah, so the June 5th one it was.
It was originally just supposedto be me, but I mean two hours
worth of playing, it's just I'mnot doing that.
Um, I'm not a jazz band.
Maybe if I played jazz, sure,um, so I I got like somebody
that I knew, like a friend ofmine, to um kind of split it
with me.
So I will be playing the firstslot and then she'll be playing
(10:24):
the second slot.
Um, it's like half an hour each.
And for the June 16th one, I'mopening for somebody, somebody
named Carolina Lopez.
Um, yeah, another folk musicianfrom Toronto.
Um, yeah, I do have a band.
I don't know if you were askingthat, but I do have a, like a
backing band.
I don't know if you were askingthat.
colleyc (10:43):
But I do have a like a backing band, sure.
liz uninvited (10:44):
But those shows you're going to be playing are
just Liz, uninvited um Liz,uninvited with my band, like
they'll be playing theirinstruments, yeah, okay, cool,
cool, cool, awesome.
colleyc (10:57):
And what do you think of the Toronto music scene?
What's?
How is it?
Like?
How do you get into it?
Like, how do you get involvedin it?
Like, is it just a matter ofgoing and starting playing in
bars and you know places aroundwhere or is?
Does the scene start to?
Um, incorporate you into it?
liz uninvited (11:20):
that's a really good question because I wouldn't
say I've been very involved inthe music scene in toronto yet.
Um, now I'm starting to getinvolved because I mean, I I
just like graduated um college,so now I have the time to put
towards that, whereas beforeit's just like I just need to
like make a few songs, recordthose, get those out.
(11:42):
People will know who I am andwhen I have time then I'll make
shows.
But yeah, now it's kind of justlike a matter of me reaching
out to different organizers orvenues or other musicians that
may have like um more of anaudience than I do and asking to
be on like bills with them andyeah, yeah, that's kind, that's
(12:02):
kind of it, I mean.
But also my band membersthey've been doing this for a
while so it's been prettyhelpful like my bass player will
send me like um differentpromoters that I could talk to
or like you know, he'll help meout in that area, thankfully.
colleyc (12:19):
Yeah, totally Well, it's good to know people too.
And how did?
How did you go about findingthe, your backing band, how, how
did that process go?
liz uninvited (12:27):
Um, so I put a few like, I put a post up on
like Facebook, I think mostrecently, and before that I w I
put posts out on band mix.
Um, like, I mean not a post.
I set up a profile and then Iwould find other people on there
too and like message them.
That's how.
But actually no, the, the, thevery first, the very first way I
(12:50):
did was through Reddit.
Um, there's like a Torontosubreddit.
I posted on there and that'swhere originally, somebody found
me.
They're not and we're not aband together anymore.
Like, I had like a band beforethis that broke up, but it was
originally through reddit.
Then it morphed into band mixand then it's kind of like band
mix and facebook yeah,interesting.
colleyc (13:12):
so it's a great way to find musicians.
If you're a beginning artistand you're kind of looking for a
bassist or a drummer orsomething like that, yeah,
putting yourself out on thosekinds of sites, creating a
profile allows you to to be.
liz uninvited (13:24):
Yeah, exactly, I've heard of Vamper too.
colleyc (13:27):
I haven't really used that yet, but I know that's a
good one as well for Toronto,for toronto, nice, and if you
look kind of to the future alittle bit, what, what?
What's your plan of likeputting your music out, maybe on
some, you know, like a ep or arecord?
Like, how close are you gettingto that actualization?
liz uninvited (13:48):
um, you mean like another one, like in the future
?
colleyc (13:50):
yeah, yeah, because, like I was looking at your
bandcamp page, I mean mean youhave two songs on it, which is
great.
I love your artwork too.
It's beautiful.
Oh, thank you.
Thank you.
Two great songs that you haveout there right now Is there.
Is there plans in the mix tokeep pushing this forward?
So you have a couple of singlesout, maybe going to an EP or a
record, or like how are youseeing the future of your music,
(14:14):
kind of like that you'll putout in the world?
liz uninvited (14:17):
um, yeah, actually I haven't used much of
band mix like the two songs yousee on there are pretty like one
of them's like over no, they'reboth like over a year old, I
think.
Um, but I have all my music onlike Spotify and like the music
like platforms, youtube and allthat I haven't.
I have two albums out right nowon there and an EP and then
(14:37):
some singles, but I, yeah, I didwant to transfer those to band
camp because I, I should do that, cause I, I didn't have
something.
Exactly Like I had somebody likeemail me like a few weeks ago
asking to put Mr Fox on bandcamp and I was like wait, I
completely forgot about thiswebsite and I didn't know people
actually wanted to listen toanything on here.
(14:59):
So yeah, I'm kind of in theprocess of uploading my
discography onto there as well.
colleyc (15:04):
Yeah, cause it's.
It's easier than a Spotify,cause Spotify like if you don't
have an account you got to gothrough all these hoops and it's
just so much more easy to geton Bandcamp.
It's easy to stream, easy tobuy.
I know a lot of artists thatthey go that route, down the
road, but I mean your music'sout there.
If people want to find it, theycan find it, which is great,
(15:28):
that's cool.
And like, what are your themes?
Like, do you only write songswhen you're feeling kind of like
you need to work through things, or are there times when you're
feeling happy and the world'swonderful, where you can sit
down and do you find thatthere's certain conditions that
need to be for you to writesongs that?
liz uninvited (15:47):
are your songs?
Well, honestly, that's a goodquestion, because a lot of my
songs have been like me workingthrough stuff or just like the
aftermath of something I didwork through, and this is kind
of just like my thoughts on it.
But no, I wouldn't say I haveto be in a certain state of mind
.
Well, it does help if I am like, if I am like actively needing
(16:10):
to like get over something.
It helps a lot.
Get over something, it helps alot, um, but if, if that's not
the case, which normally is thecase, but if it's not the case,
um, I I'll still be able to tocreate something, but it might
not just be something as likeexplicit as to what, what
(16:30):
towards whatever, maybe, mystate of mind, if that makes
sense, sure, like yeah, yeah,yeah, that's what I know, I like
that, I like that, I mean, andI mean I've talked to many
artists that they do.
colleyc (16:41):
You know it is a working out process, they like.
But I really love that you're.
You immerse yourself increative ventures and it's not
only your music, I mean you do.
You do videos, you do art likeyou really immerse yourself
inside.
How do you find that youdevelop your creativity the best
(17:01):
?
Like what are environments orsituations?
Do you need to be in wherecreativity you feel it mounting,
you feel it like growing insideyou, because it is very much
like a muscle or a skill?
I mean you have to practicebeing creative, which you do a
ton of.
Are there different levels ofcreativity that you feel that
(17:24):
that that come and go with you?
Can you, can you talk to that abit Creativity in your art that
you do in particular?
liz uninvited (17:33):
I'm sorry, I'm just trying to.
I'm trying to, I'm trying tothink um, okay, do you mind
breaking down your question alittle bit?
colleyc (17:43):
sure, so creativity is a part of all art.
Right, it's something that thatyou don't, you're not
necessarily born with, but youhave to like develop it over
over time.
Yeah, how do you find that yourcreativity is best developed?
liz uninvited (17:58):
oh okay, um, honestly, it kind of depends.
But I mean, I'm a very sensitiveperson, um, like, I'm sensitive
to like every type of stimuli,if you will like sound, um
anything sound, anything likesmell, anything like internally
(18:21):
kind of thing.
Um, so it's kind it doesn'treally take a lot to make me
like to activate like that voicein me that's starting to kind
of get like uncomfortable orwhatever, if that makes sense.
So, honestly, I found it to bedifferent things, like again, a
lot of my music is me workingthrough stuff or just explaining
(18:44):
what it feels like to exist asI, as as me, um, so I found that
like a lot of the times whichis not great, but when I'm in
uncomfortable situations, likewhich is often, but when I'm in
uncomfortable situations, that'skind of when I start feeling
that turmoil, that inner turmoil, like oh, like I, I need to, I
(19:09):
need to do something about this,like I need to get this out so
I can feel at peace again.
Interesting, exactly.
But also it also helps when I'min nature or just I'm a very I
really like nature, it reallylike grounds me and I just feel
(19:29):
safe in nature, but also likesorry, I'm the worst at
answering questions sometimes.
No, no, it's great, but alsolike it's kind of just like any
type of like meaningfulexperience or something that
leaves like a sort of mark on me, that's kind of what I'll make
(19:52):
the music about.
colleyc (19:52):
If that makes sense.
Yeah, totally, yeah, I love it.
I love your description.
You, you say that you, you.
You might not be saying itcorrectly, but I totally get
what you're saying, totally,totally.
I love too that you go tocreativity when you're feeling
that anxiety or that, thatoverload almost of emotion and
senses, sensory overload andcreativity is your outlet for,
(20:13):
for dealing with those kinds ofthings.
I I think that's the spectacularway to approach bark and and I
mean most artists, that's whatthey do, right like.
I often ask artists like whendo you write your most?
And they always are in momentsof conflict or struggle, or I
mean it connects us to humanitymuch more.
I find, um, when we'restruggling and then we can put
(20:36):
something out that other peoplecan connect to, that we're not
all alone out here, feeling likeit's not only me that feels
this stuff exactly.
liz uninvited (20:45):
um, yeah, sorry, I was gonna say, like the thing
is, um, it hasn't always beenlike this for me, though.
Um, before I actually wrote myown music and I would feel like
this, I would kind of feel stuck, and that's where a lot of my
um, my struggles were based,because it's like I didn't know
how to make myself come back tolike a stable place, like
(21:09):
because, I mean, I was an artistbefore, I was a musician, like
I would draw and like paint alot, but I wouldn't really know
how to express my emotionsthrough my art exactly, which is
.
I mean, that's why I went intolike illustration and, uh,
college and all that Um, so Icould figure out, okay, like how
(21:29):
can I properly like translatethis?
But, funny enough, I kind ofstarted doing music right as I
went into college and thatbecame my form, like my outlet,
of translating, if that makessense.
So it wasn't even like that art.
Now I could do this through art.
It's more like I was trying todo this through art, but then it
(21:52):
kind of morphed into music, andthen music was all I could
think about.
colleyc (21:55):
Yeah, you got the bug the music bug.
Yeah, totally.
Well, liz, this has been areally cool chat.
As we kind of come to a closehere, I wanted to ask you what
you felt success would mean toyou with your music.
Like what would that?
What would that look like orfeel like, if you could kind of
like look down the road?
I mean, you're just at thestart of a pretty exciting, you
(22:18):
know, period in your life wheremusic is starting to happen.
You're gonna get some showscoming.
You're writing more like whatwould you like to see down the
road with you in music?
liz uninvited (22:31):
um, well, I feel like success would really mean
people are connecting to themusic and they're I mean, of
course, like, if they're voicingthat, like wow, like I finally
feel, like I, like I'm being,like I've been understood, and
(22:51):
like this speaks to me, likewhenever people voice that, it
already it, it already makes mefeel like I'm doing something
worthwhile.
But in terms of like, more oflike, a bigger scale of success,
probably being more like knownin the music scene I have right
now, I mean, I guess that wouldbe like a starting out point of
(23:12):
success.
But once I start playing moreshows and getting on bills with
other similar musicians,hopefully I'll be a local name
and it'll branch out when I playelsewhere Totally, and you'll
come to Montreal and play, so Ican come.
Oh, yes, yes exactly.
colleyc (23:31):
I mean Toronto musicians have to come to
Montreal.
It's just an unwritten rule,but it has to happen.
liz uninvited (23:37):
Exactly.
colleyc (23:38):
Well, I really appreciate your time and we're
going to play one of Liz's songat the end.
So if you want to hear I meanit really has this beautiful
singer-songwriting indie folkfeel to it.
I mean it kind of brings me tokimia dawson a little bit like
people say that yeah, like thatthe subtlety.
(23:59):
But the complex lyrics that aregoing on over such beautiful,
simple chord arrangements arejust.
They always grab my heart.
So I've been really enjoyingand I've been sharing your music
too, and my people have beenreally liking it.
They're like thank you, I likethis a lot.
And they're asking oh, is therea record?
So I'm going to go on toSpotify and check out all the
(24:21):
stuff because I I haven't goneon Spotify because I kind of was
protesting it because theykicked because of Neil Young
leaving and all that.
Oh, remember when he left, orthey didn't put his music on
anymore because of I think Iheard about that some podcast
tweet that he didn't want.
I, for you, will go back onSpotify and listen to your stuff
(24:42):
, because that's the kind ofpodcast I want to be.
liz uninvited (24:45):
Thank you, thank you.
It's also on YouTube, if you'drather listen there.
colleyc (24:51):
Cool.
Well, I've enjoyed your YouTubestation.
It's been really great.
I will put all these links,people in the on the post that I
put out about Liz Uninvited,and we will be listening to her
song right now.
Um, liz, all the best.
I hope you all the best withyour shows.
Please share some pictures outon instagram or on your social
(25:12):
so we can see, uh, see you inaction, um, and yeah, keep going
, don't stop.
Thank you so much, it was apleasure cool, thank you.
Speaker 1 (25:40):
It's a new year.
It's a new year.
It's a new year.
It's a new year.
It's a fun year.
(26:12):
It's a done year.
It's the one year Having youhere.
I thought you'd want to thinkabout the things.
(26:38):
Don't want to sing withoutcontextualizing In and out the
pages of the story Entitled tothe things they'd like to think.
A saint could drown aboutsomething that I thought to
myself the contaminated.
(26:59):
Start a fire, burn the waterhotter, kill the glitter Stars
brought by you upon my pot ofwater.
Oh, blow out the flame thatfuels the fire burning in my
(27:22):
brain.
Mistake me as insane, but theeye, the trainer, tries to train
, to pluck you from existence.
Following disregard towards themistress, darkening Mistake,
here wakes the mind's intruder.
(27:42):
To the place.
Seduction of the pilots, itwill prep for landing to the
place they came.
Here comes that acid rain andfire's pit pulls up.
A shame puddle, staring back, ashame.
You were not without the subtlesparkle in your eyes, elgated
(28:08):
by the bubble blown up.
By the time your mind has givenup Against life's subtle
rainbow.
Life's bubble.
Thank you,
Welcome everybody.
Here we are.
We're talking with Liz,uninvited, out of Toronto,
canada, a neighbor to my west,and I was really excited about
this conversation because Liz isan up-and-coming artist who is
about to begin her musicalcareer in a lot of ways, and
(00:41):
we're going to talk all about itand what the future holds.
So, liz, thanks so much forjoining me today and taking a
little time to share yourperspectives on music and you.
liz uninvited (00:53):
Thank you.
Thank you for having me.
colleyc (00:55):
Awesome.
So, liz, tell me a little bitabout how it all started for you
.
When did music start to likekind of percolate inside you of?
This is an avenue?
I know you're an artist as well, not only a musician, but
you're also a great artist.
How did music come into thatprogram of yours, of this
(01:16):
artistic journey that you're onso far?
liz uninvited (01:27):
I mean I've always been really drawn to
music, from like a young age,like obsessing over, like
different musicians and bands,um, but like most recently not
that recently, but like maybelike five years ago, like when I
started getting really into, um, like singer-songwriter type of
music, like Elliot Smith, um,alex G, just to name a few, that
of genre that's kind of when Istarted wanting to like actually
(01:49):
play that type of music.
I didn't really think ofwriting it myself at that time
because I didn't even, Icouldn't even fathom how to do
that, because I was.
I've been playing classicalpiano for like 12 years and I
mean they don't teach you how toimprovise and like how to make
your own stuff.
So that just wouldn't click inmy brain.
Um, so I ended up getting aguitar just to play Elliot Smith
(02:10):
music, which is kind ofridiculous because his music is
so hard to start off withplaying.
Yeah um, so I did that for awhile.
Some years passed.
I kind of got tired of myguitar.
Then I picked it up again.
I started playing Alex G andthen listening to more Alex G.
I was kind of got tired of myguitar.
Then I picked it up again.
I started playing Alex G andthen listening to more Alex G.
I was kind of like, but hesounds so unconventional and DIY
(02:34):
, like this is not the normaltype of music I normally hear.
His voice is, objectively or no, subjectively good, that's what
I want to say.
Subjectively or no,subjectively good, that's what I
want to say.
That's yeah.
And it kind of made me thinklike my voice, like I am not the
best singer, but like he makesit work.
And his voice is not the bestbut it matches what he makes.
(02:56):
So, that being said, if I can,if I can write my own music and
but make it like, make my voicematch that and make everything
sort of flow, even if it's notlike conventionally good or
whatever.
I, I all have succeeded in thatalready.
So that's kind of how I.
Yeah, that's kind of how Istarted it.
colleyc (03:14):
Sorry, that was like a long ramble yeah, no, but like
so, you said that piano wassomething like do you ever write
songs on piano or is it alwaysyour go-to to go to guitar?
liz uninvited (03:23):
um well, the thing is, I've tried to write
songs on piano, or is it alwaysyour go-to to go to guitar?
Um well, the thing is, I'vetried to write songs on piano
but it just again it does notclick that easily.
I'm still working through thatclassical barrier.
Um, so it's normally my guitar,because I I was still in
classical piano, like I wasstill in the program, when I
started writing my own music.
So it was kind of like I waskind of always doing tug of war
(03:46):
between my music and then havingto play like on piano, like
classical or whatever.
So it was usually my guitar,that was my escape.
colleyc (03:54):
Yeah, totally, I get that too because, like the piano
, you kind of seen that as astructured you know you got to
read.
There's not much interpretationor improv that you can.
Yeah per se, um.
So how did how did the idea ofstarting to like write your own
songs and I?
I mean I looked at your youtubeum channel and it's prolific on
(04:15):
.
I mean you've, you've posted somany cool little videos of like
starting of songs or coversthat you've, that you've really
liked.
How did how did that interestin in wanting to put yourself
out there like that um come toyou?
liz uninvited (04:31):
um well, I mean, before I did like, I started
posting like my music online andeverything.
I would be doing that with myart and I would be doing that
like on TikTok and likeInstagram, and I got very burnt
out from that very fast.
So I took a break from all ofthat for like a few months and
then I somehow started to wantto make music.
(04:54):
So then I kind of just went andstarted doing that mainly on
YouTube, because YouTube,thankfully, still is kind of
like the innocent version ofsocial media, if you will.
It's still like old school sortof and it's kind of like
whatever you want it to be andyou'll find your audience there.
So it felt less stressful topost on YouTube.
colleyc (05:18):
And it seems like there's a great interaction too
with your, your listeners.
You, you have quite, quite afew followers.
I mean, you're just startingthis machine up, really, and
you're getting some pretty coolcomments on the stuff that
you're putting up, which must beencouraging for you.
liz uninvited (05:34):
Yes, very encouraging.
colleyc (05:37):
It propels things forward.
liz uninvited (05:40):
Yes, no exactly.
colleyc (05:43):
And what's your process around writing songs, like
before you go on to YouTube andsay, okay, I'm going to play
this and put it out there.
How do you come to a song?
How does it come to you?
I guess I should say it reallydepends.
liz uninvited (06:00):
Normally it's been.
It's kind of like um, usuallyit's like I just feel like I
have this stuff internally, likethis pressure internally that's
like I need to somehow put intosomething, like I need to.
I don't know how to explain itproperly, but it's like an out.
(06:21):
Music is like an outlet, to meat least.
Um, so it's like when I, when Ihave a lot of stuff going on,
stuff I need to process, um, andthen I kind of like will go to
my guitar or whatever and I'lljust start playing random stuff.
Maybe I'll like work, like I'llplay through a song I already
know, um, but usually it's likeI'll just like hit a chord and
(06:43):
maybe another chord and then I'mkind of like, wait, this kind
of is hit a chord and maybeanother chord, and then I'm kind
of like, wait, this kind of islike a sequence, and then, like,
my mind will be like oh, likethis melody goes, I don't know.
It's kind of like reallyabstract.
It's kind of like I just startpiecing together melodies and it
just kind of comes to me, butit's not like I'm playing
anything like crazy or advanced,like I'll be playing like the
(07:06):
most basic chord, bar chord,whatever.
And then I'm kind of like it'sjust, it's mainly like my brain
coming up with the melody.
colleyc (07:13):
That's kind of yeah, right, yeah, and.
And then what's happening inyour life kind of infuses the
lyrics into a melody that you'vecome up with.
liz uninvited (07:23):
Yes, exactly Like um it's.
It's again like my lyrics.
I would say is kind of like themain thing that holds my songs
together.
Not that my songs are like notgood without words, but I am a
very wordy person and I alwaysneed to put emotions and
everything that I'm likethinking of or feeling into
(07:45):
words.
So the more words that actuallyconvey like whatever it is I
need to like think out, thebetter.
colleyc (07:54):
Nice.
liz uninvited (07:54):
Yeah.
colleyc (07:55):
I like that.
I really like your lyrics, bythe way.
Thank you.
They are very profound, likeyou're struggling with things
and like trying to put things inorder, somehow similar to what
you were, you were, you werealluding to before that.
It.
It's this cathartic kind ofgetting it out of you, um, onto
paper, or you know, just or onvideo or whatever it might be.
(08:20):
So you're?
You're about to perform twoshows right this summer and
correct me if I'm wrong thoseare the June 5th and 16th.
Yes, and this is your firstexperience going on stage.
And how?
How are you feeling about it?
liz uninvited (08:39):
Honestly, I felt a little bit like stressed out
about the first one at least,like the June 5th one, even
though it's super low stakes,super informal Um, but I was
kind of like okay, I've neverreally performed or like put
together like a whole set listof stuff, cause kind of the way
I work super ADHD, by the way umis that, like I I'll like
(09:03):
create a song, I'll record it,I'll put it out, whatever, and
then I will forget about it.
Um, like that, like I, I'lllike create a song, I'll record
it, I'll put it out, whatever,and then I will forget about it.
Um like yeah, I'll listen to it, but I'm not gonna go play it
again unless I have to.
So it's, but that's not justfor music, that's like for
anything, for me at least.
like I'll do it when I have agun to my head, figuratively,
then I'll make it work so that'skind of always been like oh
okay, like I don't need topractice this right now, but
(09:24):
like when I have the time, orlike when I have to, when I have
a show or whatever.
Then I'll get it together.
colleyc (09:30):
Yeah.
So yeah, I remember that too.
Like, like I would.
It would be hard to like, sitdown and like, okay, I'm going
to go through the set and untilthe day or two before when
you're like, oh shit, exactly, Ican't escape this anymore and
you want to like, at least haveyou know an idea of what it
(09:52):
might look or sound like.
How are you approaching it?
Like this is going to be.
These are solo shows.
You're, you're accompanyingsomeone, or they're opening for
you, or there's a double bill,right, you're on.
liz uninvited (10:03):
Yeah, so the June 5th one it was.
It was originally just supposedto be me, but I mean two hours
worth of playing, it's just I'mnot doing that.
Um, I'm not a jazz band.
Maybe if I played jazz, sure,um, so I I got like somebody
that I knew, like a friend ofmine, to um kind of split it
with me.
So I will be playing the firstslot and then she'll be playing
(10:24):
the second slot.
Um, it's like half an hour each.
And for the June 16th one, I'mopening for somebody, somebody
named Carolina Lopez.
Um, yeah, another folk musicianfrom Toronto.
Um, yeah, I do have a band.
I don't know if you were askingthat, but I do have a, like a
backing band.
I don't know if you were askingthat.
colleyc (10:43):
But I do have a like a backing band, sure.
liz uninvited (10:44):
But those shows you're going to be playing are
just Liz, uninvited um Liz,uninvited with my band, like
they'll be playing theirinstruments, yeah, okay, cool,
cool, cool, awesome.
colleyc (10:57):
And what do you think of the Toronto music scene?
What's?
How is it?
Like?
How do you get into it?
Like, how do you get involvedin it?
Like, is it just a matter ofgoing and starting playing in
bars and you know places aroundwhere or is?
Does the scene start to?
Um, incorporate you into it?
liz uninvited (11:20):
that's a really good question because I wouldn't
say I've been very involved inthe music scene in toronto yet.
Um, now I'm starting to getinvolved because I mean, I I
just like graduated um college,so now I have the time to put
towards that, whereas beforeit's just like I just need to
like make a few songs, recordthose, get those out.
(11:42):
People will know who I am andwhen I have time then I'll make
shows.
But yeah, now it's kind of justlike a matter of me reaching
out to different organizers orvenues or other musicians that
may have like um more of anaudience than I do and asking to
be on like bills with them andyeah, yeah, that's kind, that's
(12:02):
kind of it, I mean.
But also my band membersthey've been doing this for a
while so it's been prettyhelpful like my bass player will
send me like um differentpromoters that I could talk to
or like you know, he'll help meout in that area, thankfully.
colleyc (12:19):
Yeah, totally Well, it's good to know people too.
And how did?
How did you go about findingthe, your backing band, how, how
did that process go?
liz uninvited (12:27):
Um, so I put a few like, I put a post up on
like Facebook, I think mostrecently, and before that I w I
put posts out on band mix.
Um, like, I mean not a post.
I set up a profile and then Iwould find other people on there
too and like message them.
That's how.
But actually no, the, the, thevery first, the very first way I
(12:50):
did was through Reddit.
Um, there's like a Torontosubreddit.
I posted on there and that'swhere originally, somebody found
me.
They're not and we're not aband together anymore.
Like, I had like a band beforethis that broke up, but it was
originally through reddit.
Then it morphed into band mixand then it's kind of like band
mix and facebook yeah,interesting.
colleyc (13:12):
so it's a great way to find musicians.
If you're a beginning artistand you're kind of looking for a
bassist or a drummer orsomething like that, yeah,
putting yourself out on thosekinds of sites, creating a
profile allows you to to be.
liz uninvited (13:24):
Yeah, exactly, I've heard of Vamper too.
colleyc (13:27):
I haven't really used that yet, but I know that's a
good one as well for Toronto,for toronto, nice, and if you
look kind of to the future alittle bit, what, what?
What's your plan of likeputting your music out, maybe on
some, you know, like a ep or arecord?
Like, how close are you gettingto that actualization?
liz uninvited (13:48):
um, you mean like another one, like in the future
?
colleyc (13:50):
yeah, yeah, because, like I was looking at your
bandcamp page, I mean mean youhave two songs on it, which is
great.
I love your artwork too.
It's beautiful.
Oh, thank you.
Thank you.
Two great songs that you haveout there right now Is there.
Is there plans in the mix tokeep pushing this forward?
So you have a couple of singlesout, maybe going to an EP or a
record, or like how are youseeing the future of your music,
(14:14):
kind of like that you'll putout in the world?
liz uninvited (14:17):
um, yeah, actually I haven't used much of
band mix like the two songs yousee on there are pretty like one
of them's like over no, they'reboth like over a year old, I
think.
Um, but I have all my music onlike Spotify and like the music
like platforms, youtube and allthat I haven't.
I have two albums out right nowon there and an EP and then
(14:37):
some singles, but I, yeah, I didwant to transfer those to band
camp because I, I should do that, cause I, I didn't have
something.
Exactly Like I had somebody likeemail me like a few weeks ago
asking to put Mr Fox on bandcamp and I was like wait, I
completely forgot about thiswebsite and I didn't know people
actually wanted to listen toanything on here.
(14:59):
So yeah, I'm kind of in theprocess of uploading my
discography onto there as well.
colleyc (15:04):
Yeah, cause it's.
It's easier than a Spotify,cause Spotify like if you don't
have an account you got to gothrough all these hoops and it's
just so much more easy to geton Bandcamp.
It's easy to stream, easy tobuy.
I know a lot of artists thatthey go that route, down the
road, but I mean your music'sout there.
If people want to find it, theycan find it, which is great,
(15:28):
that's cool.
And like, what are your themes?
Like, do you only write songswhen you're feeling kind of like
you need to work through things, or are there times when you're
feeling happy and the world'swonderful, where you can sit
down and do you find thatthere's certain conditions that
need to be for you to writesongs that?
liz uninvited (15:47):
are your songs?
Well, honestly, that's a goodquestion, because a lot of my
songs have been like me workingthrough stuff or just like the
aftermath of something I didwork through, and this is kind
of just like my thoughts on it.
But no, I wouldn't say I haveto be in a certain state of mind
.
Well, it does help if I am like, if I am like actively needing
(16:10):
to like get over something.
It helps a lot.
Get over something, it helps alot, um, but if, if that's not
the case, which normally is thecase, but if it's not the case,
um, I I'll still be able to tocreate something, but it might
not just be something as likeexplicit as to what, what
(16:30):
towards whatever, maybe, mystate of mind, if that makes
sense, sure, like yeah, yeah,yeah, that's what I know, I like
that, I like that, I mean, andI mean I've talked to many
artists that they do.
colleyc (16:41):
You know it is a working out process, they like.
But I really love that you're.
You immerse yourself increative ventures and it's not
only your music, I mean you do.
You do videos, you do art likeyou really immerse yourself
inside.
How do you find that youdevelop your creativity the best
(17:01):
?
Like what are environments orsituations?
Do you need to be in wherecreativity you feel it mounting,
you feel it like growing insideyou, because it is very much
like a muscle or a skill?
I mean you have to practicebeing creative, which you do a
ton of.
Are there different levels ofcreativity that you feel that
(17:24):
that that come and go with you?
Can you, can you talk to that abit Creativity in your art that
you do in particular?
liz uninvited (17:33):
I'm sorry, I'm just trying to.
I'm trying to, I'm trying tothink um, okay, do you mind
breaking down your question alittle bit?
colleyc (17:43):
sure, so creativity is a part of all art.
Right, it's something that thatyou don't, you're not
necessarily born with, but youhave to like develop it over
over time.
Yeah, how do you find that yourcreativity is best developed?
liz uninvited (17:58):
oh okay, um, honestly, it kind of depends.
But I mean, I'm a very sensitiveperson, um, like, I'm sensitive
to like every type of stimuli,if you will like sound, um
anything sound, anything likesmell, anything like internally
(18:21):
kind of thing.
Um, so it's kind it doesn'treally take a lot to make me
like to activate like that voicein me that's starting to kind
of get like uncomfortable orwhatever, if that makes sense.
So, honestly, I found it to bedifferent things, like again, a
lot of my music is me workingthrough stuff or just explaining
(18:44):
what it feels like to exist asI, as as me, um, so I found that
like a lot of the times whichis not great, but when I'm in
uncomfortable situations, likewhich is often, but when I'm in
uncomfortable situations, that'skind of when I start feeling
that turmoil, that inner turmoil, like oh, like I, I need to, I
(19:09):
need to do something about this,like I need to get this out so
I can feel at peace again.
Interesting, exactly.
But also it also helps when I'min nature or just I'm a very I
really like nature, it reallylike grounds me and I just feel
(19:29):
safe in nature, but also likesorry, I'm the worst at
answering questions sometimes.
No, no, it's great, but alsolike it's kind of just like any
type of like meaningfulexperience or something that
leaves like a sort of mark on me, that's kind of what I'll make
(19:52):
the music about.
colleyc (19:52):
If that makes sense.
Yeah, totally, yeah, I love it.
I love your description.
You, you say that you, you.
You might not be saying itcorrectly, but I totally get
what you're saying, totally,totally.
I love too that you go tocreativity when you're feeling
that anxiety or that, thatoverload almost of emotion and
senses, sensory overload andcreativity is your outlet for,
(20:13):
for dealing with those kinds ofthings.
I I think that's the spectacularway to approach bark and and I
mean most artists, that's whatthey do, right like.
I often ask artists like whendo you write your most?
And they always are in momentsof conflict or struggle, or I
mean it connects us to humanitymuch more.
I find, um, when we'restruggling and then we can put
(20:36):
something out that other peoplecan connect to, that we're not
all alone out here, feeling likeit's not only me that feels
this stuff exactly.
liz uninvited (20:45):
um, yeah, sorry, I was gonna say, like the thing
is, um, it hasn't always beenlike this for me, though.
Um, before I actually wrote myown music and I would feel like
this, I would kind of feel stuck, and that's where a lot of my
um, my struggles were based,because it's like I didn't know
how to make myself come back tolike a stable place, like
(21:09):
because, I mean, I was an artistbefore, I was a musician, like
I would draw and like paint alot, but I wouldn't really know
how to express my emotionsthrough my art exactly, which is
.
I mean, that's why I went intolike illustration and, uh,
college and all that Um, so Icould figure out, okay, like how
(21:29):
can I properly like translatethis?
But, funny enough, I kind ofstarted doing music right as I
went into college and thatbecame my form, like my outlet,
of translating, if that makessense.
So it wasn't even like that art.
Now I could do this through art.
It's more like I was trying todo this through art, but then it
(21:52):
kind of morphed into music, andthen music was all I could
think about.
colleyc (21:55):
Yeah, you got the bug the music bug.
Yeah, totally.
Well, liz, this has been areally cool chat.
As we kind of come to a closehere, I wanted to ask you what
you felt success would mean toyou with your music.
Like what would that?
What would that look like orfeel like, if you could kind of
like look down the road?
I mean, you're just at thestart of a pretty exciting, you
(22:18):
know, period in your life wheremusic is starting to happen.
You're gonna get some showscoming.
You're writing more like whatwould you like to see down the
road with you in music?
liz uninvited (22:31):
um, well, I feel like success would really mean
people are connecting to themusic and they're I mean, of
course, like, if they're voicingthat, like wow, like I finally
feel, like I, like I'm being,like I've been understood, and
(22:51):
like this speaks to me, likewhenever people voice that, it
already it, it already makes mefeel like I'm doing something
worthwhile.
But in terms of like, more oflike, a bigger scale of success,
probably being more like knownin the music scene I have right
now, I mean, I guess that wouldbe like a starting out point of
(23:12):
success.
But once I start playing moreshows and getting on bills with
other similar musicians,hopefully I'll be a local name
and it'll branch out when I playelsewhere Totally, and you'll
come to Montreal and play, so Ican come.
Oh, yes, yes exactly.
colleyc (23:31):
I mean Toronto musicians have to come to
Montreal.
It's just an unwritten rule,but it has to happen.
liz uninvited (23:37):
Exactly.
colleyc (23:38):
Well, I really appreciate your time and we're
going to play one of Liz's songat the end.
So if you want to hear I meanit really has this beautiful
singer-songwriting indie folkfeel to it.
I mean it kind of brings me tokimia dawson a little bit like
people say that yeah, like thatthe subtlety.
(23:59):
But the complex lyrics that aregoing on over such beautiful,
simple chord arrangements arejust.
They always grab my heart.
So I've been really enjoyingand I've been sharing your music
too, and my people have beenreally liking it.
They're like thank you, I likethis a lot.
And they're asking oh, is therea record?
So I'm going to go on toSpotify and check out all the
(24:21):
stuff because I I haven't goneon Spotify because I kind of was
protesting it because theykicked because of Neil Young
leaving and all that.
Oh, remember when he left, orthey didn't put his music on
anymore because of I think Iheard about that some podcast
tweet that he didn't want.
I, for you, will go back onSpotify and listen to your stuff
(24:42):
, because that's the kind ofpodcast I want to be.
liz uninvited (24:45):
Thank you, thank you.
It's also on YouTube, if you'drather listen there.
colleyc (24:51):
Cool.
Well, I've enjoyed your YouTubestation.
It's been really great.
I will put all these links,people in the on the post that I
put out about Liz Uninvited,and we will be listening to her
song right now.
Um, liz, all the best.
I hope you all the best withyour shows.
Please share some pictures outon instagram or on your social
(25:12):
so we can see, uh, see you inaction, um, and yeah, keep going
, don't stop.
Thank you so much, it was apleasure cool, thank you.
Speaker 1 (25:40):
It's a new year.
It's a new year.
It's a new year.
It's a new year.
It's a fun year.
(26:12):
It's a done year.
It's the one year Having youhere.
I thought you'd want to thinkabout the things.
(26:38):
Don't want to sing withoutcontextualizing In and out the
pages of the story Entitled tothe things they'd like to think.
A saint could drown aboutsomething that I thought to
myself the contaminated.
(26:59):
Start a fire, burn the waterhotter, kill the glitter Stars
brought by you upon my pot ofwater.
Oh, blow out the flame thatfuels the fire burning in my
(27:22):
brain.
Mistake me as insane, but theeye, the trainer, tries to train
, to pluck you from existence.
Following disregard towards themistress, darkening Mistake,
here wakes the mind's intruder.
(27:42):
To the place.
Seduction of the pilots, itwill prep for landing to the
place they came.
Here comes that acid rain andfire's pit pulls up.
A shame puddle, staring back, ashame.
You were not without the subtlesparkle in your eyes, elgated
(28:08):
by the bubble blown up.
By the time your mind has givenup Against life's subtle
rainbow.
Life's bubble.
Thank you,
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