Q&A: Liz Cass Puts Her Heart Back Together With Debut Album ‘The Words’

Q&AMusic

Nov 23

☆ By GiGi Kang ☆

THIS IS LIZ CASS’S “CONFESSIONAL” — as the opening line of her debut album, The Words, shares. Described by Cass as representative of who she is as an artist, The Words is about navigating the pains of the past and finding your individual sound in the now.

The album is alternative pop, featuring numerous synth-pop tracks. “Shaken” acknowledges the ongoing effects of past wounds while beginning to move forward, while title track “The Words” ponders changing what once was: “If I could take it all back, I’d take it all back.” In “Human,” Cass wonders if her struggles with ADHD make her “a little less human.” Throughout the songs, Cass is candid, and it is this honesty that brings strength to her debut album.

Read below as Cass discusses the experiences and motivations behind The Words.

LUNA: Congratulations on the release of The Words. You’ve previously talked about things falling into place and knowing where you’re headed with your music. How does it feel now to have your debut album out and for the world to learn about your sound?

CASS: It’s a really good feeling! It took a long time for things to fall into place, so it’s still sinking in that I have a full-length album out that I feel is representative of me as an artist. The nicest part so far has been the messages and comments from people that are enjoying it or connecting with certain songs. It feels like I’ve got a lot off my chest through both the process of writing it and now letting go of it.

LUNA: One of your close songwriting collaborators on the album is Ed Graves. What impact does that trust you build with other creatives have on your music?

CASS: A huge one. Trusting the other person in the room allows you to open up and be honest with your writing. That’s everything. With Ed, Rainbow Wood Studio became a safe space over the last three years. I haven’t felt like that in a songwriting situation before. Ed and I were lucky that we clicked very quickly musically and through making the music became close friends. It seemed to strengthen every time we worked together and when I go into the room with him, my guard comes down and there are no inhibitions. I can speak freely, experiment, and let all the ideas flow without feeling too self-conscious or letting self-doubt hold me back. I think it's a unique relationship, and it’s one I treasure. I think that at times it might have been quite draining and intense for him as I processed difficult things I’d pent up for years. They all came to the surface in that studio.

LUNA: On “Something Real” you sing, “I can twist my heart, make it into art.” On “Ivy Walls” you say, “You cut my heart like an ivy wall.” This is a very sincere debut, and I wanted to ask you what the significance of the heart is for you in this project.

CASS: When I started the project, I was trying to put parts of my heart back together, process, and move forward. There were ebbs and flows, ups and downs over the three years writing this. Some songs were born out of me feeling very vulnerable, like “Ivy Walls.” That lyric was from the idea of someone consuming you, sometimes in an unhealthy, codependent way. With “Something Real,” it was more about taking a look at myself and asking the question, am I putting myself through this and prolonging toxic connections? Am I breaking my own heart and doing it so I can make music about it? I found myself back in the same old patterns towards the end of making the album that I was trying to break free from at the start of it. I had to take a step back and realize I might be my own worst enemy and only I can change that.

LUNA: “Human” is an intimate ballad that many listeners will be able to relate to: “Drowning out the noises in my head. Can anyone really help?” Honest songs support listeners through their healing. Does the same apply to you as the artist?

CASS: Definitely. Creating the music and writing about my anxiety, struggles, and fears helps me make sense of it all. A bit like a form of therapy. Especially when you’re co-writing and have someone you trust to listen to you. I would find writing on my own an insular, lonely process. I find so much comfort in music. I also have my go-to uplifting songs and my wallowing, self-indulgent ones just like everyone else!

LUNA: I know you had some academic background in acting before committing fully to music. When you film videos, such as the music video for “Confessional,” do you find yourself referring to any notes you might have picked up in your school experience?

CASS: Acting seems like a very long time ago! I never got that far with it and the last TV job I did was in my early twenties, but I did feel comfortable on stage and on camera. I still feel that way when it starts to roll. I love getting lost in worlds that don’t exist and becoming another character or version of myself to help communicate the sentiment of the song. It’s nice to still get to do that in a small way in music visuals to accompany the songs.

LUNA: In addition to releasing your original music, you’re also a DJ. What differences and similarities do you notice in your creative process as a vocalist and as a DJ?

CASS: With both, you want to take people on a journey through the music and give them an experience. In the end, it all comes down to what pleases you sonically. I think if you try to be true to your own musical taste, that will come across and people will have a better experience. When you DJ full time, you don’t always get to do that, but even if something else is required musically I try to always inject tunes I love into the set and play music that makes me feel good.

LUNA: Following the release of The Words, what’s next for Liz Cass?

CASS: I’m planning some UK shows next year for the album and I’m really looking forward to getting back into the studio. I’ve made a good start on the next project and I’m excited to see where it's headed musically.

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