Liam Davis – Interview – Thanks for Asking!

Liam Davis – Interview – Thanks for Asking! – by Liam Sweeny.

RRX: Every artist’s first song is a milestone. But so is the latest song. Describe the first song/album you recorded, and also the latest song/album you recorded; what are the differences?

LD: My first official single was ‘In My Dreams’ (2020). It was about a relationship that just wouldn’t work because I wasn’t ready. It was very self-reflective and had a sort of folk/pop sound to it. I started to branch out of that and dig more into my rock roots in my mid 20s. It’s funny because my new single ‘Lonely Man’, five years later, is a self-reflective folk/pop song with some rock elements in it. I guess I came full circle!

RRX: Music genres are difficult for some artists. Some strictly adhere; others not so much. What is your perspective on the genre you play, or the genres you hover around?

LD:I used to worry that I had to stick to one genre or I wouldn’t be able to gain traction as an artist. I worried that my fans would only like me one way. Then I put out songs in multiple genres and the same people were supporting all of them. I think that if you have a true core fan base of people that love you for you, they’ll listen to anything you put out.

RRX: It’s a lot of fun living in the present, but we all collect memories and give birth to dreams. We’re talking dreams here. Where you see yourself next year? In the next five years?

LD:I plan to move to Nashville next year. I love NY but it’s very difficult to grow beyond a certain point here. I think you can max out your potential here as an artist/musician and not get the recognition that you deserve. You can play an open mic in Nashville and land a record deal, haha. I just need to be in front of the right people. Then I’d like to record an album and tour, rinse and repeat.

RRX: We all get a little support from those around us. And we also can be impressed by our fellow performers. Who do you admire in your community, and why?

LD: Since moving to The Capital Region, I’ve been extremely blessed to be surrounded by dozens of brilliant musicians. My friend Dylan Suski is one of the best drummers I know and he’s finally getting the attention that he deserves. I’m also a drummer so we clicked immediately when we met. Dan Lawson is one of the best bass players I know. He came in to play upright bass on ‘In My Dreams’ and I was blown away. I was only 21 when I met these guys and they were very established, so they whipped me into shape a little bit, haha. I wouldn’t be where I am without them.

RRX: You sing or you rap, you play guitar, play drums, what have you, you have no doubt struggled to learn music. Something probably tripped you up. What was it for each of you? What did you have to overcome (bands, pick a member)?

LD: I play drums, guitar, piano, and I sing. The instruments came naturally to me, singing not so much. Because I was proficient on three instruments as a kid, I had confidence (maybe too much) that I could learn anything. I started trying to sing around 14/15 years old and it was a real struggle for awhile. My pitch was okay but I had zero technique and didn’t really know who I wanted to be as a person yet. As I got older and experienced more life, my voice got better and better. I still have a lot to work on but I’m proud of how far my singing has come.

RRX: With services like Spotify, streaming revenue can be pretty dismal. Without spilling secrets, do you have a promotional mindset or philosophy?

LD: Singles are the way to go. I’ve watched hundreds of videos on how to make it in this industry in today’s world. For a lot of musicians, they just want to do what they want to do and not come up with any sort of game plan. I think that’s fine, but don’t expect the results of someone that has a plan. I’ve put out seven singles now and each one does better than the last (for the most part). With streaming services and social media, you can promote each single as if it were an album…and you don’t need a record label to do it. Therefore, each song you release is getting the attention that 8-12 songs would get as a whole if you were releasing an album. I’m not an expert but I think that singles are the way to grow as an artist on Spotify, and once you have a larger following, that is the time to release a full project.

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