“I’ve always wanted my songs to have something really meaningful about them and have something that stands out from other people’s songs, and I think what really helps my music stand out from the crowd is the fact that I do focus so much on storytelling and I focus on creating a narrative that maybe hasn’t been talked about before specifically in a song” – Liddy Clark.
I believe human beings are storytellers at heart and that we have inherited a deep need to communicate with each other from our ancestors. Liddy Clark is someone who feels things on a very deep level. After a very cool conversation with this young singer/songwriter she opened up about how feeling moments as deeply as she does can often lead to her feeling drained, overwhelmed, and at times make the situation seemingly incomprehensible. So, how does she find her voice and communicate these things? Through writing about it, and through writing songs not only has Liddy found an outlet but has found a way to invite new perspectives, conversations, and avenues of communication through her music.
“Shot Down (Stand Up)”
“I wanted to write about it, to say something, but I didn’t know what. Then I realized it wasn’t even my viewpoint that I needed to get across. It was the fact that, if we can’t even have a conversation…how are we ever going to fix this?” – Liddy Clark
Liddy Clark grew up in Parkland Florida, her father coached little league basketball, and through our conversation it became clear that Liddy and her family have deep roots in the Parkland community. When the school shooting occurred in Feb of 2018, it hit Liddy hard having gone to USC for school and with her being so far away from her home. Liddy knew she wanted to say something, wanted to process what had happened, and start a dialogue about the issue. She teamed up with two of her close friends in the USC film school to shoot the video and create something beautiful out of this situation, bridging the gap between her Parkland community and the one she was developing at USC.
“Being able to have that creative process tied to people who are genuinely caring about your well-being is something that made me a little bit more, I don’t know, willing to be vulnerable and just make sure every single bit of emotion was put into that video” – Liddy Clark
In this song, Liddy combines elements of pop-country with the storytelling aspects of a pre Red album Taylor Swift. There is a simplicity and focus on Liddy’s acoustic guitar playing and beautifully clear vocals, that draw the listener in and highlight the importance of the subject matter being discussed in the lyrics. The track is a terrific example of how arrangements can increase the emotional resonance of the song and add to the depth and the overall story being told. An electric guitar part that sounds like it was placed in reverse on the track subtly crescendos and decrescendos in the mix with bass and mandolin-esque acoustic guitar coming in right before the pre-chorus adding more depth to the track and serving to increase the anticipation for the chorus. The chorus comes in strong but doesn’t overpower Liddy’s vocals and the story there-in. Very well done.
“Sorry Mom and Dad”
In a brilliant contrast to other songs that Liddy has written, “Sorry Mom and Dad” is a very cool acoustic-driven song. Focusing almost solely on Liddy’s vocals and acoustic guitar it feels like a very intimate conversation about growing up and figuring out who we are. The story is super relatable and might be my favourite track so far. Her vocal performance is consistent with the other song referenced above, beautifully crystal clear and, in this case, raw and natural adding to that intimate conversation feel. I like the slide-sounding guitar that weaves its way through the mix, adding a second emotional voice to the music. In my opinion, this track highlights Liddy’s storyteller side so beautifully and shows such a cool range for the music that she writes. The story is very reminiscent of that Taylor Swift like innocence mixed with the Kacey Musgraves “Follow Your Arrow” tongue-in-cheek references to the somewhat taboo subject matter, and at the same time highlights Liddy and provides the listener with a very human look into her relationship with her parents and the process of growing up.
I’m sorry Mom and Dad
If the decisions I make are poor
But I’ve got a taste for Tequila
And some weed in my sock drawer
I’m not trying to get back at you
And you didn’t raise me wrong
Just tryin’ to figure out this world
And where the hell I belong
Overall, Liddy’s range as a songwriter and storyteller is something that I am very excited to see more of moving forward and I can’t wait to hear her new single “We Both Know” out today. Stream and download it here.
You can find Liddy Clark online on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok.
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