| 19 November 2008
If you were born and raised in New York City, there’s something undeniable about you: you are part of a cultural melting pot. Lizh is a first generation Dominican-American, with a strong passion for classic rock, the sultry sadness of the blues, the spirited expressionism of soul and funk and the deliberate awareness of spoken word. Her debut soul/rock album, “Let’s break it down”, brings together all the contrasting elements of the world around her into one soulful, powerful voice.
On stage she teams up with drummer Eric Kelly, also a New York City native. His style strengthens the syncopated rim shots of R&B with the raw power of hard rock, and never fails to enrich the soulful ballads with the deliberate improvisation of the blues creating a new take on the fused soul/rock sound. Lizh and Eric met in Raleigh, North Carolina. They were both excited to find someone who carried with them a love for music, free from the restraints of genre and style. Together, they give her songs a life of their own, and incorporate new songs into the live show that are not featured on the record.
In the studio, Lizh writes and produces all of her music. A majority of the instruments featured on the “Let’s break it down” LP are played by the songstress herself. “I never know where the next song is going to come from or what form it’s going to take. Sometimes it’s a melody, or a bass riff—sometimes it’s a drum line, or a metaphor that tickles my imagination—or all of the above.”
The album’s theme circles around crossing new boundaries and freeing yourself from conventional restraints. She places emphasis on the relationships between people and the world they create for one another, both one-on-one and as a community. With songs about soul searching, finding new love and realizing that some people will never change, “Let’s break it down” aims towards empowering the listener to find strength in who they are.
Lizh lived in New York City until the age of twenty-two. She honed her skill by working as a hired voice for studio and live performances ranging from singing parody songs in Spanish for radio, to performing on stage with the likes of New York City’s Timothy Dark. Gathering her experiences, she continued to work on her material; developing herself and harnessing her creative energy, enabling her to come forward with unrelenting momentum.
“I’m really big on preparation, because it’s simply a waste of time to offer what you don’t have.”
In the Triangle, Lizh has been featured at the Mansion 462 in Chapel Hill, The Hayti Heritage Center in Durham and in the Pour House for Raleigh’s Spark Con 2008. Now twenty-three, armed with an upcoming debut album, a strong live show, and years of preparation, Lizh confidently steps onto every stage with her instruments in hand and her eyes forward.
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