Over at YA Mag, we can’t get enough of We Are Infinite by Starling Glow, fronted by 25 year old Liz Anne Hill. Liz Anne has proved to be a versatile musician, and cites influences as diverse as Jimi Hendrix, Death Cab for Cutie and Dolly Parton in her songwriting. We Are Infinite has been remixed by legendary producer and DJ Aude, who has worked with artists such as Will.I.Am and Katy Perry. We caught up with Liz Anne recently to chat about Grammys, circuses and mini donkeys. Check it out below:
Young Adult Mag: You grew up in Orange County, in a very musical family. What’s your earliest musical memory?
Liz Anne Hill: I would have to say that my earliest musical memory was my mom singing me to sleep every night. She would sing old standards like “Teach Me Tonight” and “My Funny Valentine”.
YA: You’ve said your mom played piano, your dad played guitar and your sister played the piano and drums … was there ever a teenage reaction thinking ‘I don’t want to play an instrument … I’m going to run away and join the circus’?!
LH: HAHAHAH!! I only WISH I was coordinated enough to join the circus! It was cool because my family never forced me to play or sing. When I found other friends my age to jam with, I developed my own personal relationship with music apart from my family. It was cool to have something that both my friends and my family and I could bond over.
YA: Who were your early musical influences?
LH: As a kid, we listened to everything! Prince, Bonnie Raitt, Hendrix, Stevie Wonder, Heart, Eric Clapton, Sting and the Police were just a few favs… (And my family took me to see all of them in concert too!) We also listened to a lot of pop and contemporary country. In my teens, I started getting into more alternative rock, pop punk, hardcore and Ska. I feel like my music draws from all of those influences, but my true love is pop rock. Give me a hooky melody and some driving drums and I’m good to go!
YA: How did you first come together with the other members of Starling Glow?
LH: When we started working on the album, I was technically the only member of the band. My producer and I were trying to develop where the album was going sonically before we added too many cooks to the kitchen! Once all the songs were finished, I reached out to Shae (guitar) and Devin W. (drums). We have been close friends for years, and I wouldn’t want to do this without them! My producer found Devin H. (bass) and we auditioned in Chris (guitar). We found that all of us had a ton of friends in common and we feel like a big happy family!
YA: Who does all the song writing in the band? Are there certain members that you vibe with musically better than others?
LH: Each of us are songwriters in our own right- everyone in the band is a multi-instrumentalist and they bring so much talent to the table! We definitely have our work cut out preparing to release our first album, and I’m excited to see what we can come up with together for the next one!
YA: How did the decision to record a remix of We Are Infinite come about?
LH: We decided to do a dance remix for “We Are Infinite” to help bring some buzz to the single. Dave Audé is an EDM legend, and has a lot of recognition for his work, so we figured it would benefit us as a new band to put out a remix of the single and let it gain some traction in the dance world!
YA: Are you still based in California or are you having the opportunity to travel with the band now?
LH: We all live in and around Los Angeles, and we are so excited to be touring soon! Fans can see when we will be coming to a nearby city by checking our website: www.starlingglow.com
YA: What do you think the pinnacle of your singing career would be? What’s your ultimate goal?
LH: I keep a space on my shelf with a label that reads “For Future Liz’s Grammy.” Hahaha just kidding. In all honesty though, to be able to travel and meet kids, be a source of positivity and love, share music and make friends… That’s living the dream. When we play shows and I see the audience singing the lyrics along with me, it makes my heart soar. That’s all I can ask for. (Other than the Grammy. And playing the voice of a Disney Princess.)
YA: What do you think you’d be doing if you weren’t pursuing your passion for music?
LH: Anyone who follows us on our twitter, Instagram, Facebook, snapchat, etc knows that I LOVE horses. Like, completely and hopelessly obsessed. I used to train horses and teach riding lessons, and though it’s a huge passion for me, I still felt like something was missing when I wasn’t pursuing music full-time. If there ever comes a day when I haaaave to retire, I plan on having a ranch with mini cows, mini donkeys, mini pigs, mini goats, and big horses. 🙂
YA: What’s up next for Starling Glow?
LH: We have several shows coming up in and outside of California! The album version of We Are Infinite’s video will be out soon, and I can’t wait for that!
YA: What 5 songs are playing on your iPod right now?
LH: Empires- Shakira
Little Hell- City and Colour
Cop Car- Keith Urban
Ain’t it Fun- Paramore
Now Now- Prehistoric
Thank you so much for the Q&A- I had a blast answering your questions! 🙂