Creating a project not limited by genre, Fiona Liquid releases new EP, ‘Fluid’. Lee Allcock caught up with Fiona to speak about mental health, toxicity and more.
I hear notions of Bowie, Radiohead and even LCD Soundsystem in your debut EP. Tell me about your influences and how they inspired you…
Well, I think the Bowie one is the most obvious from the outside looking in, both visually and sonically. Obviously, Bowie was a chameleon in genre-changing and while I’m certainly not there (yet?), I definitely want to reach even a tenth of what he was able to achieve. Plus, Ziggy will always be iconic. Radiohead was the first band that got me thinking seriously about music. ‘OK Computer’ is a masterpiece and the way that album paints a mood, how the sonics are always evolving and building, the production and, obviously, Thom’s vocals and lyrics, are a huge inspiration. ‘Happiness’ pretty much came from me internalising Radiohead so much that I accidentally made a Radiohead song, which is an aspect I don’t think gets talked about a lot in music writing. When you listen to an artist so much, the way they write ends up subconsciously deciding how you end up making music… at least for me, anyway.LCD Soundsystem on the other hand… how much time have you got? James Murphy is a personal hero of mine. The story of how he started LCD, and the way his lyrics are hilarious and soul-wrenching at the same time – these aspects inspire me. I remember the first time I heard ‘All My Friends’ and just balled. You shouldn’t hear a song like that at 17 and cry – but he sells it. It’s that visceral reaction I love in music. LCD taught me it’s never too late to start, to always strive to make something that’s you, oh, and don’t underestimate synths.
Where was the EP recorded? And what did you learn during the process?
The EP was recorded at the world-class ‘Spare Studios’ (also known as the spare room in my flat). Whenever I’m making something for Fiona Liquid, I need to be able to control every aspect myself. Everything you hear on the EP is done by me. Take my first single which was done in maybe five hours, versus something like ‘James’ off the EP. Both take heavy inspiration from LCD, both are long, and both are mainly synth-based. However, ‘James’, to me, feels more me. I know a lot more boring producer tricks now which I won’t bore people with trying to explain.
You’re also not afraid to speak about tough topics such as materialism, mental health, toxicity and fame…
I’ve got into a habit as a lyricist of writing something once a day, probably from about the age of 18 and a half. Anyway, lyrics for me are always a way of interpreting and venting what’s currently in my head. Some songs are much more tongue-in-cheek and not meant to be taken very seriously (i.e, ‘New Thing!’), while songs like ‘James’ are deadly serious. I definitely subscribe to the school that lyrics are equally as important as the music, though that doesn’t mean songs with goofy or silly lyrics aren’t any less important.
What are your overall plans for 2022? Do you have any live dates planned or further releases etc?
So far, it’s been a little hectic. I’ve been getting back into video editing and making my ‘Behind the Wig’ series which has been a lot of fun. The band I’m in, The Plagiarists, have a couple of live dates coming up. If you like heavy, loud, angry rock delivered by a jumped-up crazy crossdresser, then catch us at a gig. I’m also starting to get the piece together for my second solo EP which will be more focused on trying to have a total feel compared to ‘Fluid’.
You can listen to ‘Fluid’ now on all major streaming platforms.
