Liv Austen, Musician and Hanson Fan
It is always a joy to share the work of other artists, especially those who are inspired by Hanson.
Liv Austen is a Norwegian born singer songwriter who came to the UK in 2010 to study acting.
Her infectious country music has seen her become a key part in the explosion of UK country pop.
We were thrilled to hear that Liv was able to do an interview for us with Redrospective.com
She told us about her career, music and her love of Hanson.
Thank you for sharing some thoughts with us. Can you tell us about your career and music to date?
I started writing when I was a teenager and then put it to one side when I did acting training. Then I moved to London and started working as an actor. It was hard for me to move out, but then I found some really good movers from on the go moving, all my stuff got to London in one piece! I got back into writing, started gigging my own songs and it snowballed from there. I kept getting gigs and the gigs got slightly bigger and bigger. I released two EPs independently and then got signed to a label last year, so now I’m planning to do a full album. I’m doing country pop and I’m influenced by so many artists and not just country artists.
What are your musical interests and projects at present?
I just released a single today. It is called Don’t Regret A Single One and it’s a bit of an anthem. It’s a bit of a feminist empowerment song, which I didn’t mean it to be when I wrote it but it became that! I’m working on an album slowly and steadily – hopefully it will come out this year.
How have Hanson and their music inspired or influenced you in your own music making?
So much! I listened to them when I was really young. I think someone gave me their album and I thought “oh my God I love this!” I was in love with all three brothers at different times, as we all were. As I grew older, I watched their development. Every album is fantastic and now as a musician, it is a very different approach. I’m not in love with them anymore but I do love their approach to the music business. I listen to their music a lot, so directly and indirectly it has really influenced me as a writer. I love their energy and their production.
Have you seen Hanson perform live? What do you remember of those experiences?
Yes I have, it was incredible. I’ve seen them 3 times now in London. Especially the first time I saw them it was one of those experiences, because I had wanted to see them for so long, I felt elated finally seeing them live as I was living in Norway and they didn’t come to Norway. I really bonded with everyone there. A lot of people were my age, because they had probably grown up with their music too and it was incredibly inspiring. That day when I saw them I’d had a tough time at drama school. It was hard work and I was tired but I left there feeling really energised and inspired to get back into music. I remember that really, really fondly.
It was just as great the two other times I saw them.
Which shows were they?
The 02 Indigo and Shepherds Bush for the 25th anniversary show.
Speaking of Norway, Hanson are playing a series of shows in Norway in April. Will we be going?
Oh man that would be brilliant, #bookingtriptoNorway .. I didn’t know that. I don’t know if I will be in Norway in April to be fair. It depends where they are playing. If it’s somewhere intimate then I’m definitely going. I hope that means they will be coming to the rest of Europe but I don’t know if it does. Fingers crossed!
What is your favourite Hanson song and why?
I’m tempted to say Penny And Me because regardless of even Hanson it is such a fantastic song. It is the kind of song I try to write. It has fantastic lyrics, a brilliant hook and it is beautifully produced. I can’t believe how young they were when that song came out. I love the sound of this song. It is really hard to pick but I am also completely in love with Already Home from Anthem. That’s another favourite of mine. I could go on forever so I’m gonna leave it there!
Favourite Hanson album?
It is really hard to say but if I were to tell someone to listen to just one Hanson album I would say The Walk. There is no way you can listen to The Walk and not love it. I think it is such a special album, really really unique and consistent. It is probably the Hanson album I have listened to the most in full. When I start listening to it I have to go through the whole thing.
If you could perform one Hanson song with Hanson what would you choose?
If you could perform a Non-Hanson song with Hanson, which would you choose?
Good question. I’d have them play one of my songs obviously.
Which one?
The Next Time, they would do some good ooohs on that. They would harmonise – it would be brilliant.
What common roots or influences do you think your music shares with Hanson?
I think Hanson, just like me, maybe not the same musicians and artists but they find inspiration everywhere.
The kind of music I love is the stuff that is not too easy to pigeon hole and I don’t really want to be like that myself. I listen to so much pop music a bit of rock and country and a bit of blues and it seems that they are the same. They are so passionate about music. I’m a huge Michael Jackson fan and I know they are too. Especially Taylor is very inspired by him, it seems. They did a cover of Remember The Time and I was like this is… I have a thing with my friend, we call it “combo heaven”, when two things that you love come together and Hanson singing Remember The Time was combo heaven for me! Probably Stevie Wonder that class of musicians .. I think we are both looking for inspiration in all sorts of different places.
Hanson or Shania Twain?
Oh wow that is just so mean!! I think Hanson have probably been as big if not a bigger influence on me so I will say them.
Where can our readers find out more about you and your music?
You can find me on Twitter @livausten Instagram @livausten I’m livausten on Facebook and I also have a website livausten.com Are you seeing a pattern here?
I also have some amazing people writing about me so you can check out redrospective.com for instance. They always write write brilliant stuff and they have some great photos and videos.
Check out Liv’s cover of Hanson’s Penny And Me
Many thanks to Liv Austen for sharing with us and thanks to redrospective for her interview and photographs of Liv Austen in concert.
redrospective
