Formula Indie Sessions : Interview with Linda Mizzi
What is your earliest memory connected to music?
Sitting on my mother’s lap around the dining room table watching my father, grandfather and uncles playing guitar and singing Italian songs. I didn’t understand the words, but it was always joyful and loud! Cigarette smoke, grappa, two guitars and music! And then on the car trips on an 8 track cassette was Johnny Cash, Marty Robbins, Loretta Lyn and anything country. What a combination!
How did your passion for creating music begin?
Poetry. Rather bad poetry as a teenager I must say. Immersed in teen novels and romance initially – but the poetry slowly got better and more profound the older I got. Then I would muck around on the piano and guitar. I was drawn to the piano although I was never given the opportunity to have lessons. I had an attachment to the piano due to the emotions it evoked in me. Even at a young age I could differenciate the minor chords from the major chords and how they made me feel. So essentially I am self taught on both guitar and piano, which can be frustrating at times, but I managed and am proud of that.
What’s the story behind your current music project?
My latest releases were both written for my children. Navigating this world is difficult when your children come to cross roads in their lives and you have to both help them through certain situations but also be strong enough to sit back and not interfere due to them wanting to make their own decisions. ‘CHANGE’ was written for my daughter Bethany and ‘LET HIM GO’ was written for my son Christopher. It was produced by Jono Fernandez in Sydney, Australia.
These two releases just kind of happened while my band has been in the process of recording our first debut album. We are a trio comprising of; Glen Skarratt on mandolin, and guitar, Alex Kellar on bass and cello – and myself on guitar, lead vocal. We have been working on this album for three years and began alot of the writing during COVID. There is no distinct genre – we are a fusion of folk, blues and country. The material is deep, sassy, fun and sometimes confronting and we cannot wait to get these songs out there.
How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?
There is no distinct genre – we are a fusion of folk, blues and country. Strong lyric based.
What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music?
The best songs are the ones that connect with an audience because they’re honest, and simple. I used to write very cryptic songs – with lyrics that were clever but didn’t necessarily resonate with everyone. So I started listening to some of my favourite singer songwriters and I was so inspired. Particularly by women like Lori McKenna and Patty Griffin. They changed my way of writing.
What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process?
My phone! I have hundreds of ideas on my phone. When I get something special that I never want to lose, I immediately email it to myself.
Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?
‘Change’ – Adrianne Lenker – Big Thief
How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision?
Experiences and my observations on life are key to my writing. Sometimes you can feel blessed and tortured by experiences that have shaped your music. This is a really good question and one that I could probably talk and talk about. All I can say is that my songs are based on all of the following. Mental health, love, elderly wisdom, politics, death, life, Jesus, faith, children, heartbreak, domestic violence,resilience, and more…
What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work?
With my deeper songs, I hope they have an epiphany when they listen to them – or some sort of healing even if it makes them sad initially. With my more upbeat quirky songs, I would hope they would smile and have a laugh at an image in my song that resonates with their own life or someone elses they know.
What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?
Humility. And that without music, as dramatic as it sounds, I simply can’t exist.
What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?
To be honest, any festival. I love the festival circuit in Australia. I have experienced a small part of it and it is the people you meet and the music family bonds you make along the way that make festivals so special. And I am sure any festival would be like this. The smaller folk festivals are actually beautiful. In saying all that, it would be pretty amazing to play at any folk/country European festival.
If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?
I love Ricky Lee Jones. Perhaps that’s who I learn’t my cryptic lyrics from! She is amazing. I also love Jazz! She has lived an extraordinary life. I read her book – Last Chance Texaco. Her emotion and freakish vocal range is astounding.
Where can our listeners follow and support your music?
Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?
To release the trio’s album. I also want to do a solo live album of a lot of my social justice songs and ones that are very profound to me. I am hoping with the new trio album will be released and we can get back on to the festival circuit. I would also love to pitch us to overseas festivals in Europe.
What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way?
My authenticity and my passion for songwriting and trying to connect with my audience through my music.
If you want here you can add a representative Youtube video to insert below the interview 🙂
Nothing at the moment that really represents the new album coming – would prefer to wait to have something more current.
