Student producing independent album
By Massiel Bobadilla
Oct. 25, 2007 9:01 p.m.
There’s something sneaky about Liz Getz’s eyes.
Though the 21-year-old native of Fairfax, Calif. effortlessly looks the part of a carefree student, behind her disarming smile, Getz harbors a surprisingly soulful voice and the daring aspiration to make a living out of her musical talent.
Getz is currently in the process ““ the tedious, testing and drawn-out process ““ of laying down tracks for her first album, which she is producing independently, without a label. A difficult feat in and of itself for any seasoned music professional, Getz, a fourth-year world arts and cultures student, takes the pressures of the industry in stride thanks to her infectiously sunny demeanor.
“I have very eclectic tastes and I want to weave all those elements into my music,” Getz said. “(That’s why) I’d describe my musical style as soul, R&B, alternative. That’s actually the official combination of titles on my MySpace.”
Getz may not be on the verge of going multiplatinum just yet, but her talents are nonetheless impressive. The daughter of a classic rock-drumming father and a jazz-singing mother, Getz seemingly has music encompassing every part of her life. “I started with little songwriting projects and singing when I was really young. I just grew up in a really artsy, really musical family,” Getz said.
“My biggest inspiration is Stevie Wonder,” she said. “He’s my ultimate. I (also) grew up on a lot of Beatles. They are a big influence too. I love the Beatles … but Stevie Wonder was my first real connection to my own style of singing and music.”
Getz, who performs under the stage name “Liz Paige,” ““ a combination of her first and middle names ““ truly does exude an air of unmistakable outgoingness. Listening to her music, it’s almost impossible to separate her affable persona from her expressive sound and lyrics. One can only assume this will surely work to her advantage in the future, as her warm and vibrant personality only serves to enhance the at times emotional message behind her songs. Upon looking, one might not expect to hear the soulful sounds of an R&B singer coming so forcefully as they do out of Getz. But make no mistake here ““ she’s no duplicate of the music industry’s archetypical headline-grabbing, overly-coiffed purveyor of soul.
“I’m just trying to get more and more material recorded and (I’m) still trying to find my sound,” Getz said of her career at this point in its development. “Just going in the studio whenever I can. … I pretty much (want) to be able to make a living out of this: to record an album, to distribute it, and to get it out there to a diverse audience and create a fan base, and book gigs and be able to perform and do what I love. That’s the ultimate goal.”
