Spotlight On... Liv Dawn

Hailing from Loch Lomond, singer-songwriter Liv Dawn is on the verge of releasing her latest EP, Hopeful Wandering. With four of its six singles already out in the world, the full EP arrives on Friday 17 October, with Dawn using the central theme of hope to bind it all together, in turn making for a fully optimistic and uplifting feel.

Blending folk, pop, soft rock and country influences across the EP, alongside her band of talented musicians, Dawn has managed to create some truly catchy moments, as on Falling For You, its chorus lingering for days. Celebrating the EP with a run of live dates, we catch up with Dawn to chat inspirations, collaborations and find out what the future holds.

You graduated from Glasgow’s Academy of Music and Sound in 2021, so music was obviously the plan for you from a young age. Who/what was it that first sparked your interest in music growing up?
I always loved singing from a young age, but I was far too shy to sing in front of anyone and would only do it secretly. Eventually at 16, I chose to study music at school and began learning guitar, which helped me gain confidence. I joined a vocal group, learned to play my favourite songs and gradually started writing my own – I realised how much I adored songwriting. After leaving school, I threw myself into it by writing more songs, going to open mic nights around Glasgow and building connections with other musicians. I started reaching out to promoters for gigs and support slots, and spent months researching how the industry worked – everything from releasing music to booking shows. That is when my ambition for music really began.

Who are some of the artists that have inspired you over the years and continue to inspire you now?
I grew up listening to Fleetwood Mac and Joni Mitchell thanks to my parents, and I think both have had a huge influence on my songwriting. I have also always loved artists like Johnny Cash and Dolly Parton as their storytelling is timeless. I'm always really inspired by songwriters whose lyrics and melodies are clever and emotional, which is something I'm drawn to within my own songs. I'm also inspired by modern artists like Lizzy McAlpine and Dermot Kennedy. I love their blend of folk, pop and indie, and the raw honesty in their writing. I have tried not to box my style, and feel that my sound sits somewhere between all of these artists – drawing from folk roots but with influences of country, rock, pop and indie.

You’re gearing up to release your latest EP, Hopeful Wandering, with the central theme of ‘hope’ running across its six tracks. Why did you choose the theme of hope for this record?
The theme came about really organically. As I was writing, I realised that every song touched on hope in some way, either by holding onto it, searching for it, or finding it after facing something difficult, and it felt right to shape the EP around that. I have always liked the idea of hope being something we can hold onto, even when things feel uncertain. I'm an optimistic person and naturally carry that into my music. So the title, Hopeful Wandering, felt like the perfect way to sum it up: exploring, going on a journey, healing, building resilience and believing things will work out.

Can you talk us through the EP’s tracks and how they connect to this central theme?
Each track explores a different side of hope. The EP begins with Falling For You, a song about being completely in love and excited for the future with someone. Home reflects on family, growing up, memories and nostalgia. The Mountains Are Calling is about resilience, facing the unknown, escaping to nature and finding peace through change. Fears and Dreams captures life’s highs and lows and the rollercoaster of emotions we all experience. Not Let You Go touches on mental health, the importance of support, finding strength and light during hard times. Written In The Stars completes the EP and explores uncertainty and fate, feeling lost but trusting that everything happens for a reason. Each song has layers of storytelling but together they form a journey about hope, growth and finding your way.

As well as some deeply heartfelt songwriting, the instrumental palette across Hopeful Wandering is rich and textured. Working alongside your band, additional string arrangements came courtesy of Elspeth Mackay – what was the process like?
Recording at Chem19 with my brilliant band – Aidan Smith on piano, Chris Gilday on electric guitar and Calum Macleod on drums – was such a fun and rewarding process. My band is very supportive of me and they always help me bring my songs to life by experimenting with arrangements, instrumentation and textures. Elspeth arranged the strings for tracks Not Let You Go and Fears and Dreams, her arrangements added so much depth and emotion. We first worked together back in 2019 during the BBC Radio Scotland Singer-Songwriter Award, and she has been part of several projects since. Elspeth has such an instinctive understanding of how to enhance songs and her arrangements really bring out the heart of those tracks.

You’ve got some live shows coming up following the release of the record – how will the live performance compare to the recorded EP?
We will be performing the EP with the full band setup, staying true to the sound of the record with it being full band production. Although, we always like to bring something fresh to our live shows and often play with dynamics and introduce new sections or arrangements to keep things interesting. There's a lot of excitement when we play live, which I love, and the new EP has allowed us to explore a new energy on stage, as well as develop my vocal performance and stage presence.

Beyond the EP and forthcoming October live dates, what does the rest of this year (and next) have in store for you?
After such a busy summer of gigs and releases, I'm planning to take some time towards the end of the year to write and be creative again. I have ideas for new songs that I'm really excited to explore, and I would love to release new music next year. I'm also planning another tour and aiming to play more festivals. My main goal for next year is to keep building momentum – growing as an artist, playing to new audiences and making the most of every opportunity!

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Hopeful Wandering is out 17 Oct; Liv Dawn plays dates in Scotland including Europa Music, Stirling, 18 Oct; Stereo (EP launch), Glasgow, 23 Oct; Inn on Loch Lomond, 24 Oct; King Tut's Songwriter Round, Glasgow, 27 Oct

Follow Liv Dawn on Instagram @livdawnmusic