INTERVIEW WITH... ALTERNATIVE ART POP NEWCOMER LISEY TIGRA
London Alternative Art pop artist Lisey Tigra returns with the Brett Shaw (Florence Welch, Lady Gaga) produced single, ‘Crime Scene’. The dark and mysterious track off Tigra’s forthcoming EP. It sees the artist delving into the murky depths of relationships, shadow sides, and how far one will go for love. I chatted with Lisey about the track and more. You can read it below!
THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: Hey, Lisey, Starting off... How have you been doing? How has the new year been treating so far?
LISEY TIGRA: Hey! Thank you for having me. I have been doing well. Lockdown has been tough but I am trying not to let it get to me too much. I have a lot of exciting things to look forward to this year and so far it has been going great after finally releasing ‘Crime Scene’.
THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: First off your track ‘Crime Scene’ retools the love song in a unique way. I love it. How did this track come to fruition and why? What was the recording and writing process like?
LISEY TIGRA: Yes, I’m glad you picked up on that! It explores the love song from a darker psychological perspective. It points to a near obsession over the events of the relationship and a willingness to put yourself in dangerous situations just to find out the truth.
(cont.) I wrote the track after a relationship ended abruptly and I couldn’t quite figure out why. He was very secretive and bizarre and that triggered my curiosity. In my mind I kind of created this mysterious character whose dark, underground world I wanted to explore. In the end, of course, the guy turned out to be a run-of-the-mill f-boy, but I still kind of love the character that he inspired in my mind. He’s my imaginary muse.
(cont.) The recording process was ground-breaking for me because I feel like I finally managed to blend all my different influences and create the sound I have been chasing. A blend of electro-pop with old-school rock guitar and a nostalgic yet modern feel.
THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: How did the music video for ‘Crime Scene’ come together?
LISEY TIGRA: The way it came together was magical. I never thought it would turn out as well as it did. It was all thanks to the team who were so committed to bringing the vision to life despite the limitations we were faced with. I got to shoot at the Ministry of Sound as there were no other events going on because of the pandemic. A good friend let me shoot at his house and many designers let me borrow the most amazing pieces. Kay, my stylist and art director, worked her ass off and made the fire nails that have now become one of my staple pieces. She also pushed me to take bold artistic moves like painting my whole face red for our ‘devil wears McQueen’ moment.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NK1yOYHDBPo
THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: What do you hope is the biggest takeaway people get from listening to your music?
LISEY TIGRA: That it’s okay to have a dark side, and that you don’t need to ignore it or repress it as that will come back to haunt you. Part of being a healthy, balanced person is exploring, acknowledging and embracing both your light and your shadow. I draw a lot of my energy from my darker self. There is a lot of strength and resilience stored in there, and if channelled in the right way it can bring a lot of positive things.
THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: What’s a typical creative and recording process like for you?
LISEY TIGRA: I usually write my stuff at home and record a demo that I then take to the studio and start messing around with different sounds and parts. We sort of create a base for the song that I then take home. I always need a bit of time without listening to it to then go back into the studio with fresh ears. Every song is different though and I like to play it by ear (literally and metaphorically lol). I can be a bit of a control freak but I have to tame that side of myself and just let the song take me where it wants to go.
THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: What was it like working with producer Brett Shaw? A producer whose previous credits include artists that are major influences for you such as Lady Gaga?
LISEY TIGRA: He’s great. I love that he listens and commits to bringing my vision to life. He brings his vast knowledge and experience to the table in a way that serves what I’m trying to communicate and express, and his calm demeanour helps counteract my neurotic inner mental breakdowns.
THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: If you could collab with anyone (dead or alive) who you pick and why?
LISEY TIGRA: I would love to collab with Kali Uchis. She is Colombian too, and also has a dual-nationality so I feel we have a lot in common that would make it a very interesting collaboration.
THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: Switching gears completely... What was your favorite children's book as a kid?
LISEY TIGRA: The BFG by Roald Dahl.
THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: Throwing in a fun one here... What’s your go-to karaoke song?
LISEY TIGRA: I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing by Aerosmith. I always nail that one.
THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: What's one album you could listen to over and over from start to finish?
LISEY TIGRA: Appetite for Destruction by Guns n Roses. A classic.
THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: What are your thoughts on social media and is it an integral part of being an artist today?
LISEY TIGRA: Most definitely. It’s just the most effective way for an artist to be in touch with their audience, and that’s great because it cuts out the middle man. At the beginning I opposed to it a lot as I am a bit of an introvert and it was hard for me to put myself out there on a personal level, but each time that I am more open on social media I always receive an overall positive response from people and it’s nice to be able to connect with different people from all around the world. For a long time, I thought it was all superficial but now I realise it can create intimate and valuable connections with people that share similar values.
THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: Seeing as we are all about positivity here at TRB. Who are some upcoming artists from this past that you find awe-inspiring & talented that you’d love to shine a light on?
LISEY TIGRA: I really love that there are a lot of independent artists out there doing really big things. My favourites at the moment are Lenii and Cameron Hayes who I follow on Instagram and TikTok. They’re really dope and their content is amazing.
THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: And to end, what’s next on the horizon for you, Lisey? Thank you for taking the time out! :)
LISEY TIGRA: I’m working on some exciting releases including the last track of the ‘Crime Scene’ EP and a cover of one of my fav rock songs! I’m putting together some really cool visuals for those as well that I’m thrilled to put out into the world soon. Thank you again for having me!
You are quite welcome, Lisey!
You can follow Lisey Tigra on Socials below. Plus stream her new single ‘Crime Scene’ here.
Lisey Tigra// Socials
Official // Twitter // Facebook // Instagram
https://open.spotify.com/track/0kWYeX3qZRzMvehhWRILi8?si=LMkAO5f7RfGxRzyd77iumQ
