Starting off with a big one, who was the Lia Rye we used to know? What did she enjoy  about being an artist? What did she hope to achieve? What ultimately was the reason for  this change? 

I’d say the Lia Rye’s we used to know were iterations of a person who was constantly  learning and trying to understand how the heck all of this works. Version 1 was creating an  Instagram music page with singing and keyboard covers of songs, aiming to share a passion.  With that came exploration, but also a crippling sense of not feeling good enough compared  to my peers. 

Version 2 was an effort to combat those fears and put faith into myself and my music. With  that came “Novacaine” and the start of doing live gigs, and whilst I loved being able to  legitimise my creations, I felt strangely alone in the process. When you’re that young with  no prior connections to music or entertainment, lack people who believe in your ability, or  encounter those who wish to exploit whatever they see in you, navigating that Wild West is  crazy. I enjoyed being able to create, put my learning into practice, and show a side of  myself no one ever really saw, but it was all scratching the surface. Many of the songs I  wrote were fictional stories, and my aesthetic mirrored trends or what I thought was cool at  the time. So whilst I was creating art, the intentions were muddied through external factors  I didn’t really believe in. 

Then there came the overall shift in 2024 when I was truly over the pop presentation I had  (Version 3). Yes, my music had hints of alternative, but my singles were reviewed in ways I  did not understand or resonate with. While that is due to the perceptions held of black  artists who decide to deviate from “urban” genres, I also had to look at myself and ask what  do I actually represent? If you look at my profile, yes, I have music, yes, some of it is  alternative, but the visuals I presented and the introspection of the music that shaped me  were at odds, so I realised that I’m slightly at fault for the misrepresentations. If you  seemingly stand for nothing, someone will assign something to you in this entertainment  space. It was because of that realisation and wanting to make music I truly cared for, which  brought about change. 

So then entered Bad Dream and the rest of the singles I released last year which I am very  proud of. A big reason for this latest change is influenced by the previous points I’ve made,  but it’s more so because I’ve got so much digital baggage. I wanted to move away from  what I could control and do a soft reset, which sets new “guidelines” and expectations,  which my audience, and I guess myself, can consider. Essentially, they consist of no longer  trying to fit a mould that honestly wasn’t made for me in the first place. I’m gonna be as  bold or as quiet or as colourful as I want and make peace with that. 

I think that the ultimate goal for the previous Lia Rye iterations was to just be heard. Now I  want to tell my story correctly. 

And now, what’s new? Is this a re-branding, re-imagining or simply just the next chapter in  Lia Rye’s story? 

I’d say it’s the next chapter with a slice of re-imagining. Many of the elements I’ve shown of  myself thus far are staying, but with less pressure. I have a pretty good idea now of what I 

want to share and how to portray myself, and it essentially boils down to “more is less”. I  grew up making video edits, and I had a very colourful and graphic-heavy style, which  influences how I make things today. In a world of curated and neat feeds or the maximalism  of some artists, I felt that I had to be simpler or settle for an agreed-upon aesthetic. Safe to  say that didn’t work out too well for me, and I just want to create without all the strings,  self-imposed or not, and know that whoever likes my stuff will stick around. 

You’ve spoken briefly on the idea of “fitting in”. In the current landscape of music do you  think the cons of social media outweigh the pros? Especially for someone like yourself  starting out at such a young age and experiencing growth through social media, is there a  “right” way to do things? 

I wouldn’t say that there’s a right way to do things, but if you decide to do things one way,  don’t be disappointed if you don’t see results if you’ve not done it properly. I have come to  terms with the fact that social media isn’t going anywhere for musicians, and being able to  

market yourself digitally is essential. Now there are a few effective ways you can do this,  you can follow the tried and tested formulas and try to fit in and recreate viral content  templates (not negative at all by the way, it is what it is) or decide to completely ditch that  and build a loyal community through lives or newsletters (facilitated by creating whatever  content you feel comfortable with of course). Whatever route you go down, just try your  best to do it well. I understand that may be a con, and there are so many obstacles in trying  to do music (nor am I saying that I’m perfect or a viral sensation lol), but you need to be  resilient. So yeah, there are quite a few cons to social media however, it’s presented so  many opportunities for artists, and if you do it right, you can have a great time, but it’s so  easy for the algorithm to eat you alive or to lose sight of who you are. 

What advice would you give to 15 year old Lia Rye? 

1. You’re more talented than you think. 

2. Everyone only cares when you’re doing well or better than them, so don’t feel  discouraged when you don’t have a rally around you. 

3. Stop being so fearful; it’s beyond limiting. 

The other month saw you wipe your social channels, what was the response from your  followers? And for yourself, this seemed like a drastic move. Had it been a long time  coming and planned out or a complete dive into the unknown? 

Quite a few people were shocked, and a wholee lot of people were curious as to what was  going on – haven’t seen engagement like it (Instagram is a great experiment in observation).  It also meant that I lost a few people, whether that’s through what I posted after or the act  of me going blank. No love lost, of course, but it’s been interesting to see the reactions I got,  from people thinking I’ve quit, to my page being hacked. 

I’d say the move was a bit of a dive into the unknown, though not entirely. I’ve got 5+ years  of a digital footprint; if you want to find out about me, it won’t take long. An Instagram  profile isn’t all I have; it was great to wipe that many years off, but I still have all my tagged  photos. Same with starting a new TikTok account, I know what to do to build that again and  have a strategy that means I stay consistent. Those on my private story on Insta or my mail 

list know when I have plans, aha, and are the people who have been supporting me so much  in the last 2 years. Therefore, going into the “unknown” isn’t daunting when 1. you know  what it takes to take you out of that obscurity and 2. you have that backing behind you  which consists of people who truly like what you do, not for the sake of emulation or pure  observation, but because you make cool art and they just enjoy it 🙂  

What can we expect to see next? A change in genre? Brand new songs? A new approach  to social media? 

Primarily, a new approach to social media. The singles I released in 2024 marked a new  direction for my music, and I’ll be continuing to do that as I’ve found my musical home. I’ve  described myself as an alternative artist, then alt rock, and now throwing about the garage  rock label, which is a welcome development… but I’m never willing to entirely box myself in,  so alt rock it is! Essentially, I’m looking forward to what this chapter brings, and I can’t wait  to share the new songs I have written- an EP is likely on the way, but that shall be a topic for  another day… 

And now, what’s is the ultimate goal? 

To live the rockstar dream 😉 

Aha, well, in all seriousness, and grounded in more of a practical reality, I think it’s to make  this music thing as sustainable as possible. I’ve done great things this year and have had to  say no to more things than I’ve said yes to, so I’m forever grateful for the opportunities that  have come my way. Just need to keep things going and grow this lovely corner of the music  space ❤