On Flow, Memory and Grief with Liv the Artist
Introduction & Loop by Liv the Artist
You're listening to Earth noise, the podcast that uses music as a vessel to travel through time and space, hosted by me, Kelsey Georgesen. On this show we will explore our collective experience by listening to a variety of music and finding a common thread. This podcast was recorded on the traditional Land of the Kickapoo people. I also want to acknowledge that all American music has been influenced by the African diaspora. In this audio space we aim to elevate the voices of Black and Indigenous people and their music.
In this episode you’re going to hear a little bit from Olivia Komahcheet, also known as Liv the Artist. Liv is amazing. And I found live online playing these beautiful pieces processing grief and loss and translating these big feelings into some really light and moving passages on the guitar and I knew that I had to hear more about Liv’s experience. And so I'm so grateful for Liv joining me for this episode of Earth noise today.
Liv is Comanche and Otoe and is a nomadic-bred multi instrumentalist and emerging film composer, whose vibrant music blends together elements of alternative neo soul and indie electronic. Liv is endorsed by Keeley Electronics Guitar FX pedal company, and is a Platinum Producer of Timbaland’s “BeatClub” and a 2021 alumni of the Sundance Institute's Composers Lab.
You can follow Liv on Instagram @liv_theartist, on TikTok @livtheartist, on Youtube, and at Liv’s website.
Support Earth Noise by leaving a review on Apple podcast or donating on Patreon.
Follow Earth Noise @earthnoisecast or Kelsey at @kelsey_georgesen on Instagram
Visit Kelsey’s website https://www.kelseygeorgesen.com/ to learn more.
Musical history
Welcome. Thank you so much for joining me Olivia. I'm so glad to have you here.
And to get started, I'd love to hear a little bit about your experience with music and maybe what your earliest memory as a child is of music or your early interactions with music.
Yes, so thank you for having me, Kels.
I'm so happy to be here, having a conversation with musician as well. I’m always down to just kick it and just vibe for a minute. My earliest memory... I always go back to when I was in third grade and I played Viola in third grade I had an awesome teacher Her name is Ms. Vincent. And Ms. Vincent was super encouraging with not only, keeping on point with practicing, but finding creative ways to do it. Like, for example, she would say, “Okay, do you want to practice? Just fit it in every night, he watched Sponge Bob in between commercials.” back when cable was a thing. That's crazy to say that now, but back when people are saying, play your instrument for like 10 minutes while commercials are going, and then watch your show. Play 10 minutes and watch your show.
And so, I remember going home really excited to practice because she was just an awesome teacher, and we were learning that one song, I think it was like dreidel, like “dreidel dreidel dreidel,” or the spinning dreidel song. And I went to my aunt's house, and did my viola, and I ended up practicing for. It felt like three hours, and as a seven year old, or I think in third grade like seven or eight as a seven year old or nine year old, I don't know how you're, how old you are, then but being a little kid and practicing for three hours straight and just being in the flow and just, I kind of like lost track of time. And I remember having this feeling of, oh my gosh, I love getting lost in this instrument, trying to articulate what I felt was hard, like, trying to describe it as a kid but all I knew is, oh my gosh I really like this instrument, or I just like this feeling of putting myself into something and dedicating my time and just kind of getting lost in it. And then, yeah, that's probably my earliest/favorite memory that I could that really just made me take a step back.
Flow State
I love that trance state on on like your early instrument and being so young and kind of like, Oh, I'm in this flow and in the zone and I think a lot of times, I don't know, when we're when we're kids or just even I almost more so as an adult in this modern world we get so sucked into all of our devices or all of these other distractions that I know, it kind of takes work to find that state that like flow state or I'm like so consumed by this project or this idea or this art or whatever to just lose ourselves in it so that's really cool that that's really great with that, and I feel like that kind of shows up in some of your work today and that you're building on on an idea or I know you do a lot of work with loops and things like you get into that zone, a lot when you're working now.
Yeah, every once in a while I'll you know when you're in it like, in it in it, it's like, oh yeah, like hey you're back, but it's one of those things that I think can't be forced, and it's kind of gifted upon you with grace, just randomness. It's something that you just can't force and so that's my intention, when I go into music and sometimes my head is filled up with all kinds of thoughts and things I need to do and work on, but what I am creating specifically on something that is mine or something that's new or just playing for fun. That's my intention going in is like okay I'm going to not try, like I have attained the skills to know enough of what I'm doing so I don't have to think so much and kind of meditating on nothing I'm trying not to think and what I'm like thinking like, all that was cool or oh wow I just did that, or Oh, that sucks or you know how your brain gets near like just 24/8, 25/8. And so I was just my intention is just that, but not getting mad at myself if it doesn't happen, because sometimes it does sometimes it doesn't know most of the time it doesn't but when it does it's like okay that was why I do what I do.
Yeah. That's so fun it's kind of, you're always in this pursuit of getting there but if you try to do it. You won't get there, if you think too hard about it it doesn't happen sometimes that's, that's totally. Yeah, yeah, definitely. I feel like all of us have that experience, seeking the thing and it's kind of always out of reach and sometimes it happens.
Yeah, once you get a taste, it's like oh my gosh I want that forever and then it's like, haunting your entire just being of wanting to get back to that state, almost to a fault where it's like okay I'm stressing myself out because I'm not there, it's like, yeah, so with you. We can go on for hours talking about that but yes, that's awesome.
Um, so you started out playing, I'm sorry, was it Viola or violin?
viola,
viola, yeah and so you started out playing Viola and I know you are a multi instrumentalist you play a lot of different things.So what was your journey from viola, to where you are now.
Yeah, so I remember having instruments all around the house as long as I could remember I had piano, drums, guitar, my parents were in a metal band when I was a little kid and so instruments all around the house they were always gone out to practice and playing shows and stuff and sorry about that music is it's really loud but instruments around the house I was a quiet kid and so instead of hanging out with friends, I would always kind of choose drawing or something creative and I don't know now that I think about it, if that was like this association or if that was me just really enjoying the instrument but regardless, I got into everything just kind of dip my toe into all kinds of instruments.
My first instrument that I started practicing on a regular basis, was the viola, and then I jumped to guitar when I was about 15, 16 years old, and the piano has always kind of been there, along with cello and drums. But yeah, that's kind of my journey just kind of like slowly, allowing myself to be interested in different instruments in picking them up and messing around with them.
Yeah, that's awesome. Um, when did you start writing music do you feel like that was something you were kind of always doing a little bit, or something that you spent more time on once you discovered, one of the other instruments.
Yeah, that's a good question. I think that I started writing a lot of melodies when I started picking up the guitar, and then the violin a little bit more that I got comfortable with not being so by the instrument. I would kind of learn how to improv a little bit, but as far as production and lyrics and actual full fledge songs go I'm just now kind of dipping into that as a... I don't want to say like a complete artists because you're always growing in different directions but allowing myself to be like hey you're, you have all of these tools now you have like your paint brushes, you have all the fancy paints in your canvases and now you can just like stop thinking and allow yourself to just apply. And so as far as like full compose songs with lyrics and vocal. I have been doing that as of recently, but with melodies and stuff I've been doing that since I was playing viola and guitar. Probably I would say like on a regular basis when I was about 16 or 17.
That's awesome. Yeah, I love what you were saying about kind of improvisation letting you get out of your head a little bit about playing instruments because when you're learning a new instrument there's so much of... Am I doing it right? And in the process that even the way we interact as like a student to a teacher or, you know, when you're playing in an orchestra, it's always like am I doing it right? Am I doing it better than someone else? Am I doing it the way that I'm supposed to according to what's on the paper? But when we start writing music I think you have to eventually, let go of all that and just you're, you're listening to what's happening in the moment and, yeah, just like I like what I'm playing now not Am I doing it right but does it sound like what I'm trying to um, express.
Yes.
Yeah. Do a lot of your songs start with improvisation or do you kind of have a melody in mind when you, when you're sitting down to work on something? Or it's okay if you don’t- I feel like it’s hard to talk about this process.
Is it is sometimes like I allow myself to take a break from a specific instrument and then I'll go into a room with really good reverb. So no matter what you play it sounds really good and crispy and it's like oh my gosh why did I ever stopped playing and so backing away for a minute and then walking into it with curiosity, excitement, again if you, if you get a little. I suppose just bored of the instrument or if you're practicing non stop and it's just like, I'm losing my, my joy to actually play this this instrument I'll take a break and then I'll jump into it and see if anything comes up. Other than that, sometimes I get inspired by songs, And I'll listen to a song obsessively and then I’ll- It'll be in my head like in my subconscious by like how many times I've listened to it and then when I do decide to jam and just have fun. In a little bits of the inspiration I can kind of hear it in there so I guess I just like turn myself on and then usually when I'm working on a project before I do a warm up and then I'll see if anything comes up and if I like it I'll record it really quick.
And then if not I won't freak out, I'll just be like okay I'm going on to my next thing that I was doing. And so, just anytime I can squeeze it in if something happens, it does and if it doesn't then there's going to be another time where I find something that I like.
Yeah.
Yeah. So, um, I yeah I think that's so nice to be able to just try it out and not put pressure on yourself to like it happened or it didn't, and then I'm moving on I think is important because it does. I guess that goes to speaking a little bit about, you know, when you're recording for yourself versus if you're like signed on some label, when it's just for you you get to write when you feel ready but if you were recording for somebody else or under someone else's kind of timeline. Sometimes you don't get that flexibility that you do with your own projects.
Yes, it's like okay you have X amount of months to work on this it's due and you have to make this much money it's like, that's pulling all of the juice out of why I do music personally. So, yes, there's some truth to what you just said, for sure.
Yeah. What, um, what do you feel, I feel like I'm asking all the hard questions but if you had to answer like what you, music, personally. Is there like one driving force for you or what kind of brings you back to making music again and again.
I feel like, ultimately, it's, it's my favorite one of my favorite ways to tap into presence and flow and understanding of life and realize the truth. And I like to do that through music channel at your music and being able to really connect on that level. Music being a universal language, I feel like it's just my go-to personally and something that I've gravitated towards. Ever since I was very little and feels very natural.
And a lot of people that could be cooking, that could be working out and fitness that can be building houses, for me it's music, and I love it. So I think it's just find that next level of understanding and frequency for myself, I suppose, if that makes sense. I'm always learning different ways by like.
I always think of music as the universal language. It’s so interesting, teaching music, some kids don't fully have a grasp of language itself yet whatever, you know, English language or anything some kids have trouble talking right away and forming words and sentences and ideas but music is something that you can experience whether or not you're understanding it or know what you're saying or know what you're hearing on, you can still kind of have this full body experience, singing it and moving to it. I imagined you since you said your parents were musicians that music really does feel like a language growing up with music around all the time and just kind of.
Yes, yes, absolutely.
Yeah, I always had a hard time, expressing myself verbally. As a kid, and sometimes now, it’s a good way to tap in and instantly connect with someone. If you like the same song as someone.
It's like you instantly you're like on this interesting by was like okay. You like the same music we should hang out, or what's your Spotify you know it's just kind of like automatically good friends so it's pretty cool.
It dissolves a barrier really fast if you're at like a, you know, whether you're just like a song comes on or you're at a show and you run into someone else it just kind of, there's one less thing that you have to break through to feel like you're getting to know them, which is, yeah.
On grief- “Toko” by Liv the Artist
You said that you music as a way to just kind of maybe learn about the world or understand life. I noticed that a few of your recent songs. I don't know how recent, I watched your city hall performance before this interview, I was having a listen and I know that you've written a few pieces about people you've lost recently and I was wondering if you have any thoughts on using music to navigate grief or loss.
Yeah, I love that, I think. Whenever I mean, nowadays, right now, everyone is losing someone whether it's a friend who lost someone very close to them, vice versa. I feel like. Uh, so far, I have had probably 3 or 4 people that are very close to me that have passed away, whether it's because of covid it or if it's because of some other mental things going on because of all the chaos right. I feel like a way I've never actually gotten to express this before it's really cool that you're asking this question. I feel like it's a way for me to...accept that. Hmm.. I don't know.I have to think about it a little more to have like a cooler answer but I feel like I pick up a guitar.
Whenever my grandpa, my Toko passed away. That was, that hit home for a lot of my family, and there was something told me just to pick up my guitar and see him on. He's onto see the creator and leaving this reality that we're in. And it's a good way for me to serve. Just kind of a tribute to what he's taught me and showed me in this lifetime and he had a lot of great advice and just encapsulating his whole aura, and who he was, as my Toko, through music and being able to... Look that in a way to where I can't really describe it with words. It’s better if I just played his song, or it’s better if I just express it through music, if that makes sense.
I have to. Yeah, trying to channel it into way where it's like, this is how I see my grandpa, or this is how I felt his presence everything that he gifted me. And so yeah, I would say that, along with my good friend Andrew. Just being able to lay a song down and allow myself to be in whatever emotion I feel when I'm thinking of that person whether it's sad or happy or thinking of a specific memory with that person. Kind of determines if the song sounds sad or happy or insightful, which is kind of cool how it always comes out when it's finished.
Yeah, thank you for sharing that.
Yeah, it's like what we were saying about how music like is that almost language or that instant you don't even need to talk about and you're like we already have a connection. I think when you have something so deeply personal sometimes instead of having to talk about it it's there, like, you know, here's what I'm feeling I'm going to play my feelings for you and, and you'll get to have those too and love the idea of kind of encapsulating a memory too because I think when we lose people the more time that passes, just our memories of people start to fade and dissolve or errode with the way that other people are remembering them more that we're the photos or videos we have them or they'll being able to preserve like how you feel about them right now, knowing that your memory won't- may, may evolve, you can always come back and hear that and kind of experienced those feelings again to or listen to them and go that's not where I'm at now and be in a different process at different stage of that grief, which I think is cool music’s kind of like a time capsule I guess.
Being able to make a song about someone just in general is just, it's really cool it's really fun. But, yeah, it was really healing for me being able to write something and kind of pay tribute and let go, in a healthy way.
Yeah, that's awesome. So, um, what are you working on now with your music or what's coming up next for you what kind of projects do you have even things in the back of your head, I'd love to if anything you're ready to share.
Yeah, so I have been in full fledge writing creative allowing myself to just be free form. And I don't want to say I don't know careless is the word but just, I suppose carefree in my writing and allowing myself to just exists exist I think for a long time. I have been on this journey of okay you're going to practice for X amount of hours and you got to learn how to do this, this and this and you gotta, you gotta do all the things all the time. And there's no brakes, and there was a lot of masculine discipline, intertwined with music, which isn't a bad thing if you're trying to learn things quick and trying to it's been a skills and like your chops up but now I'm, I feel like I'm integrating a lot of more feminine feminine way of going about it, and allowing myself to just settle down and you have all of these genres that you love, you don't have to write this phenomenal Pink Floyd debut album with visuals and have a world tour right off the bat, like, you know how we always have that find them, which is good to like get excited and visualize and all that but for a long time, it's just been overload to where I'm like okay, I can chill out, and I can allow myself just to breathe for like five seconds it's okay you can go on to the country and just exist.
You know, and so I've been detoxing from a lot of different things that helped me open up those doors to be more creative and just to write, and that being like social media, being out in the country. I'm currently nannying, a few Osage kids out in the country in Oklahoma. And that's really given me a lot of insight as far as just being in the present moment straight up, and using head heavy forms of exposure therapy in like real time instead of reading about it, how to be present, it's just like okay you're in it. This is you right now, this is what we're doing. And so being able to practice those things day to day has unleashed and unlocked a little, a little creative space for me where I'm at right now. And so, I have been just creating as of late and writing music.
I'm doing a little bit of shows here and there but really nothing crazy where I'm like doing tour after tour show or virtual stuff I've really taken a break, just to allow myself to exist, and it feels really good. I feel like it's long overdue. But divine timing it's happening right now and so I feel like the music and the album and the EP and the song is going to come when they come, and it's not a form of. I know it's not a form of being to have a perfectionist because I know like there's a difference between being a perfectionist and never like unleashing your music out into the world because it's not good enough or it's not you're not ready or whatever. But this is like an inner feeling like I know when I'm ready. And I'm going to allow myself to just create because I never really, there's always been some kind of hidden intention behind it if I'm writing a song like yes to tap into that flow, but it's also three to kick a song and to play it on stage and to like whatever whatever whatever.
So I said well I don't want to say nothing but I'm creating behind closed doors, I suppose, and just not intentionally not posting anything about it and intentionally not masculine energy into it like hey check out what I'm doing like. It's almost like you're eating a cookie in the cookie jar too fast when you like give it away really quick like that. And so, yeah, I've just been doing a lot of creating behind closed doors to some all of that up. I've just been jamming in the country.
I think that's amazing I think a lot of people do that and feel like it's not valid sometimes like oh you know it's not this like, like you were saying it's not something I can just share online or maybe I don't want to share it because it's not, it doesn't belong to just me anymore it's still I want to you know work on it on my own before I give it to everybody else or open it up to their opinions and feedback and influence. That's, I think it's important and I think I don't know we glorify that overproduction in that you're sharing everything you know everybody has seen a glimpse of your of your work but it's worth celebrating. And, you know, I think also there's something really great about just putting our own practicing being gentle practicing doing things slow like doing everything with with intention, especially as you're saying you know these kind of more masculine or, I don't like results driven mind as we get especially when a lot of teachers or collaborators are men in these different things and you get these other people's ideas and you don't get to develop your own. I don't know your own voice and all of it I think you have to go, like you were detox from all of that right like okay what am I without all those other layers and influences. What does my music sound like or what does my process look like.
Yes, absolutely. I always feel rushed like everyone's doing this all my home easier over here and everyone's killing it. I gotta like be along for the ride and so therefore I gotta. It's just exhausting. It's really exhausting and I didn't realize how did I was that that feeling. So doing this form of like dope mean detox and allowing myself to be like okay this is gonna hurt, but I need to do this number. And just like chill out for a second, like it's always going to be there. No one's forgetting about you, like, all of a sudden your socials for like a week in it feels like you know you don't exist anymore it's like okay there's something to that I should probably do this a little longer. So, yeah, definitely.
Joys of Living in the Country
Okay, I'd love to know a little off topic from music but I'm also living in the country and kind of weaning myself off of that city life in the fast pace and different things. What are, what are some of your favorite country activities or like just moments that you're having living living out in a more rural area?
Yeah, so, nature for sure. Also like. This is something I i think is cool is like, well, it's kind of cool and creepy but like go in the bathroom and there's like a spider, like on the ledge, your shower and it's just like creeping along and that's just live in and so spider life, and just just being like, Whoa, it's happened just like checking it out and watching bugs I saw some dirty but watching bugs is fun there's prey, there was a little baby praying mantis in my bed like a few weeks ago, and it was like baby enough to where it wasn't like doing this and effort. I don't know if that really does. It hurts for like adult praying mantis’ but regardless, it was like trying to do. You just like watch bugs and tap into just like looking at all the details of nature and flowers and plants and taking nature walks with the kids.
I downloaded this app where you take a picture of a plant you can figure out like what kind of planet, it is in its background is it safe to eat and what it was used for and learning more about my environment, and being tapped into the different food that I'm eating the random but they got and reservation that I'm on right now is Osage and I'm Comanche and Oto so there's a lot of Osage. There's a lot of Osage people and kin that around the area, the family that I'm in is Osage so it's a lot of stepping into their world and how they do life and just how they go about their day to day.
I think my favorite thing out of everything, though, is there's like this post office down the street and see post office that everybody goes to, just like one p.o. box for like a few of the zip codes around the surrounding towns. And it's always unlocked.
And it's got this chamber sounding reverb in the post office, and there's no one in there so like during the evening time like during the day it's popping. I mean like for a small town, like there's people coming in and out, you know, getting their mail. But after like around seven or eight o'clock on going out with my guitar and just jam and sing, and you can be as loud as you want, because the family that I'm with like know the police officers that work there and so if anything, they'll like have my back. It’s like so low key it's not it's crazy and so out of everything being in a small town. You know, looking at bugs in school and nature walks is cool but going to that post office in the evening time and just rip my guitar out and jammin is like top notch one of my favorite things.
That's awesome. I love that the post office jams and like, Yes, I. There's a...What is it, there's like a… I'm just thinking if like who will ever listen to this or this person over hear me talking about them. There's a kid like probably, I don't know, these high school maybe he's out of high school by now that works a business in the small town I'm living in and I've walked by that business I'll do like late night walks just like get out of the house and move and do things and I'll walk by this business, and he's the only one on shift at this business and I'll hear him just like singing and rocking out and like the music's blasting and it's so funny to me because in these small towns and then these like country environments, we constantly have privacy in our alone and can explore these spaces but also there's always someone listening.
It’s this sort of double edged sword- like you can do anything you want because it's just you but also somebody who's going to walk up and like know all your business instantly. So, yeah, there are people who are like, Oh, it's that person like singing in the post office.
Yes, you build this humility that you can't get in like a big city, it's just like everyone knows your business instantly or whatever it's like you get to know people really quick it's like can be fake in a small town so it's.
Yeah, it's kind of in your family for better for worse I guess like everybody's in your business and I don't know it's like immediately drama but also there's a support system built in.
Yes. Yes.
That's awesome. Okay, The last thing I think I want to ask just to kind of wrap this up it's been so great to talk to you and have this conversation.
I think the the last piece is where, where are we going to see you in the future and no pressure on this because I know you're saying like everything's just coming and going, but like if you have a big like one day I'll do this, it could be anytime and life.
Yeah, so I have so many things I want to do. I think that will be here for an extra hour if I dislike about my bucket list
The biggest one I guess that you're comfortable sharing I know not all of our times are for public consumption like sometimes you're like, people don't need to know this yet I'm just going to surprise them all but what's really...
I think that it would be really cool to close immediate maybe with Hans Zimmer. I've always wanted to do that. And I'm tapping into sport score productions and score composing and it's, it comes really naturally I love it. And so I've always wanted to work on some kind of major feature film, whether it's with Hans Zimmer or someone else- or just you- or someone else that is amazing, or I could just do the whole damn thing, that would be cool to F around find out my. That would be so awesome. I think that's one of my, my goals however that pans out. Usually I'll have like something in my head like, Oh, that's cool. I want to do that and it happens but in a way that I never thought it would and it's totally different. So, But, yeah, I would say that.
And being able to jam with all kinds of different artists and genres so composing music to where I'm able to dip into whatever genre I feel like and be able to fill it with whoever I want to, but that's going to take a lot of, like, work, both on like discipline and being able to like free your mind and so integrating the two, but being able to just say Hey, Masego, let's do something and he'd be totally down, like, I want to be on that level so being able to just reach out to some of my inspirations, and different artists that I really looked up to being able to just jam with them whether we release anything or we just jam and take it home, like, that is the ultimate goal, have my I have my cell phone like contacts just be filled with dope musicians that I can just FaceTime and whatever anytime, that is that is the goal. So that's what I would say.
I love that. Yeah, I think, collaboration is one of the greatest things that can come out of this musical process and building a community.
Yes.
Yes, absolutely.
For this interview and for being so vulnerable and sharing so many different experiences you've had and and just your relationship with music, I love that.
Yes, thank you, Kelsey for reaching out I genuinely find conversations like this just super healing and good all around and just uplift my mood. I'm ready to go on for the rest of the day and just be all perky and all that good stuff so I appreciate everything that you do. And for providing a space for different artists to talk about some really cool stuff, whether it be music or life or arts, cooking, Whatever the traffic I hope the traffic wasn't too bad but I genuinely enjoyed my time as well as a big as
I see when I thank you kills me I really enjoyed connecting with you.
Awesome. Yeah. Thank you, you too. Alright. Peace.
Credits and Loop by Liv the Artist
Thank you so much to Olivia Komahcheet for joining me today. You can find Liv’s work under Liv the Artist on Spotify, on TikTok, on Instagram, on YouTube and soon to be coming to twitch.And all of these links are available in the show notes.
If you enjoyed this episode and would like to engage with the Earth Noise podcast further, you can find Earth Noise on Instagram @earthnoisecast and on Patreon. All of the support from Patreon goes towards bringing new guests and refining the production value of this podcast.
You can connect with me the host on Instagram at Kelsey_Georgesen that's George- s-e-n. Or you can explore my online piano classes and workshops at kelseygeorgesen.com, spelled the same just the website.
You can find all of these links and other resources in the show notes. If you love this podcast please leave a review, or even more powerfully recommend this to a friend.
All of the music used in this podcast is shared with permission of the artist or its public domain available under creative commons license or has been licensed and approved for use by BMI.
I would like to thank Anthony Rideout for editing the video content, and for all of his contributions to this podcast.
Thank you for listening to this episode of Earth Noise.
