Liz Becker, USC indie-rocker on the rise
Liz Becker, a junior majoring in popular music performance, approached our interview with an easy geniality that came through her in careful words and kind disposition. Walking in sporting a black puffer and navy cargo pants, she exuded a confident coolness. Her latest track, “Adrenaline,” released Jan. 27, exhibits a careful, refined indie-rock musician on the rise, with relatable lyrics and a sweet voice that contrasts well with the heavier instrumentals.
“Adrenaline” shows Becker’s vocals moving effortlessly between a whisper and a belt, while the guitars are bouncy and grungy.
“I actually took a lot of influence from Joni Mitchell melodies when I was writing [‘Adrenaline’],” Becker said. “I also think Del Water Gap is a big influence for me, and Soccer Mommy, too.”
The influences are there; The track feels like a melding of all of these artists with a slick production that elevates Becker’s lyrics to something great.
Truman Sinclair, a junior majoring in music production who plays in the band Frat Mouse, and Evan Pruett, another junior majoring in music production, Becker’s collaboraters, said Becker has a strong understanding of what she wants and how to get there. The three of them all seem like genuine friends; they made many quick jokes in just the first few minutes of our meeting. This easy camaraderie comes out in “Adrenaline,” giving the track a polished feeling.
“That through line is Taylor Swift, but grungy, a little bit gnarly,” Pruett said of the production.
Becker’s music has an edge that makes it unique from that ofsimilar artists. “Adrenaline” is a big step up from her first single, “Keep it Cool,” in terms of finding a sound that works for her. While “Keep it Cool” is still a sonically-sound track, it’s more mild and soft-spoken. “Keep it Cool” feels like a first effort — like someone playing it safe. In comparison, “Adrenaline” shows that Becker is finding her footing in making her pop-sounding vocals work well within a heavier track.
“Adrenaline” shows a commitment to her craft. Becker seems earnest in her approach, and her promise comes through in her confessional lyrics. The metaphor of love being adrenaline is curious and a different approach from the mainstream views in indie right now. She sings, “I think I’m finally seeing this for what it is / I’m breathin’ in this oxygen like medicine / I think I’m finally seeing this for what it is / I’ve found other places to get my adrenaline.”
From reading the press release for “Adrenaline,” one can tell that for Becker, love is overwhelming, and finally being rid of that burden is like a breath of fresh air. In the whirlwind-like nature of youthful love affairs, this seems to be an apt sentiment for finally feeling free from the heartache of a break-up.
“A lot of times people make music because they’re trying to make a song as opposed to making music because if they don’t, they would fucking eat themselves up forever,” Sinclair said. “Liz can’t really hold on to the things that she’s writing about.”
Sinclair isn’t wrong; Becker’s music feels personal. Especially at a school like USC, there can be a pressure to constantly have to perform and churn things out because that’s what’s expected of high-achieving students — from humanities students writing papers, to theater students performing in countless productions, to music students writing songs. It doesn’t feel like Becker is writing a song simply to write a song, but that she is trying to genuinely say something with her music.
“[‘Adrenaline’] is a song that I wrote without guitar or piano. I started with the melody just kind of singing,” Becker said. “And then kind of wrote the first verse and chorus and then set it to guitar and came up with chords and wrote the rest of it.”
“Adrenaline” doesn’t feel forced. Becker’s natural approach to songwriting makes the lyrics flow and the production seems to follow her lead, not the other way around. There’s an imprint of Becker in every part of the song. One can imagine Becker and her long blonde hair flowing behind her as she drives down the Pacific Coast Highway when the track opens with “Nothin’ to lose now that I lost you / I can coast down the highway, do things my way.” The zingy guitars at around two minutes, right before the breakdown, add a spot of brightness to the track before she closes it out with the repeated chorus.
One of the best parts of Becker’s work is that she understands music-making isn’t an island where she does all the work; rather, her collaboration with Sinclair and Pruett show she’s adaptable and ready to put in the effort to make her tracks sound the best they can be.
“I honestly find the most fun I have with writing is stuff like this where you’re just doing it with your friends,” Becker said.
“Adrenaline” is exactly that: a track that exudes fun and honesty. Becker’s potential lies in her ability to tap into the things that make us feel something, and with the help of her talented collaborators, translate them into something tangible.
“I think that’s what separates her music, because it’s really honest and earnest and she needs to get it out. It was fun as producers, because the songs write themselves,” Sinclair said. “Liz does a lot of it on her own because it’s a passion thing. That’s what separates her music from others.”