Ethiopian-Canadian songwriter Liza (”lee-za”), has independently accumulated millions of streams across her career, the artist’s sense of meditative intimacy and catharsis emerging as a pioneering spirit within the tidal rise of neo-soul. Unveiling her latest EP, elegant grace of ‘The Alternate Ending’, the artist once again showcases a mastery of her sound, confident in her delivery as she creates rich sonic portraits.
Opening track ‘Shades’ sees vocoders surround a lonely lead vocal, inviting audiences into the project with a raw showcase of vocal talent, topped with silky harmonies. ‘Back For More’ then pulls listeners back into the smooth R&B sounds synonymous with Liza, with a sleek and complimentary feature from TOBi arriving as soft, lightly filtered guitars dance with the sharp snap of the percussion.
‘Gasoline’ takes on a more introspective emotional palette, the bright tone of arpeggios contrasting with the darker harmonic movement and break drums, while ‘In The End’ brings a slightly softer atmosphere. The first half delivers these feelings through gentle vocal additions and piano chord glow, despite hard-hitting kick drums, whilst the second roots down in its synth bass, harnessing a momentousness as adlibs soar and melodies become fierce.
The penultimate track, ‘I’m On You (Interlude)’ is next. The tame, tender nature of interludes lent itself incredibly to Liza’s voice, entering the atmosphere like smoke as intricate string melodies built beneath her. The final and title track, ‘Alternate Ending’ is a true end to the narrative a cinematic closer to an EP of mirrored reflections. Sweet and evocative, the subtle torment is made sense of, arriving at a tranquil solace.
In addition to her music career, Liza works as a registered nurse and clinical researcher. Selected as one of thirty to receive the YouTube Music Black Voices Fund and the only artist and Canadian chosen for the inaugural Snapchat Creator Class of 2023, Liza was also named Amazon Music’s Breakthrough artist and recently received the Canadian Black Music Award. ‘The Alternate Ending’ as Liza says, is “serving as a continuation of my 2021 debut EP, DONE IS DONE, it offers an alternate culmination to what was initially envisioned”, and highlights the continued growth of her creativity and career.