It’s midnight. The smoke alarm goes off in your building. What do you do? Well… if you’re Tennessee based folk/pop songstress, Liz Moss, you write a song. That’s right. Written and recorded on the floor of Moss’ dormitory room, ‘Smoke Alarms’ is a warm and dreamy little tune that, as Moss best puts it, “serves as a sweet and calming lullaby”. Classic themes like discontent and unrequited love are beautifully explored in under two minutes, as Moss’ incredible vocals take center stage. Confident yet vulnerable, light yet rich at the same time, there’s just something rather special about this incredibly talented 18 year old. Originally inspired by Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift, Moss now leans towards an eclectic mix of artists like Phoebe Bridgers, Orla Gartland, Clairo and Sofia Mills. The future is undoubtedly bright for this rising young star.
‘Smoke Alarms’ is the sweetest, dreamiest little song I’ve heard in ages. I can’t wait to hear what Liz Moss does next.
INDIE TOP 39
What does the song mean to you?
I wrote this song on the floor of my dorm room at midnight after my building’s smoke alarm went off, and I found myself more alone than ever. To me, this song was an escape from the complete out-of-place feeling and isolation that encapsulated my first few weeks back in college after being home for the holidays. I funneled my uncomfortableness and anxiety into a song that embodies peace and hopeful romanticism. I hope it brings you the same comfort listening as it did to me writing it.
Tell us about your creative process and how the song came to be.
I was thinking about how, if I got in trouble for anything, it’d probably be for breaking our no-candle policy and setting off the fire alarm. This little story came out about fifteen minutes later. I initially intended not to put the song onto streaming platforms, since it served more as an interlude or a short lullaby, but it received such a positive reception on YouTube and Reddit that I decided to give it a shot on streaming services. In terms of my creative process, I usually write by starting with a concept or hook in mind and go from there, but for Smoke Alarms, it all came out at once. It was a very cathartic songwriting experience.
Which Netflix series or movie would you like your music to be featured in?
The film buff in me loves this question. The 2013 movie, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, is one of my all-time favorite movies and beautifully encapsulates feelings of wonder, hope, and living boldly. It has one of my favorite soundtracks ever (I mean – Jose Gonzalez, Of Monsters and Men, AND David Bowie? Come on). I feel like it really embodies my adventurous spirit, so I would have loved to have been featured in that movie. Also, I’m game to sing over anything that’s set in Iceland.
_____
Make sure to connect with Liz Moss on Facebook » Instagram
Now you can listen to all the 39 songs in one place, right here on Spotify!
This coverage was created in collaboration with Musosoup as part of the #SustainableCurator movement.
