- Words Millie Dunn-Christensen
East London songstress Liv East talks alchemising emotion, support from Moodymann and Jayda G, and the electrifying new music series, AMPLIFIED.
W London’s AMPLIFIED music series returns this June with a night of soulful innovation, spotlighting one of the UK’s most compelling rising voices, Liv East. Taking the stage at The Perception Bar in Soho on 12th June, east London’s genre-blending songstress brings her signature mix of neo-soul, house, and R&B to a space that champions a new wave of artistry. Curated by DJ and W Music Curator Juss Jak, the series bridges global sounds with local spirit in an intimate, high-energy setting.
Following the success of her 2023 EP LVE1, Liv East has spent the past year meticulously crafting her debut album, expected later in 2025. Her music, anchored in emotion, lyricism, and instinctive storytelling, reflects a deep integrity and personal evolution for the artist. Liv’s creative process is rooted in authenticity and driven by emotional alchemy.
Alongside producer and trumpeter KingCrowney, and with support from respected collectives like Soho Rising and Women in Jazz, Liv East’s AMPLIFIED debut represents a pivotal moment, sharing frequencies that heal, inspire, and move. As AMPLIFIED continues to bridge emerging talent with iconic cultural spaces, Liv East stands as a testament to the power of independent artistry in shaping the sound of tomorrow.
Ahead of her appearance at W London’s AMPLIFIED music series, we sat down with Liv East to talk about her relationship with music, what performing live means to her, and breaking free from genres.
Let’s start at the beginning – what were the earliest sounds or environments that shaped your musical ear?
My earliest memories would be hearing my mum and aunty playing George Michael and Stevie Wonder, then I definitely went through a Motown phase through absorbing their tastes. My teenage years were big on Lily allen, I’m a huge Lily fan infact. Honestly, my musical tastes for the first 20 years of my life were heavy on soul music with a great story. I guess I’ve always been drawn to the storytellers. Even my dad would play Bob Dylan tapes in the car on the way to school and I’d make him rewind ‘Subterranean Homesick Blues’, so I could learn all the lyrics. These artists all had a tale to tell.
What did you grow up around that first made you fall in love with music?
I didn’t grow up in a musical household by any means, or even a particularly creative one, but my mum tells me I was always singing as a child. I’ve known that my love for music and the desire to express myself through songwriting has always been innate. I don’t feel like I ever “fell in love with music” as much as music is a part of me. It’s in my soul.
Do you approach writing more from a mood-first perspective or with clear sonic intention?
My relationship with music is almost entirely instinctive. A song will always start with the lyrics and the expression. I tend to only write when I feel I need to alchemise some emotion or work through a situation. It really is a form of therapy, and I feel as though writing in these conditions keeps the sincerity in the words and message. If I’m writing from a true, authentic place then that will no doubt translate in the recording and then into the release. Then the production and sounds will follow the words.
What anchors you creatively across those shifts? Is genre something you try to escape, or a tool you bend to fit your expression?
I write and record everything, and even the people I choose to work with are like family. Every decision I make creatively I have to align with from such a deep place and feel a connection, so I think that standard automatically connects the dots between everything and creates a flow instead of something that is disjointed. I think we are living in a ‘genre fluid’ age with the rise of DIY artists and the internet, and people generally are more concerned with authenticity than anything.
Talk us through that studio session for ‘Love Frequency’…
It was created with such a pure but mighty intention. I distinctly remember it was 2020 and the world was in and out of lockdown. I wanted to create a track that could lift me out of the dark place I felt I was slipping into. The song is quite literally a reminder for all the alchemists that we have the power to turn darkness to light. We spent quite a long time getting the sonics right and making the energy uplifting.
You’ve worked with labels like Glitterbox and The Remedy Project, and your tracks have support from the likes of Jayda G and Moodymann. How do you stay grounded as your sound continues to expand?
These moments are hugely flattering and signs from the universe that you’re going in the right direction but when you have ambitions as big as I do, the sky’s the limit. At this point I’m only interested in working upwardly, no need for grounding!
The W Hotel’s AMPLIFIED series is all about elevating boundary-pushing emerging artists in iconic spaces. What drew you to be part of this collaboration?
The W Hotel is such an iconic brand and really have their ear to the ground with the music programming. It’s amazing to see them plugging into the cultural scene of the city so I couldn’t wait to be part of this series. I’m very excited for the night, London needs more of these types of collabs.
Is visibility something you think about strategically, or do you focus on staying true and letting the rest follow?
These events make a massive impact to emerging artists and the scene is in desperate need of more big names like The W pouring into creating these platforms. Showcases and live events are really where the true connection lies, but as you know London’s venues are suffering and that in turn has an impact on artists.
How important is creative control to you, especially as your profile grows?
When I look back retrospectively at my story so far, I can really see how this sense of independence has been a burning ember throughout. I can see why certain things didn’t work out and why my path has forged this way so far. I do take a lot of pride in that now, and I see it as an asset to work with.
Outside of music, what inspires you right now?
My creative spirit is constantly fed by astrology, philosophy and human psychology. I’m slowly but surely building up my astrological knowledge, my current party trick really is, ‘What time were you born?’ and ‘Can I do you birth chart?’, so if anybody reading this is looking for a reading, hit me up!
AMPLIFIED is about spotlighting voices that deserve to be heard louder. What do you hope people take away from your music when they hear it for the first time?
I hope they can feel the soul and sincerity in the frequencies. I wish more people would follow their dreams and take the road less travelled, like I have. So maybe in some deep subconscious way I hope to be inspiring people too.