Liddy Clark isn’t your average 21 year old.
The singer, who takes an indie-inspired take on classic country music, has played with the biggest names in the genre, including Chris Stapleton, Sara Evans, Jake Owen, Scotty McCreery, Jake Owen, and Josh Turner. She started her career in music at just 12 years old, and quickly found success. At age 13, Clark was already writing original tunes and by 14, she received a personal invitation to sing at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch — a country music dream come true. It was no surprise, as songwriting runs in her family; Clark’s cousin Drew Womack authored hits like Kenny Chesney’s #1 “She’s Got It All.”
But what makes Clark stand out from others in the space is her commitment to penning moving narratives, written to inspire others through storytelling that goes beneath the surface. For example, in response to the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida- – the city where Clark grew up — she released “Shot Down (Stand Up)” as a both a way to honor those affected by gun violence and as a way to spread hope for the future.
Grit Daily spoke with Liddy Clark about her current music, past successes, and what fans can expect from the rising star next.
Grit Daily: Your single “Friendly Fire” is from your upcoming EP. Talk to us about the inspiration behind this song and what fans can expect from the forthcoming music.
Liddy Clark: “Friendly Fire” was inspired by someone I used to be really close to. This person ended up saying a lot of untrue things about me behind my back and I wrote this song because I felt so betrayed by it. I actually was in the car driving home when I found out and as soon as I got home I wrote the entire thing in 30 minutes. Fans can definitely expect a lot of honesty from my upcoming music, that’s one of the qualities I really love about a good song and I try to emulate that in the music I make.
GD: You’re music always has a message, namely your “Shot Down (Stand Up)” song inspired by the tragic events at Stoneman Douglas High School, why do you find it important to write songs with strong meanings behind them?
LC: It was important for me to write about that event because it’s how I emotionally process things, I was kinda able to figure out my stance on the whole situation through writing about it. This song also serves as a way to speak to other people about the message and I feel like music is the perfect platform to speak out about important topics.
GD: The video for “Shot Down (Stand Up)” received a Global Music Award! Congrats! How does it feel to be recognized internationally?
LC: Thank you! It’s crazy because I still remember when I was in a room writing the song. It is amazing that the message was able to be conveyed so well by the people who worked on the music video and I’m just so thankful I was able to work with them for this song.
GD: You’ve been involved with music since a young age, what is the most important lesson you’ve learned on your journey thus far?
LC: I think the most important thing I’ve learned is the importance of the people you bring into your world. Who you surround yourself with is ultimately how you’ll approach living life and writing songs, so it’s important that they’re good people.
GD: How do you manage to balance school and your music career?
LC: Honestly, I still take it pretty day by day. Lots of scheduling and a pretty intense iPhone calendar usually does the trick.
GD: You have already opened for great country artists like Scotty McCreery and Joe Nichols, who is your dream headliner?
LC: Ah man, I’d love to open for Dan + Shay. Honestly, there’s so much good music out there right now, it’d be pretty hard to find someone I wouldn’t love to open for.
GD: Do you have any dream collaborations?
LC: I would love to collaborate with Ed Sheeran, not just because of his fantastic songwriting skills but also because of our mutual hair color.
GD: You recently turned 21! What doors, if any, does this open to your career?
LC: I can finally get into 21+ venues! Also, I can write about drinking now without feeling weird about it. So expect a lot of tequila references in future music.
GD: What can fans expect next from you?
LC: I’m really working on writing and creating my sound for upcoming records, and I have to say I’m really excited to see where it’s going so far. You can also find me playing a few live shows every now and then to try out some brand new songs.
