Australian solo artist Liam Cooper stopped by to chat his opinion on how the internet has impact the music industry, music recommendations and why music is the right path for him.
Introduce yourself and your hidden talent!
Hello! My name is Liam Cooper, I’m a singer/songwriter from Sydney, Australia. My hidden talent is I can actually clap almost as fast as the fastest clapper in the world. Seriously. Also, I went viral a few years ago in a video I made proposing to my now-wife, Amy. It has 11 million views on YouTube and we still get new views and comments every week
What made you decide that music is the right path for you?
I don’t think I ever decided that music was the right or wrong path, it’s just who I am. There isn’t any other path. I started playing piano when I was 5 years old and I’m about to turn 30 so music has always been in my life and always will be in some shape or form. Before the pandemic, I was performing my cover show Kings of the Keys on cruise ships around the world but being at home for so long has given me time to finally revisit and release my own music. It’s amazing to be able to pursue music in so many different forms – I’m so excited to get back on a stage and perform my show again, but I also can’t wait to keep sharing more of my own music.
What’s your writing process like? Do you write the music or lyrics first?
Most of the time a short lyric and melody will come together at the same time, which will be my starting point. I’ll then continue writing a melody, usually without lyrics, and add some chords and structure to create a chorus or verse, whichever feels right. I’ll continue writing lyrics, then expand into the rest of the song. I think a lot of songwriters will agree that the second verse is the hardest part!
Give our listeners some music recommendations that we should check out!
You definitely need to check out the lead singer of The Killers, Brandon Flowers. He’s released two albums, which are a few years old, but they are incredible. Great songwriting, timeless sound and great pop melodies. I’m also a huge fan of NIGHT TRAVELER, a duo from Austin, Texas. And a fellow Aussie you should definitely check out is Tyne-James Organ, who just released his debut album Necessary Evil. Great sound.
How do you feel the Internet has impacted the music business?
I love this question! I think that the internet has been both a blessing and a curse for the music business. How incredible is it that even as an independent artist, people around the world that I’ve never met can discover and listen to my music?! To think I have fans in countries I’ve never been to or heard of is simply amazing. On the other hand, it’s made earning money from music more difficult. Smaller independent artists don’t get paid much for the small number of streams they receive, sometimes not even enough to cover the cost of making or releasing the song in the first place. It can also be frustrating that as artists we don’t ‘own’ our fans. Everyone that likes us on Facebook, follows us on Instagram, listens to us on Spotify – those people are users of those platforms and the platforms control who sees our posts and hears our music. So like I said – blessing and a curse, but at least everyone is in the same boat!
You can follow Liam Cooper on Facebook and Instagram.
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