Double Decker is known for bringing together not only music lovers from all over the region, but also artists of different performance styles and genres. This year, Double Decker is offering attendees a dose of indie pop with artist Lissie.
Ahead of her performance, The Daily Mississippian interviewed Lissie not only about her music, but also about the person behind the ethereal tunes that uniquely combine pop, rock and indie.
Music has always been a part of Lissie’s life. She performed in musical theatre as a child, but started playing the guitar and songwriting in high school. Eventually, that mode of expression turned into a career. She has released five studio albums, garnered critical acclaim with her album “My Wild West” and has hit No. 1 on the charts in Norway.
“I started playing the guitar in high school and used songwriting and music as a way to make sense of my emotions as I grew,” Lissie said. “I dropped out of college and moved to L.A., and I got fortunate that I had a couple of record deals. I’ve been making albums for 15 years now, and it’s been my calling throughout my life.”
In addition to being a musician, Lissie owns a popcorn company called Otts’ Pops Indie Pop based in her now-home of Iowa. Each flavor of popcorn is named after a different type of pop music.
While there is no direct comparison, Lissie lists Sheryl Crow, Fiona Apple and Sarah McLauchlin as her inspirations.
“There was this beautiful time in the late ’90s and early 2000s, when there were so many awesome women singer-songwriters who played instruments and who presented themselves in a very light, authentic way,” Lissie said. “I went to Lilith Fair in high school, and I just remembered getting the butterflies and thinking, ‘This is so powerful. I want to be a part of this.’”
Lissie also recommended that fans listen to her breakout song “When I’m Alone” and “Everywhere I Go” off her breakout album, “Catching a Tiger,” and “Night Moves” off her most recent album, “Carving Canyons,” to get a sense of her music and musical evolution. She noted that much of her music touches on themes of grief, healing and hope.
As an indie artist, she was signed to Fat Possum Records here in Oxford for a period of time. Lissie talked about the importance and opportunity a festival provides to expand a fan base.
“When I’m on tour, for the most part, the people that are coming to the shows are there because they know who I am, and they like my music,” Lissie said. “At a festival, there is a bit of an edge. You have to win people over. For people who don’t really know anything about you, if they stumble upon you and they are into it, it’s just another opportunity to connect.”
Lissie said that what wins people over about her performances is the now-rare aspect of all live music.
“I mean, we’re pretty much a rock band,” Lissie said. “We don’t have any beats or computers. It’s drums, guitars, bass, keyboards and live vocals. The audience’s energy, we feed off of that. I think part of that is just getting the beat going, and maybe a song’s extra rockin’ or there’s a big nice guitar solo.”
Lissie said she is excited to come to the Southeast, as she hasn’t played much in the region.
“It’s going to be great to get just an entirely different part of the country,” Lissie said. “I’m in Minnesota right now. I play in Minnesota all the time, but no one really knows me in Mississippi, so I’m ready to say ‘what up.’”
Lissie is set to take the Double Decker stage at 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 29.
